214 Wills novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: Revoked

Callie turned her face up to the red light.

"Miles," she said, loud and clear. "I can't do this anymore."

I stared at her.

She gripped my sleeve, hard, and her eyes told me to keep quiet.

"I'm scared of the street. I'm scared of the car. I'm scared of him," she said to the ceiling. "Rob always knew what to do for me."

"Cal," I said.

"Tell him I'll sign whatever he brings. Tell him to come tonight."

She dropped her voice to a breath against my ear.

"He can't stay away from a signature. Not when I cry."

I understood her then.

I said, "Okay, Cal. Okay. I'll make the call."

I walked to the window with my back to the lens and texted my sister.

He's coming within the hour. Bring every neighbor you can find.

Beth wrote back at once.

I'm in the lobby. 2B has a doorbell camera and a mouth. 3A is filming already.

Rob took forty minutes.

The buzzer went, and his voice came through the intercom, warm and easy.

"Callie, sweetheart. It's Rob. I've brought Dad. Come down, and we'll take you somewhere safe."

He did not ask to come up.

His key no longer fit, and he knew it.

"We're coming," I said.

I took Callie down in the elevator, with her walker and her cast and the green cardigan Beth had bought her.

She had put on lipstick.

The front steps of our building were full.

Beth stood at the top with her arms folded, and behind her stood half the floors of the building, with their phones out.

At the curb sat a white private ambulance with its back doors open.

Two paramedics stood beside it, and two men in gray blazers stood beside them.

Rob stood on the sidewalk in his navy suit, with Bert at his shoulder in the camel coat.

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