Cassie could tell something wasn't right. It was there in the way Franklin kept dodging her eyes, the way his voice dipped whenever she asked about Rose.
Still, she refused to let him twist her emotions or push her into panic. She folded her arms and lifted her chin a little.
"Fine. Don't tell me," she said, sounding calm even though her stomach was already tightening. "I'll just call Mom and Dad. They'll tell me."
She watched him closely, waiting for that moment when he'd step in and stop her. But he didn't. He just let her talk, let her reach for her phone. And the longer he hesitated, the louder her fear echoed.
Something was happening to her daughter, and she was the only one who didn't know.
"Go ahead," he finally said, voice flat. "They're not as heartless as me to t
