Chapter 23: At the Door

I pulled on Declan's robe and went down the drive in bare feet.

He came behind me as far as the porch and stopped there with June on his shoulder.

"I'll be here," he said.

"I know."

The car was an old grey sedan, not my father's.

My father got out of it slowly.

He wore yesterday's blazer and had not shaved, and he stood by the open door with one hand on the roof.

The sun was coming up behind the hills, and the whole valley was pink.

"I drove all night," he said. "I didn't know where else to go."

"You went to the state."

"Yesterday. I signed it."

He looked at the gravel.

"Insurance fraud, falsifying records, conspiracy. My lawyer says three years. Maybe two, if I cooperate."

"And Bianca?"

"She won't speak to me." He gave a short laugh. "She says I ruined her."

I waited.

"I sold the house," he said. "Pasadena. The Blood Fund is closed, and every donor gets their money back."

He took an envelope from his pocket.

"This is what's left, for June. I know you won't want it."

"I don't."

"It's from the sale. I didn't spend it on anything."

"Put it back in your pocket, Dad."

He did.

His hand shook doing it.

"I only want to hold her once," he said. "Before I go in. I know I have no right."

"You don't."

"Camille."

"Do you know what you did?" I said.

He looked up.

"Not the charts. Not the checks. I've seen those."

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