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So, he used the only weapon he had left.
“Mother, please.”
“I’d never hurt you.”
Cops yelled for everyone to freeze. To stop what they were doing and to hit the dirt. His mother tried to run for it. She tripped over the bag of money, one heel falling drunkenly from her foot to the savaged dirt. Blood streaked over her leg and heel.
The tears finally tore down his cheeks.
That was the worst lie the woman had ever told.
She’d shattered him into dust. Here, of all places.
One more time.
“Simon? Are you all right?” Somehow Aidan’s voice dented his own personal hell.
“Where is she?” Simon shouted.
He didn’t even know who he was shouting to. His mother? The universe?
There had to be another answer, because he could never—would never— accept this one.
Aidan swore when the two uniformed cops went straight for Celeste. Questions came out like bullets, but Simon couldn’t reply to any of them.
He curled over his knees, barely capable of forcing air in and out of his lungs. His heart was as hollow as the husk of land beneath him.
Something vibrated against his leg. Again and again. Then it stopped, then resumed a second later.
He sat back on his feet, numbness creeping over his body. His pants were ripped, blood seeping from his knees.
His phone.
Who would he have to tell about this?
Was he supposed to actually speak?
He pulled out his cell, prepared to launch it across the field, but it said unknown number.
The number faded as the ringing stopped and then it flashed on the screen again.
He lifted the phone to his ear.
“Simon?”
He was hearing things. It couldn’t be. He wanted it so very badly that he’d imagined her back into life.
Still, hope fluttered in his chest, as strong as the heart that finally, finally could beat again after seemingly stuttering to a stop. “Violin Girl?”
Nine
“Oh, God, Simon. Simon, it’s me.”
“Where are you?” Simon spun around, looking for Aidan. He was trying to talk to the police officers. Celeste was being dragged away to one of the police cruisers.
Nicky, of all people, came rushing over to him and crouched down beside him.
Simon didn’t have the mental fortitude to ask why, only to be grateful.
