Elliott folded his hands between his knees and thought for a moment, the posture he took when he had something important to say but hadn’t quite chosen the words yet. He blew out a deep breath, loudly, and then said, “I’m worried about you.”

“Me? Why?” That wasn’t at all what she had been expecting. Cassidy took a drink of her shake and then set the cup down on the table beside her next to a lamp.

“I’ve known you a really long time, since you were in diapers, and I can tell when you’re keepin’ somethin’ to yourself, even better than your sister can, I think.”

The blood seemed...