Chapter 13: Alder Street

Garrison's silver sedan came up the drive at ten to six.

It came slowly, in the middle of the track.

Nobody on the steps said a word.

The car stopped well short of the cottage, and the engine ticked off.

Dad sat behind the wheel with both hands still on it.

I could see his knuckles from where I stood.

"He's been gripping it for two hours," Garrison said, to himself.

Dad got out.

He was in his good suit from the wedding that never happened, and it hung on him.

His face was gray, and he held on to the car door.

"Willa," he said.

"Dad."

"Is the envelope here?"

I hadn't told anyone I'd given it away.

Cillian was already coming down from the main house with it in his hand.

He had been up all night too.

He stopped beside me and held it out, and I didn't take it yet.

"You don't have to open it," Cillian said quietly.

"Yes, I do."

"I'll stand wherever you want."

"Here," I said.

I took the envelope and tore the flap.

Inside were three sheets of paper and a yellow sticky note.

The first sheet was a copy of a police report, old and gray from the copier.

I read the top line twice.

It gave a date in November, fourteen years ago, and an intersection called Alder Street.

It said a driver had gone through a red light and struck a car crossing with the green.

Keep reading free with an account. Start Guess Who Didn't Show Up to My Wedding from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.