Something strange flickered across his face. It stopped me cold.
"What's wrong, Dad? Do you know this place?"
His mouth opened. Nothing came out.
By then, Mom had caught up to us.
She glanced at the villa, swallowed hard, and when she spoke, her voice was heavy with something close to dread.
"Jill, let's go back."
"Don't look into this anymore."
I stared at her in disbelief.
"Why?"
"Mom, you're the one who said we should come find out the truth. You were the most fired up about it. You said we had to catch them red-handed."
"They're right here, right in front of us. Why are you suddenly telling me to stop?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed my arm, her voice cracking, almost begging.
"Jill, please. I'm begging you. Let's just go home."
"Let this go. Please?"
Dad walked over too, his face grave.
"Jill, listen to your mother. Let's go home first."
"We're doing this for your own good."
I was completely lost.
I couldn't make sense of it. Just minutes ago, my parents had been ready to storm in and fight for me. Now, after one look at this villa, they'd become entirely different people.
Was it the villa itself?
Or was it the person inside?
While the questions were still churning through my mind, the front door of the villa swung open.
My head snapped toward it.
And there they were. Brad on one side, Jean on the other, carefully supporting a woman with a swollen belly as she stepped out of the villa.
The moment I saw her face, my eyes went wide.
Everything clicked into place.
