Chapter 10: Read at 4:44

Carrie's POV

I sat on the edge of Rachel's guest bed with a phone against my ear and a quilt around my shoulders.

Caleb was awake behind me, not touching me, listening.

I could feel him not touching me.

"Say it again," I said. "Slowly."

My supervisor cleared his throat.

"The park texts every permit holder when we post a flood bulletin," he said.

"It goes to the numbers on the booking."

"I know that."

"The booking for your man's party was a three-person day permit. It was bought online, five weeks ago."

"By who?"

"I'm getting there. This one had two numbers, and one was your man's fiancee. The alert went out at 4:41, and the app logs a read receipt."

He paused.

"Read at 4:44."

I shut my eyes.

At 4:44 Caleb had been on the ridge taking pictures, with his phone at nine percent.

At 4:44 his fiancee had been in the front seat of a Subaru.

She had read a message that told her the canyon was about to flood.

At 4:50 she'd walked into the gate booth and signed a sheet that said nobody was left on the trails.

"Carrie?" my supervisor said.

"I'm here."

"There's one more thing. The permit holder's name on that booking."

"Tell me."

"B. Carraway. Five weeks ago."

I put my hand over my mouth.

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