“Wel , that’s it, I suppose.”
I stared at the notice and nodded. I had no idea if we could fight the order or not, but I knew he’d be no help either way. “Wil there be anything left? If the house is sold and the bank is paid back?”
“Probably not.” He said it like it had nothing to do with him.
“What are we going to do?”
He looked at me kind of absently, like I was someone he barely remembered. “I’m going to stay with friends. It’s not a good place for a young woman, so I think you should do the same. Stay with your friends, I mean. But that’s up to you, Laura. Your mother and me, we gave you the best start we could. I wish we could have done more . . . I wish I could have done more, but losing your mom, it just about kil ed me. You’re a good girl, and you’re al grown up. I know you’l do just fine.”
He went upstairs and packed a couple of bags. Then he cal ed a cab. He was gone within an hour of that notice arriving and he didn’t give me a dol ar before he walked out the door. I went to Jenna’s house, for a little while. Then I got myself a job and since then I’ve been on my own. When Jenna went to Northeastern for col ege, I fol owed her there. I never heard from my father again.
So that’s why I can’t cal on my father for help. I have no idea where he is and even if I could find him, he would be useless in every way. The only person who can help me is me.
Hannah
ELEVEN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019
Hannah woke at five A.M. with a headache and a dry mouth. She climbed out of bed and padded downstairs in search of a glass of water. Howard the golden retriever lifted his head and she knelt to pat him.
“Good old boy, Howie,” she said quietly. She fil ed a glass from the sink and drank, then fil ed it again and silently retreated to the bedroom. Howard got to his feet and fol owed her up the stairs and then into the bedroom.
“Real y?” she whispered. He looked at her seriously, then settled down comfortably on the carpet and closed his eyes. Hannah sighed. “Fine.” She got her laptop and sat on the floor beside him.
There would be no more sleep tonight anyway, she might as wel get some work done. She clicked and scrol ed and when she could, she rested her left hand on Howie’s soft fur, finding it surprisingly comforting.
She thought about Neil Prosper and Robert Parekh. If Parekh brought his monster charm to Charlotte, applied it to Neil Prosper, reassured him and gave him confidence, would Prosper change his mind about testifying? Something had kept him away al these years.
Sean’s theory about Jerome Pierce might be correct. She could email Pierce right now, let him know exactly where Prosper was. If Pierce was the intimidating type maybe he would do what was necessary . . . Hannah shifted uncomfortably and pushed her hand deeper into Howard’s fur. She looked down at the dog.
“It doesn’t feel right, does it, Howie?” she said.
She opened her browser, went to a site that al owed her to send untraceable, anonymous text messages, and prepared one, not to Pierce, but to Sophia Prosper. The dynamic between Neil Prosper and his sister was a hard one to read. On the one hand, they were clearly in touch, which suggested that they were close. And Sophia had lied for him, had tried to put them off searching for him. But was that to protect Neil, or was it to protect her family from the infamy of a connection to a murder trial? Camila had said she’d seen fear in Sophia, when Camila had pressed her. Assuming she’d been right about that, was it fear for Neil, or was it about self-preservation?
Maybe it didn’t matter.
Neil is talking to Dandridge’s lawyers. You better stop him before I do.
Hannah hesitated, then sent the message.
Shit.
IT WAS NEARLY EIGHT A.M. BEFORE SHE HEARD MOVEMENT
IN THE kitchen. She showered quickly and dressed and made her way downstairs. Morning in the Warner household was al business.
She saw Abbie only briefly—the older woman had already showered and changed by the time Hannah came down—and she kissed Hannah on the cheek and said goodbye as she passed through the kitchen on the way out of the door to work. Sean made coffee, fil ed two travel mugs, and handed her a croissant he’d defrosted in the microwave. A minute later they were heading outside for the car.
“Sorry,” Sean said. “I know that was a bit rushed. I don’t want to lose time.”
“No, it’s fine,” Hannah said. They walked to the car and Sean beeped the locks open. They dumped their bags in the trunk and climbed in.
“Nervous?” Sean asked.