*~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty~~*

{~~Avery Sterling~~}

A few days have passed since we first read that note, and the gravity of what it revealed has been weighing on all of us. Ryan has been busy putting together a team to check out the motel we uncovered, piecing together clues, and preparing for what we might find there. Meanwhile, life has been marching forward, but it feels like we’re all holding our breath, waiting for the next disaster to hit.

When I woke up this morning, the only thing on my mind was getting to the hospital. The lawyer and social worker were scheduled to arrive in a few hours, and it was critical to ensure everything was in place for the transition. We’d taken on the responsibility of Ava’s daughter, but with everything happening so fast, I felt woefully unprepared. We have a room for her, but cribs, clothes, diapers, and all the other things we still need? Yeah, we’re nowhere near ready.

I cursed under my breath as I threw on clothes, running through a mental checklist. I had planned to take t