She Steps Out Of Betrayal's Shadow To Rebuild Her Broken Home novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Four Minutes Late

The gatehouse kitchen smelled of tea and woodsmoke.

Dorothy had made a pot and set out three cups. She sat in Zachary's father's chair with her hands folded, and she didn't pour.

Zachary put his laptop on the table and turned it toward the two women.

"This is from the camera on my dashboard," he said. "I've watched it every night for eleven weeks. I want you both to see it the first time without me talking."

Melinda sat down.

Her mother came and stood behind her chair, with one hand on her shoulder.

Zachary pressed play.

A black road. A yellow line. The sound of an engine and the wipers going.

The time stamp in the corner read 11:56 p.m.

The road bent left. In the high beams a guardrail lay broken open, and its end hung in the air.

Below it was a dark drop and, at the bottom, one pale light.

"That's your car," Zachary said, in spite of what he'd promised. "It's on its side in the ravine."

Melinda didn't answer. She was looking higher.

On the shoulder past the broken rail a silver car sat parked with its lights out.

A man and a woman were climbing up the bank from the ravine toward it. The woman held her right wrist against her chest.

The man reached the top first. He turned and gave her his hand.

The woman had a long auburn braid, and it swung when she hauled herself over the edge.

Dorothy stiffened.

"Bianca," she said.

The man didn't help her get into the car. He stood on the gravel with his back to the camera, looking down at the wreck.

For a long time he did nothing.

Then he turned his head, and the dashcam's headlights caught his face.

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