Chapter 9: Thirty Thousand Dollars

I put Milly back to bed myself.

Marissa stood in the hall and let me, because she could not take the child out of my arms without a scene.

I lay on Milly's bedroom floor with a blanket and a stuffed triceratops, and I did not sleep.

At six, Marissa came in dressed and woke her gently.

"We're going to Grandma Selma's for breakfast, sweet pea."

"Is Daddy coming?"

"Daddy has work."

Milly looked at me from her pillow.

I forced a smile, because the only thing worse than losing her for a morning was making her carry it.

"Go have waffles," I said. "I'll see you tonight."

She kissed my cheek and followed her mother out, trailing the triceratops by one leg.

Marissa did not look back.

I heard the Tahoe pull out and sat on the floor for a long time.

Then I got up, took my keys, and drove to Myra's.

She lived in a brick ranch house on the east side with a porch swing and a bird feeder.

Colby had bought it with my mother's help four years ago, and I realized I had never once asked what Myra paid for.

Her car was in the drive, still warm.

She opened the door in her scrubs with her hair half out of its tie, and one look at my face was enough.

"Come in," she said.

The kitchen smelled like coffee and toast.

She put eggs in a pan without asking, cracked them one-handed, and slid them onto a plate.

"Eat."

"I'm fine."

"You've been vertical for twenty-six hours. Eat."

I ate, and between bites I told her all of it.

Myra listened with her chin on her fist.

She did not interrupt once.

When I got to Milly's drawing, her mouth tightened.

Keep reading free with an account. Start Betrayal Behind the Wheel from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.