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ASHLYN
My hands shake as I call Seth.
“She’s freaking me out. She’s following me. Can I come over?”
“Sure, come now,” he says. “I’m worried about you.”
“Be there in five minutes.” I try to think about my next move. Would the police even take me seriously with only a hunch and the photo my dad texted to my mom? There’s just something about how sloppy drunk Dad was in the photo that doesn’t make sense. He wasn’t like that. He’d just launched the biggest deal in his life. That is not how he would celebrate.
Before he’d started drinking that night, he’d called me from the lobby of our Telluride condo building of all places. He told me a lot, but especially that he and Tish had another fight and it was over. He was deciding whether to leave Telluride that evening or stick it out one more night. He told me he loved me and that we’d be together as a family again soon. He decided not to bother the pilots and said that he’d be home the next day. When the elevator arrived, we said goodbye. He sounded sad, but otherwise fine when he called me.
Whatever she gave him once he got to the condo, it hit him hard. I stare at the awful photo. His eyes are half-open, his face blotchy andswollen. It’s clear he’s sick. She had to know it. She had to be the one who did it.
I stop in front of Seth’s parents’ house and check the rearview mirror. No Tish, at least not at the moment. I open my car door and step onto the street. I turn around in time to see her driving straight toward me. I freeze, waiting for impact. I see my life flash in front of me, my mom, my dad, Seth. I can’t breathe, and I hear a piercing scream that must be my own. I lock eyes with Tish, and she swerves away from me and screeches down the street.
She’s gone.
A voice in my head tells me to move. I run up the front walk and try the door. It’s locked. My heart races as I push the doorbell repeatedly and bang on the door.
“Hey, it’s OK. Calm down,” Seth says, pulling the door open. I fall into his strong chest as he closes the door. “What’s wrong? What happened? You’re shaking all over.”
“She’s after me,” I say as my teeth clatter. My breath is shaky, and I’m dizzy. “I’ve stirred her up. That means I’m onto something.”
“Slow down. Who is after you?”
“Tish,” I say.
“Whoa. Let’s go sit down. Start from the beginning.” He pulls me inside and locks the door before taking my hand and leading me down the hall to the kitchen.
“I called Tish’s mom. In Kentucky. She told me her daughter is dangerous, that she may have killed someone.”
“What? That’s scary. What kind of mom says that to a stranger?” Seth asks, pulling out a chair for me at the kitchen table. “I take it they aren’t close.”
“No, it sounds like they hate each other. It was eerie, talking to her. And then, when I told Tish I talked to her mom, she freaked. I’ve hit a nerve, that’s for sure,” I say.
“Take some deep breaths. You’re covered in sweat. Let me get you some water,” he says.
“Sure.” I try to calm down, but my body is on high alert, like I dodged a bullet but another is heading in my direction, and I can’t see it.
“You need to stay away from her,” Seth says, handing me a glass of water. “Drink this.” He hovers over me, tucks my hair behind my ear. I begin to breathe a little like normal.
“Thing is, I watched Dad and Tish at work this summer. They didn’t flirt anymore, no gross PDA like before. Dad told me they had a fight and he was leaving her, as soon as he got back from Telluride. My parents were flirting. This is all so weird.”
“Did you know he was leaving Tish, before he told you? I mean, so what if they weren’t lovey-dovey? That goes away, I hear. And they had a fight, you said. Maybe it was the heat of the moment talking and they made up later, before he died.” He takes a seat at the table, too. I look out at the perfect backyard, much like my own. Nothing bad is supposed to happen here, to us.
But it does. I’m still shaking. And I know I’m right. “No, they didn’t make up. There’s no way he was staying with her, and she knew it. She killed him.”
Seth tilts his head. “We’ve been over this. Your dad had a heart attack. The coroner did an autopsy.” He gives me a quick hug, like I’m losing my mind.
“She cremated the body, doesn’t that say something?” I wish I could convince him to see what I see.
“It says she’s not a fan of caskets. Taking up all that space. I think it’s sort of green of her,” he says.
I shoot him dagger eyes.
“I know you miss your dad and you’re trying to find answers, but if Tish did something to him, the experts would have found something. That’s what an autopsy is for,” he says. “You should stay away from her.”
“Yeah, I know. You’re probably right. But I also know she’s hiding something.” I drop my head in my hand. No one is going to believe me.
