She was still trying to figure out what justice was in this situation. She had her own responsibility for Kyle’s death to deal with, especially after her father’s revelation, which had started her back at an emotional square one, throwing her in tumult for a long time thereafter. She’d cut back on her hours at work, increased her therapy to twice a week, and was trying to find a way to live with what she’d done. She was hoping to find the City of Refuge, but there was no map or GPS. Some days it felt like it was around the corner, and other days it was somewhere over the rainbow.
Allie knew it was about forgiveness, but she couldn’t forgive herself yet, if indeed she ever could. She was aiming for acceptance, and this morning, just now, she actually felt a moment of peace, just one moment, and that was one more moment than she’d had yesterday or any day before that. She tried to be optimistic, and in fact, she had to be, because the baby was on its way.
They’d found out they were pregnant only two weeks ago, sooner than Allie was probably emotionally ready for, but she was learning that life was anything but orderly. Allie sensed it was for the best, in that the baby was pulling her into the future in a way that she needed in order to go forward, to live her life. She’d always wanted to be a mother, and if she waited until she felt as if she deserved a baby, she might never have one.
Allie’s hand went reflexively to her belly, and she was determined to do everything she could to earn the privilege. Having a child changed things, everybody said so, and she found herself thinking of David, about how his having a baby had made him want to come clean about Kyle, and then about her own mother, whose life had changed completely when Jill was born. So had her father’s.
Allie kept her hand on her tummy, amazed to think that there was a new life growing inside her. She felt somehow that the life was connected not only to her, Larry, and their families, but even to David, Jill, and her mother, to the living and the dead, all of the people Allie loved linked together in some eternal skein of life, like a human chain of hearts and souls, forever. Tears came to her eyes, and she didn’t know if she was being profound or hormonal, but she allowed the feeling to be, and for a moment, just one moment, it was a beautiful thing.
“Honey, you okay?” Larry asked with concern. He must have been watching her over the newspaper.
Allie looked at him with a slowly spreading smile. “I’m getting there, thanks,” she answered simply.
And she realized with gratitude that it was the truth.
Acknowledgments
I’m a big fan of “thank you,” and my first thanks go to my readers. I have written thirty-some novels and nine nonfiction books, and over the years, my readers have become even more important to me. Many of you have followed me from book to book and supported me as I expand the type of book I write, going from legal thrillers in Rosato & DiNunzio to deep domestics like this one, and even to the funny books I write with my daughter. I feel so grateful to each and every one of you for being so loyal, in every way. I feel grateful every morning for this wonderful job of mine, not only because I love writing books, but I love reading them. And I love most of all the reading community, and all of you. So you get my first thanks, today and always.
Someone Knows was especially challenging for me because it required research outside my expertise, and this is where I get to thank those experts who helped me. Usually I specify exactly how my sources help me, but I won’t here, because this book has a twist or two and I’m a no-spoilers kind of girl. I owe all of the following people a huge debt of thanks, and if there are any mistakes in this novel, I’m responsible.
Thank you to my dear friend and legal genius Nicholas Casenta, Esq., Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Thank you, Officer J. Slota and Fran Holmes, Lacey Township Police Department; Lieutenant Robert P. Klinger, Willistown Police Department; Susan Carnes, Clinical Director, Penn State Behrend Health and Wellness Center; David Singer of Singer Specs/Sterling Optical; and Joseph Hurley of Targetmaster. Thanks to Karen Thomas and the Breathe Foundation, and Paul Geller and Laura Wingate of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Thanks also to Francie Fitzgerald.
Thank you to Ivan Held, president of G. P. Putnam’s Sons, who inspired me to go deeper than ever before into the domestic story, and I hope I have done so with this novel. Ivan leads by energetic example, and his enthusiasm for this book encouraged me to take it to the next level. I’ve never before attempted a domestic thriller with so many main characters and such sophisticated themes, as well as a twisty-turny plot. I’ve been looking at the intersection between justice and family for a long time, but this novel combines them in a way I never have before. Thanks to Ivan!
Thank you so very much to Christine Ball, my new publisher, who welcomed me with open arms, and to my editor, Mark Tavani, who is a delight in every way. Mark’s enthusiasm and support powered me through this book, his comments to the manuscript were spot-on, and I look forward to years of a productive and really fun relationship with him. It’s all about the sentence, and Mark gets that and then some! Thank you, Mark! And thank you to Danielle Springer Dieterich, for all of her editorial comments, cheerful encouragement, and shared love of the best dogs in the world. They know who they are.
Thanks to Lauren Monaco, a gorgeous ball of sales savvy, and Sally Kim, whom I admire so much. Thanks to Alexis Welby, who made such a splash for me before I had even arrived at Putnam, and to Ashley McClay, who comes up with new ideas for marketing every day. Thanks to Katie Grinch (and her adorable mother). Thanks to Anthony Ramondo and Christopher Lin, for their sensational work on this cover! And thanks to the rest of the great gang who worked so hard on this book: Jordan Aaronson, Philip Budnick, Liza Cassity, John Cassidy, Heather Dalton, Paul Deykerhoff, Andrew Dudley, Daniel Kosack, Benjamin Lee, Erica Melnichok, Kristyn Mendez, Rachel Obenschain, Emily Ollis, David Phethean, Andrew Rein, Drew Schnoebelen, Kimberly Shannon, Trish Weyenberg, and my old friend, the great Laura Wilson.
Thanks and love to my terrific agent, Robert Gottlieb of Trident Media Group. His tireless advocacy and faith gave me the confidence to strike out in new directions, and he is absolutely dedicated to my career and me, in addition to just being a wonderful human being and a hoot to work with. Special thanks to his amazing assistant, Sulamita Garbuz. Thank you to Erica Silverman, also of Trident Media Group, who has worked with Robert to make such great progress for me in Hollywood. Thanks to Dorothy Vincent for all of her work selling my books internationally. Finally, thanks so much to Nicole Robson and Trident’s digital media team, who have been absolutely essential on social media.
Finally, thank you so much to the team of people who support me so that I can write full-time. Writing is not only my life, it’s my dream, and I write better books if I don’t have to worry about interruptions. My brilliant assistant and bestie Laura Leonard does every single thing she can to free my time, which means she works all the time. Nothing good happens without her, and I can’t thank her enough for her loyalty, hard work, and love. Thanks to my amazing assistants at home, Nan Daley and Katie Rinda. They work impossibly hard so that I can deliver the best book possible, every time. Each of them cares as much about my readers as I do, and I know how lucky I am in them. I love you, ladies. Thank you so much for your constant support, friendship, and a hell of a good time, every day.
Finally, thank you so much to my bestie Franca Palumbo and to my amazing daughter (and even co-author), Francesca Serritella. I’ve been writing about family all my life, because that’s what matters most to me. Everything changed the day Francesca was born, in too many wonderful ways to recount here. She’s truly a gift, graced with intelligence, a kind heart, and a generous soul. Francesca even talked plot points with me for this novel, which helped so much. She just finished her first novel, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Love you, honey, and deepest thanks from mom.com.
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Someone Knows Page 35
