That night, she got the fireplace roaring. Took her most of the night, but she got rid of most of the things she had saved for nineteen years. Baby pictures, school pictures, team pictures, Christmas pictures, birthday pictures, vacation pictures, prom pictures, graduation, all that. Only picture she didn’t burn was the one of Wendell in his uniform sent home from Basic Training. She left it sitting on the coffee table.

She fell asleep on the couch about two o’clock in the morning.

When she woke up, she was shaking with anger. Bit her cheek so hard her mouth was awash in blood. She took it for an omen. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked out at the sun beginning to glimmer through the cottonwood trees. The trees looked strangely melancholy, hanging their limbs in sorrow. She appreciated the gesture. But it wasn’t enough. Somebody was gonna pay for this shit.

Book 2 - Last Seen Missing

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