Page 161 of In the Air Tonight

“No.”

That’s a lie. She’s been tracking us for years.

“Why are you looking for him?” I ask.

“He was involved in a car accident earlier.”

“Is he all right?” Mom asks.

“We don’t know. That’s one of several reasons we’d like to speak to him. Would you mind calling him?”

Mom hesitates.

“Do it,” I tell her with a sinking feeling. There’s no way they’d be here if this didn’t somehow involve my case. We can’t do anything to make this situation worse than it already is.

She pulls her phone from the pocket of her robe and calls Dad. “Where are you? The police are here looking for you.”

I can’t hear his side of the conversation.

“Come home right now.” After a pause, she says, “Dave, we need you. Please don’t do anything stupid.”

“Ma’am, where is he?”

She puts her hand over the phone, so she won’t be overheard by Dad. “What’s going to happen to him?”

“He’ll be arrested and charged with attempted vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, intentionally causing an accident and suspected arson.”

“What?” Her shriek pierces the air around me. “He wouldn’t do that!”

A click sounds, indicating Dad has ended the call.

“I’m afraid he did cause the accident. We have multiple witnesses as well as camera footage from Mount Hope that shows the moment of impact.”

“Who did he hit?” I ask, fearing I already know the answer.

“Blaise Merrick.”

“Is she…”

“She survived with injuries.”

“Are you sure you don’t track his location?”

Mom’s hands shake as she checks her phone. “He’s shut it off.”

I use my own phone to text Cam.Dad hit Blaise’s car on the MH bridge. She survived with injuries. Cops are here now, looking for him for that and suspected arson. One of the cops is Caleb Anders.

Son of a bitch. What was dad thinking? And arson?? WTF?

No idea. He’s shut off his location.

I’ll see what I can find out.

“Cam is on it,” I tell Mom as I guide her to sit on the sofa.

The glow from emergency lights in front of the house filters in through the curtains. I’m sure the neighbors are gathered in the street.

“How could he have done this?” she asks tearfully. “Didn’t he learn his lesson the last time?”

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