The memory of her encounter with Albert Hawkbone flashed through Rose’s mind, but she masked her unease with a smirk. “What, because he carries a hockey stick?”

Ivy burst out laughing. “I mean, yeah! That cane of his looks like it belongs in the NHL. But honestly, I’ve never seen him limp. Suspicious, right?”

The two shared a moment of laughter, their gossip lightening the tension that had settled over Rose like a storm cloud.

But her laughter faded as her eyes ...