The Unsent Appeal novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Dinner with the Prescotts

The Prescotts' dining room had a table for twelve, and they had set it for seven.

Mr. Prescott sat at the head, tall and white-haired.

Mrs. Prescott sat at the other end with her hands folded, and Finley sat beside her, white to the lips.

Briana sat beside Dean, staring at her plate.

Dean saw us come in and smiled at me warmly.

"Rose," he said. "You look well. And this is the friend."

"Elliott Thackeray," Elliott said, and sat without shaking his hand.

Mr. Prescott waited until the soup had been served and taken away.

"My son tells me there are two accounts of a night eight years ago," he said. "I've heard your brother's. I'd like to hear yours, Miss Dunphy."

"All of it?"

"As much as you like."

I put down my napkin.

"My brother drove the car that hit Elliott," I said. "I was in the passenger seat. He ran. I stayed."

"My mother asked me to say I was the driver, and I did."

"I've had a felony on my record for eight years. I paid my family $2,300 a month for all of them."

"I'm not here for money. I stopped paying, and I'm here because I'm done being the story."

Dean laughed softly.

"She's been practicing that," he said.

"Dean," Mrs. Prescott said.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Prescott. I do love my sister. She had a bad time after the accident, and she's convinced herself of things."

"Like what?" Finley said.

"That I was driving. That Mom pressured her. That her boyfriend there is a hero." Dean turned his head toward Elliott with every sign of kindness. "Which, to be fair to him, I'm sure he believes."

"You called a body shop receipt easy to fake," I said.

"I said anyone can write a name."

"You said it to Mr. Prescott before breakfast."

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