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Back She's Gone Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Video #1
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Ten
  16. Eleven
  17. Twelve
  18. Thirteen
  19. Fourteen
  20. Fifteen
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-One
  27. Twenty-Two
  28. Twenty-Three
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. Twenty-Five
  31. Twenty-Six
  32. Video #2
  33. Twenty-Seven
  34. Twenty-Eight
  35. Twenty-Nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-One
  38. Thirty-Two
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. Thirty-Eight
  45. Thirty-Nine
  46. Forty
  47. Forty-One
  48. Forty-Two
  49. Forty-Three
  50. Forty-Four
  51. Forty-Five
  52. Forty-Six
  53. Forty-Seven
  54. Forty-Eight
  55. Forty-Nine
  56. Fifty
  57. Fifty-One
  58. Fifty-Two
  59. Fifty-Three
  60. Fifty-Four
  61. Fifty-Five
  62. Fifty-Six
  63. Fifty-Seven
  64. Fifty-Eight
  65. Fifty-Nine
  66. Sixty
  67. Sixty-One
  68. Sixty-Two
  69. Sixty-Three
  70. Sixty-Four
  71. Sixty-Five
  72. Video #3
  73. Sixty-Six
  74. Sixty-Seven
  75. Sixty-Eight
  76. Sixty-Nine
  77. Seventy
  78. Seventy-One
  79. Seventy-Two
  80. Seventy-Three
  81. Seventy-Four
  82. Seventy-Five
  83. Seventy-Six
  84. Seventy-Seven
  85. Seventy-Eight
  86. Seventy-Nine
  87. Eighty
  88. Eighty-One
  89. Eighty-Two
  90. Eighty-Three
  91. The Final Video
  92. Acknowledgments
  93. About the Author
  95. Back Cover

“That’s not what I wanted to hear,” I say. Of course the cops have talked to Ron. Of course they asked about the journal. Do I think I’m smarter than they are?

“I know this is difficult, Hunter. I know this is tearing you up inside.”

“It is,” I say.

“There are a lot of people hurting in Bentley,” he says. He sounds sad, as empty as I feel. “It’s affecting us all. I have to say, it’s gotten under my skin. Why, just last night, I thought I heard someone outside my house. It woke me up. I tromped all around with a tennis racket in hand, checking doors and windows. When I went out to the car this morning, I kept looking over my shoulder like a burglar. It’s a sorry thing.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“You’re sure Chloe didn’t share these concerns with you? Has your memory made any improvement?”

“A little.”

“Really? And did you remember what Chloe was so upset about at the dance?”

“No, just some details of the accident. But maybe it’s a start.”

There’s a long pause on his end of the line. His breathing is deep and steady.

“Ron?”

“Hunter, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I thought I’d tell you in person, but I’m about to share this with the faculty, so I better tell you here and now.”

“Is something wrong?” I ask.

“No. But it’s a change. I’m turning in my resignation,” he says. “I’ve been contemplating this move for a while, and it just seems now the time is right. I have an opportunity to go back to my alma mater in Ohio, and, well, it’s just hard to say no to a thing like that.”

“Oh.” It’s unexpected. Totally. I flail a little but find a silver lining. “Okay. But that means you’ll be here the rest of the year. I mean, until graduation and everything.”

“Well, that’s just it. This position starts at the semester break. I’ll finish the term here, and then I’ll be moving on. I know it’s a surprise to you, but these transitions are normal in life. And, like I said, it’s my chance to go home. My mother still lives there, and she’s getting close to ninety. I’d like to be near her for whatever time she has left.”

“Right. Of course.”

“Hunter, I’m sorry, I must go. I have my meeting to attend. We can talk about this more another time. Please, keep in touch. Okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Excellent. Chloe is smart and capable. Quite remarkable, really. Just have faith that this will be resolved.”

Forty-Seven

Around dinnertime, someone knocks on my door. Thunderously. Like she wants to break the door down. For someone so small, her fist pounds with the force of a sledgehammer.