Again, Dad seemed to have been expecting the question. “Mom died of natural causes, sweetheart. Nothing to do with the supernatural. Just—” His voice caught slightly, and he rubbed his face with the back of his palm as he cleared his throat. “Just unlucky, is all.”

“And Clyde’s dad? You weren’t—I mean, that wasn’t…?” The question flew out before I realized how awful it sounded.

Dad just chuckled lightly. “It’s okay, Aria. I’m used to being the first suspect.” ...