“Hi, Eliza, this is Susan from the library. We saw your poster and just wanted you to know we haven’t had any luck yet, but we’ll keep our eyes open. Best of luck.” Her shoulders sagged. Unable to bear another sleepless night on the couch, she trudged upstairs and collapsed into bed, tears trickling onto her pillow.
In the first light of dawn, gloom still hung over Maplewood, and raindrops clung to the windows. With a resigned sigh, Eliza wrapped herself in a jacket and headed outside for one more search. She walked aimlessly, footsteps echoing in the quiet streets. A local café’s neon sign blinked open, and the scent of coffee wafted into the chilly air.