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“Stay here with Bert,” I ordered him, “unless something happens.”
“Connor, don’t do anything stupid,” Bert implored me.
“Can’t promise that, Bert – but it’s a good thing I’ve got my lawyer close by in case I do.”
Johnny followed close behind me as I took off across the grass.
When I was halfway to the pond, the woman in the black dress started towards me. She didn’t look familiar at all; she certainly wasn’t a regular on my parents’ staff. Maybe she was one of Miranda’s.
“Mr. Templeton, I’m sorry,” she called out, “but you really can’t disturb her right now – ”
“Get out of my way,” I said as I brushed past her.
“Mr. Templeton, please, she’s under an incredible amount of stress.”
“She’s about to be under a whole lot more.”
“I’m going to call security.”
“Do whatever you’ve got to do, lady,” I said as I approached the back of the chair.
In my head, I was imagining a dramatic confrontation:
Miranda – I know you killed him.
No!
And maybe she’d pull a gun, and I could legally get away with killing her.
It didn’t turn out that way.
“Miran– ” I started, but the words died in my mouth.
My mother looked up at me from the chair. She was wearing sunglasses and a thin robe. The bottom half of her body was covered in a blanket.
She was so thin. Her face looked like a skull draped in old woman’s skin.
For a moment her expression was blank, like she didn’t recognize me. Then a light seemed to go off, and her voice rang out with hope.
“…Augustus?”
