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came to every school function. She didn’t miss one.”
    “That doesn’t sound like someone who would just abandon their kid,” Clove said.
    “No,” I agreed. “What about Annie’s father?”
    “There is no father listed on the birth certificate,” Bay said. “Later, Jonathan Denham appeared on Annie’s school documents as her father. He was never cleared to pick her up from the school, though, and he apparently never attended any of her school functions. The birth certificate was amended when Annie was five.”
    “I can’t believe the school told you all of that,” I said, impressed.
    “They told most of it to Landon,” Bay admitted. “He told me. They did talk to me after he cleared it, though.”
    “So, do we know anything about this Jonathan Denham?” Clove asked.
    Bay shifted her gaze to Annie again and then leaned forward. “He was Belinda’s teacher.”
    I made a face. “You’re saying that she got knocked up by her teacher?”
    Bay nodded.
    “Why wasn’t he prosecuted?”
    Bay shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to ask Jonathan’s parents when they come. Of course, Belinda was eighteen when she got pregnant. There might not have been much they could do.”
    “I don’t like this,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “How old was Denham when he knocked up Belinda?”
    “He was in his thirties.”
    “So, we have a man who had sex with his student, got her pregnant, and then didn’t take responsibility for the child?”
    “He appears to have taken responsibility at some point,” Bay cautioned. “Landon and Chief Terry are running his background now. They’re over at the police department.”
    “Well, I’m not okay handing Annie over to his parents,” I said. “Even if they didn’t know what he’d done until after the fact, they still knew he was a demented pervert.”
    “I don’t think we have a lot of choice in the matter,” Bay said. “Chief Terry says it’s the law.”
    I got to my feet. “Yeah? Well, we have Aunt Tillie. I believe a lot more in her powers than any law. She’s not going to let this happen.”
    “What do you suggest we do?” Clove asked, helpless.
    “We have to find out what happened to Belinda,” I said. “She’s the key.”
    “And what if Jonathan Denham killed her?”
    “Then Annie isn’t leaving with his parents,” I said. “I don’t care what we have to do to stop them.”
    “What if we never find out what happened to Belinda?” Bay asked. She wasn’t arguing with my attempt to keep Annie safe, more with the logic I was utilizing with my efforts.
    “We have to find out what happened to Belinda,” I said, focusing on Annie momentarily. “Annie needs to know, and we need to help her find out.”
    “Okay,” Bay said, getting to her feet. “I’ll keep digging.”
    “What do you want us to do?” Clove asked.
    “Just keep Annie busy and safe,” Bay said. “We’re going to need her to tell us what happened, and she’s not going to do that until she feels safe.”
    “Don’t worry,” I said. “Keeping her safe is my top priority. I dare anyone to try and come in here and get her.”
    Bay smiled. “That would be a neat trick, wouldn’t it?”

Five
    When we got back to The Overlook, it was a little before three. It was too early for dinner, and too late to do much else before supper. Since the season wasn’t in full swing yet, we opted to close early. In an effort to engage Annie, Clove and I sat down at the dining room table and entertained her with a rousing game of Go Fish. I was hoping it would force Annie to talk. Instead, she claimed the notepad from behind the registration desk and wrote down what she wanted to ask for. At least I knew her mind was working, even if her vocal chords were refusing to play the game.
    Bay arrived during our second game.
    “Do you want to play?” I asked.
    Bay shook her head, biting down on her lower lip as she regarded Annie. “Actually, I was thinking we could leave Annie inside to