Page 5 of In Her Memory

The certainty that had been building since she’d awakened crystallized into resolve. Jenna would find her sister again, no matter what dark force had taken her away.

What about the woman with the candle—the spirit that seemed to be reaching out for justice? She had no identity for her yet, no purpose. That would have to wait.

Jenna stepped out of the garage into the morning sunlight. Twenty years ago, she’d been a powerless teenager when Piper vanished. Now she was Sheriff Graves, with resources, experience, and her own abilities that reached beyond the veil between worlds.

This time would be different. This time, Jenna was going to bring her sister home right away.

CHAPTER TWO

When Jenna and Frank returned to the kitchen, Mom was sitting at the table with untouched toast on the plate in front of her, with butter and jelly set out on the table. A second and third place had been set for them, and the fourth place was empty.

She and Frank sat down and nibbled at the toast, while her mother just traced the rim of her coffee cup in endless circles. Morning light slanted through the blinds, cutting stripes across the linoleum floor, marking time as they all wondered the same thing: Where had Piper gone, and why?

“I wonder,” Mom said quietly, “if she took her brooch with her.”

For just a moment, Jenna wondered what brooch Mom meant. Then she remembered—it was the brooch that Piper kept with her to make her feel safe and grounded—an ornate piece with a weathered metal and rounded opal face.

“Is it not in her room?” Jenna asked.

“I couldn’t find it. And I hope …” Mom’s voice choked a little. “Well, I hope she’s got it, because it makes her feel so much better—just holding it in her hand, I mean.”

“I know,” Jenna said softly. “I hope she’s got it too.”

Mom shook her head.

“She must have had a reason for going,” Mom said finally, her voice thin and brittle. “She wouldn’t just... leave us again…”

Jenna watched her mother’s face carefully. The improvements of the past months—the clear eyes, the steadier hands, the return of color to her cheeks—now seemed fragile, threatened by this new upheaval. She looked at Frank, who caught her gaze with understanding.

“We’ll find her, Margaret,” Frank said. His voice carried the steady assurance that had guided Jenna through her early days as his deputy.

They all fell quiet again. A neighbor’s dog barked in the distance. Jenna’s phone sat silent on the table, no messages, nothing at all from her twin.

“I had a dream last night,” Jenna said suddenly. The words tumbled out before she could reconsider. “Dad was in it.”

Her mother’s head snapped up, eyes wide. Frank’s expression remained neutral, but his posture stiffened slightly. They both knew what Jenna’s dreams meant.

“Was it... was it really him?” Mom asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jenna replied slowly, “Yes. It was him. Actually him. He speaks to me that way from time to time.”

The kitchen fell silent for a long moment, as if her revelation had filled all the space.

“What did he say?” Frank asked quietly.

Jenna took a breath, organizing her thoughts. "He told me the Piper was missing. That's how I found out, before you called, Mom. He said he keeps watch over both Piper and me, even from beyond. But he said something had pulled Piper away, hidden her even from him."

Mom pushed her chair back abruptly, its legs scraping against the floor. She stood and turned toward the sink, hands gripping the counter edge.

"I wish—" Her voice broke. "I wish I could talk to him, too. Just once more."

Jenna felt the familiar twist of guilt. Her ability was like a barrier between them—one more reminder of how different she was from her mother, and how she could access something Margaret Graves never could.

“Mom, I’m sorry,” she said softly. “You know I can’t control who comes to me.”

“I know,” her mother replied. "I know that, Jenna. You've explained before. It's just—" She turned, tears welling in her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if he has messages for me, too. Things he wants me to know. And you're the only bridge."

"He told me that he's watching over you, too," Jenna said, knowing that her words were of little comfort.