Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

Mei cocked her head as if confused, glancing back and forth between
Desdemona and Nancy.
Hugo cleared his throat. “I’d like to have a word with Nancy in private, if
she’ll allow it.”
Desdemona narrowed her eyes. “Anything you want to say to her, you can
say with me present.”
“If that’s what she wants,” Hugo said. “If not, but she wants to share what
I tell her, then that’s okay too.”
“Nancy?” Desdemona asked.
Nancy studied Hugo before nodding. “It’s … it’s fine. Go. I won’t be
long.”
Desdemona hesitated, looking as if she was going to argue. Instead, she
sighed. “All right. If you’re sure.”
“I am,” Nancy said.
Desdemona squeezed her shoulder and left the tea shop.
Silence fell, all of them waiting until the sound of a car started up, the
engine rumbling. It faded, the clock ticking, ticking.
“Well?” Nancy asked, voice trembling. “What do you want?”
Hugo took in a deep breath, letting it out slow. “Your daughter isn’t here.”
Nancy recoiled as if slapped. Angry tears filled her eyes. “What?”
“She’s not here,” Hugo said gently. “She’s gone to a better place. A place
where nothing can hurt her again.”
“How dare you,” Nancy whispered. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
She took a step back toward the door. “I thought you’d…” She shook her
head furiously. “I’m not going to stand here and let you be so cruel. I can’t.”
Her chest hitched. “I won’t.” With one last glare, she turned toward the door.
She gripped the doorknob and Wallace knew it was now or never. Alan—
frightened, doomed Alan—had shown him the way. Nancy burned like fire,
her grief a never-ending fuel. Whatever she was—like Mei or something else
—she’d heard him when Alan had screamed her name.
Which is why Wallace shouted, “Nancy!”
She froze, back stiff, shoulders hunched near her ears.
“Nancy!”
She turned slowly, tears spilling onto her cheeks. “Did you … did you
hear that?”