I've Died Here Before novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: Do You Have the Time

Holden's POV

I had lived toward 8:44 eight times, and lost her each time.

The ninth time, I took Addie's hand and walked out there with her on purpose.

It was Thursday, the third of October, and it was cold and cloudy.

The detective had twelve officers in the dark.

Two were in a ferry ticket kiosk, two in a parked delivery van, four on the roof of the ferry landing and the rest in the water, in a black boat beneath the pier.

Addie wore a wire under the cream coat.

I wore one too.

She had made me promise three things in the car.

I would stand on the water side.

I would not leave her side to chase anyone.

And I would tell her, out loud, if I was afraid.

"I'm afraid," I said at the foot of the pier.

"Good," she said. "Me too."

We walked out together to the bench by the rail, where the boards were wet.

At 8:15 she took two coffees out of a paper bag, and she set mine on the bench next to hers.

I looked at the cup.

"You did this on the twelfth," I said.

"I did it eight times. I didn't know."

"Do you want me to say what I said?"

"I want you to say it differently."

I sat down beside her on the water side, and I took her hand.

"Tonight," I said.

She smiled, and her eyes were wet.

The coffee went cold, the way it always had.

At 8:30 I could no longer feel my hands.

At 8:38 a man stepped out of the dark at the end of the boards, in a gray wool coat, with his head bent over his phone.

My heart stopped and started again.

I had seen that gray coat walk toward her before.

He did not look up.

"There he is," Addie said, barely moving her lips. "He's late."

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