Book Four: Chapter 19

Marco blinked when he saw her standing there, then broke into a wide, easy grin that made Beth momentarily nostalgic for a life that felt very far away now.

“Marco, I barely recognized you out of your suit!” she exclaimed, genuine surprise coloring her voice. She gestured vaguely at his jeans and worn jacket. “What are you doing delivering packages for Lance?”

Marco laughed and shifted his weight, clearly amused. “I get that a lot,” he said, spreading his hands. “This is a special occasion. Lance wanted to make sure that Mr. Radley got his belongings back personally.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the van parked along the road. “You remember that storage unit that had some of his stuff auctioned off, right?”

Beth nodded slowly, her stomach tightening at the reminder.

“Well,” Marco continued, “Lance hired a private