“I don’t really want to talk about it,” I say, nodding my chin in the direction of the book clutched in her hands. “What’d you pick out?”

Audrey gives me a tiny smile, revealing a copy of The Shining. “It’s one of your favorite movies. But as far as I know, you haven’t read the book.”

“That sounds perfect.” I pass her the novel in my own hands. “I thought you might like a suspenseful distraction.”

Her face lights up in excitement. “You thought right.”

After buying the books and exiting back into the April day that’s steadily growing warmer, I see the police cruiser is still parked across the street. My guard goes up again, and I brace myself in case Officer Edwards is nearby, waiting to approach us again.

“Audrey,” I say. “Would it be okay if we went home now?”

“Oh sure.”

The shrill squeal of a siren pierces the air as the police car pulls away from the curb, speeding down the street, and I stumble on the sidewalk. I’m instantly plunged inward, to a scene of murky flashing lights, red and blue, battling against the dawn behind my eyelids. My head is heavy, barely able to process the voices shouting, calling out directions to each other. The scene flickers to something darker, and I have the sensation of extracting myself from a car and staggering to the ground.

But this time, I don’t feel as though I’m alone. My own voice comes back to me, panicked and strained, bogged down with thick emotion.

What did you do to me?

And then, in the next instant, the flashback is over, and I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of the shops again, gripping the railing of the front steps of a boutique, blinking rapidly. Audrey is next to me, grabbing my arm, looking panicked.

“Allie, can you hear me?” she asks. “Are you okay?”

I give my head a shake, fingers trembling. “Sorry.”

Audrey looks frightened and refuses to let go of me. “You weren’t responding to me,” she says, and I wonder how much time has passed. “Where did you go?”

“I don’t know,” I say slowly.

“I’m worried about you, Allie.” Her eyes are shiny. “You look like you just saw a ghost. Or, like, twenty ghosts.”

I move out of her grasp, swallowing. “I promise I’m fine. Let’s just go. Please.”

Reluctantly, she nods, only releasing me when I’m safely inside the car.

It’s been a while since I’ve been struck with an image so vivid and visceral, and it leaves me with a hollow feeling in my gut, especially after my conversation with Officer Edwards.

The ride home is stifling, and I’m eager to get out of the car and be alone. We don’t speak until Audrey pulls into our driveway, turns the ignition off, and sits back against her seat.