I try to move, and fail. My boots weigh a million pounds, holding me at the bottom of the stairs.
Fingers tingling, my hands clench and unclench at my sides.
Because the memory of Ross’s nails scattered all over the floor…
Remember how you found your parents?
As if I could ever forget.
Even when I knew their bodies were charred beyond recognition, I had to see them one last time. The detectives urged me against it. Said their dental records had confirmed their identities, that I didn’t need to put myself through it.
I did it anyway.
Sure enough, my only family lay there, burned and disfigured in the morgue.
All because they’d stayed after hours. Both were in the auto shop, working on different cars, the doors locked for the night.
According to the police report, the arson caused the fire to spread too quickly for them to escape.
It pissed me off as much as it crushed me.
But what didn’t bother me was when the detectives’ investigation reached a dead end.
Not for long anyway. A few months later, I learned who did it.
Ross. The auto shop owner.
I bumped into him on the street. With a smile that rubbed me the wrong fucking way, he said he was sorry,buthey, you got their small life insurance payout. Can’t be that bad.
Alarms went off in my head.
The next morning, Barclay and I went to Ross’s place. Dug through his shitty finances. Found an empty gasoline tank hidden in his garage.
It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.
Ross accidentally killed my parents while committing insurance fraud.
So, no, I shouldn’t be torn over how we murdered him. I should be satisfied that he’s dead.
Still.
My teeth won’t stop grinding. My musclespulse, pulse, pulse.
Maybe I should get out. Go for a jog. Clear my goddamn head.
Or maybe I should go looking forher.
The girl who’s been a ray of light cutting through these dark months of grief.
I need it. That sweet face. Those gray, almost silver, eyes. They always fix the broken parts of me.
Or rather, she does.
Elowyn Faye Montgomery.
My best friend’s sister.
The girl I shouldn’t want, for many, many reasons.
