"Annie, how are things going with the Nettleton family?"
Annie, thinking her parents were asking about her engagement with Conner, replied casually, "I've talked it over with Conner. Once we find my sister, the engagement's back on track."
Her parents exchanged knowing looks. "Annie, did you happen to run into that guy you used to like in Havenbrook, uh, Chad?"
Annie cut in quickly, "Mom, Dad, let's drop that. Conner would get all jealous if he knew. Plus, Chad's married now and even has a kid. It's best to leave the past where it belongs."
Mrs. Martin chimed in again, "So, Annie, didn't you meet any other nice guys in Havenbrook?"
Sensing something was off, Annie got suspicious. "What's going on, you two?"
The Martins shifted uncomfortably. "There's nothing wrong, sweetheart. We're just concerned about you. Honestly, maybe it's best to keep some distance from the Nettleton family. We only want you to find a good guy and have a peaceful life. We don’t care about riches or status; we just want a simple life for you."
Annie chuckled. "With Conner in the picture, even if there was a decent guy around, do you think Conner would let it slide?"
Noticing her parents' odd behavior, Annie's gaze sharpened. "Tell me the truth, did my sister... reach out to you?"
The Martins looked flustered. "No, honey, she hasn't. We don’t know where she is, so how could she contact us?"
"Lies!" Annie stood up suddenly. "I believe my sister's still out there. She cares too much about us. If she's alive, she’d contact you, not me. Conner wouldn't harm her, so was her disappearance a plan she cooked up?"
"No, no, Annie, we haven't seen her," her parents insisted, eyeing their daughter, the police officer, nervously.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Sweet Mischief's Rollercoaster Romance