"Do you mind telling me what he said?" Matt asked.
She nodded, then read aloud. "You know you've always been my North Star, Haley. Whenever I felt lost, I looked to you, and I knew where home was. You're the only person I've ever trusted completely, and that will never change. When I saw this, I had to get it for you. I hope you'll think of me when you wear it. Love, Landon."
She opened the box and found a heavy silver star pendant on a long silver chain with intricate designs around its shimmering edges. She pulled it out to show Matt.
"It's beautiful," he said.
"I can't believe he found this." She put the necklace on, fingering the pendant as she gazed down at it. "He told me I was his North Star when he went to Westbridge. And I told him that I felt the same way about him. It had always been the two of us. When we were together, wherever that was, that was home." She blew out a ragged breath. "I'm sorry for getting so emotional. This is more difficult than I thought it would be."
"Don't apologize for loving your brother, for grieving him. I'm glad you have something to wear to remember him by."
She gave him a teary smile. "Me, too. I should have opened the gift before. I just couldn't do it. Then I forgot about it. I tried to forget about everything because it hurt so much." As Matt's phone buzzed, her thoughts returned to the present. "Has something happened?"
He looked up from the text he was reading. "Alanna boarded a plane for Melbourne at four o'clock this afternoon."
"As in Australia?" she asked in surprise.
"Yes. She apparently wanted to get as far away from LA as she could. Anyway, we have one less person to worry about."
"That's good." She looked back into the box, pulling out some of Landon's favorite books that she'd also kept for no real reason, except she had fond memories of him reading before bed. "There's nothing else here that can provide us a clue."
"Nothing here, either," he said as he leaned back in his chair while she got up to sit on the couch.
"I didn't really think there would be, but it was good we looked," she said with a tired yawn.
"I would like to go over the notes you made at the time. I noticed a big stack of files on that chair over there."
"You're welcome to look through them." She couldn't help yawning again. "Sorry. I guess the day is catching up to me."
"It's been a long day. You should get some sleep, Haley."
"Do you think I'm safe here after what happened earlier? Should I go to a hotel?"
He gave her a thoughtful look, then said, "What do you think about me sleeping on your couch?"
"I think you'd be pretty uncomfortable."
"I'm not worried about that. I can sleep anywhere."
"It's not necessary. I can take care of myself," she said. "I've been doing it for a long time."
"I know you have, but I'd feel better if you weren't alone."
As he finished speaking, her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but with everything going on, she decided to answer. "Hello?"
"Stop," the robotic voice said. "Stop before it's too late."
She paled as the call ended.
"Who was it?" Matt asked.
"I don't know. It sounded like a bot. They said, 'Stop before it's too late.'"
His lips tightened as his serious expression met hers. "I'm definitely sleeping on the couch."
"Maybe you should," she agreed. "I'm surprised you didn’t suggest I do what they asked, that I stop looking into my brother's death. Why didn't you?"
His brown eyes darkened. "Because it's already too late."
