ot coming b

who tried to stab me with a knitti

a diner three

s later, Da

om and

the middle of the diner, crying about

me with pity. Th

sever ties

legal aid lawyer told me. "He files a missing pers

actually managed to break my arm befor

dy listened

Dad a

seemed, turned ou

f, just... imaginative. Rea

t fragile, that one. N

Always has. Used to steal th

der. "Son, maybe you need t

l

Dad didn't

old root cellar up

ng but a bucket for wate

arly went ma

k into the house, bruised a

lly were w

Tom said, not unkindly

packed, and emptied it. He smashed my burner phone, t

inside m

ad's room, flipp

ed, then

my voice cracking. "Why do you make them hate me? What did I e

ust reached for the hea

t like a b

mashed against

the room, out of

ancient flip phone, stashed in

llege friend, the on

te police. Not local. Tell them... tel

e trooper car, blue lights

rs. A man

polite.

than. He's

fficer Ramirez, looke

e questions. And we'd like to see t

eed. To

t to join a family, or the female head of a family, enters wi

Don't go in the

me, then at her pa

t in wi

minu

t, her face

ked ove

dividual," she sa

d arrived just as Ramirez

Are yo

mething to him,

nt pale. Then

me. Hard.

I heard a crac

ed, his face a mask of rag

oper pulled

io. "False alarm. Domestic dispute

y l

screaming, to the old

rew m

d something else, something

ked th