She drove to the bar, parking down the block just in case Joan recognized her car. She walked up the driveway at speed but not quick enough to attract attention. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she tried the front door. It was unlocked. Luck was on her side. She could hear the TV and followed the sound to the lounge. Justin looked up in surprise, then fright when he realized she was there. ‘Mrs Wright,’ he said. ‘What are you doing here? I’m not supposed to talk to you.’

‘Why not?’ she demanded.

‘Dunno, Mom said.’

‘That looks painful,’ she said pointing to a metal contraption along Justin’s leg.

‘It is. Can barely move. I was crushed by the steering column. Concussion, lost some memories.’

Vanessa’s heart sank. ‘Justin, what happened?’ She made it clear that she wasn’t leaving until she had her answers.

‘I don’t really remember, it’s a bit fuzzy.’ Convenient. ‘We were driving round, like we normally do. We drove past the river. Wren was talking about what was going to happen when we graduated school. We were having fun. Then a deer flew out in front of us. I swerved. I hit the tree, Wren didn’t have his seatbelt on.’

‘Justin, why not? And why didn’t the airbag go off?’ That was one question she definitely needed an answer to. He may have lived had it deployed as it was supposed to. She could feel herself getting angry, getting worked up. ‘Justin, why didn’t you brake? Why didn’t you brake? You crossed the other side of the road into a tree and you didn’t brake.’

‘I think you should go now, Mrs Wright. I don’t feel well.’

‘What was Wren depressed about? Even before Olivia killed herself. He was different. Why?’

He looked away. ‘I don’t know. He was different, sure, but he wouldn’t talk about it to us.’ His eyes shifted away. ‘It’s what happened, ask Wade. Please leave, Mrs Wright.’

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she knew it was time to go. She left, running down the driveway to her car. She still didn’t have all she needed, but she was close.

She headed to Wade’s house, determined not to take no for an answer this time. She knew Justin was lying about something, she just didn’t know what or why.

Mark called her on her way to Wade’s place.

‘Did you get what you needed?’ he asked.

‘No. He’s lying to me. I need to find out why.’

‘Anything I can do to help?’ It was nice that someone was being helpful for a change.

‘Not yet, but I’ll let you know.’ It was surreal to think that one day she may rely on Mark, need him.