Chapter 10: The Proxy

"She did this?" Colt said into the phone.

"Don't you dare take her side, Colt."

The line went dead.

Colt stood up with his hands shaking.

"Let's go," I said.

I drove.

Shelby sat in the back seat with her arms around her knees, and Colt said nothing the whole way.

The emergency room waiting room smelled like floor cleaner and old coffee.

My mother stood at the front desk in her church coat.

Her mascara was perfect.

She saw us come through the doors and did not look relieved.

She looked ready.

"There she is," she said, loud enough for the whole room. "The daughter who couldn't leave her father alone."

A man in a plastic chair looked up from his phone.

A nurse at the desk looked up from her screen.

"Mom," I said. "How is he?"

"As if you care."

"Mom."

"He was fine until you filled his head with poison."

She pressed her hand to her chest.

"He sat me down at the kitchen table at dawn and said, 'Diane, I need to ask you about the money.' Then he grabbed his chest."

"That's not what happened," Colt said.

"Stay out of this, sweetheart."

"I'm not your sweetheart," Colt said. "I'm your liar."

Mom blinked once.

She turned back to the nurse.

"This is the daughter I told you about. She is not to go back there."

The nurse hesitated.

"Ma'am, I'd have to ask the doctor."

"Please do."

I stood very still.

My heart was pounding, but I kept my voice flat.

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