gainst the pavement, sharp and un

atement wouldn'

m breathing too hard. My fingers shook so badly that I

The rocking of the train was supposed to be soothing. Tonight it felt like a c

pi

itself in me l

ing looked smaller somehow, as if even the bri

the door. I ripped it down, crumpled

unch. Crayon stick figures with wide smiles, shaky w

weeks ago, my father was wasting away in a hospital bed, and now this, t

e was I supp

hone

n my desk. Calls this la

d up. "

deliberate. Male. "Miss Riley. Deadl

ath st

is

m someone who believes in order. Timetables.

e receiver. "If this is

y. It's about everything. Your father. Your

tone humming in my ear, and my knees nearly

ard, like my body decided before my mind had a say. I tightened my gri

me the truth, stopped me. If he wouldn't explai

ne down with

breezed in with a coffee in one hand and a bagel in the

erdue notices on my desk. "Looks like someone's one

look. "Not th

of me. "That's why I brought

ld've broken through my

y. Her smile faltered.

eless man, Pierce, and the phone call. But the though

can't handl

wed. "You're a

st to shut her up, but the dry

, I stopped by

falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Machines beeped st

y hand closing arou

ing apart. Mom's gone. You're slipping away. And someone's tryi

he wanted to squeeze m

ed close. "I don't know if I

d in answer, stea

o the bedrail, figh

d fallen. The city lights blurred in my v

when I

ipped into my bag. I

I tore it open und

et of paper, the same n

HO

was

. No demands.

orld

ee

shut down? Until Dad's condition worsened

and clutched it against my chest as if h

is wasn't just about thre

r air, when a sleek black car pulled

n calm, amused, like a predator

id smoothly. "You l

fr

hand and smiled wider. "Ah. I see

d turne

ith Daniel, and you'll watch everything you love collapse. Side with me..." He shrugged,

id up. The ca

lk, clutching the envelope s

. That was

to save m

to protec

ut who I could trust b