Chapters (95)
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Video #1
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Video #2
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Video #3
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- The Final Video
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Cover
“Yeah. He works all the time.” I remember Dad’s text. “Oh, my dad says to tell you he’s sorry. He always really liked Daniel. They talked at the vigil.”
Elizabeth smiles. “That’s good to hear. But as far as your question, all I really know is that Daniel told me he was excited about this new project he was working on. And he said it was about Chloe. He mentioned that he wanted to interview a lot of people. Cops. Chloe’s parents, if they were willing. Teachers and students from the school. I told him that might be a hard sell.”
“I’m sorry. I should leave and let you get back to your life.”
“You know, Daniel was lucky to have found people to fill the gap after his father left. Mentors. Friends. Teachers.” She points at the screen. “Daniel was getting a lot of advice from Mr. Hartman. The creative writing teacher? I think Daniel said you were close to him.”
“I am.” I search back through all the conversations I’ve had over the past few days. “But Ron, I mean, Mr. Hartman, said he didn’t know Daniel.”
“I think it was Mr. Hartman. Is there another creative writing teacher at the high school?”
“No. Just him. Maybe I misunderstood.”
Elizabeth scratches her head, almost knocking her glasses loose. “No, I’m sure. In fact, I think Daniel said Chloe put him in touch with Mr. Hartman. He and Chloe took a class together, didn’t they?”
“Trig. Last year.”
“Right. And I guess Daniel mentioned to Chloe that he wanted to be a filmmaker, and she suggested he talk to Mr. Hartman. I think Mr. Hartman has a friend who was a screenwriter.”
“I guess I really didn’t talk to Daniel about it.”
Elizabeth reaches over and pats my arm. “I hope you don’t feel guilty about that. About you and Danny not being as close as you used to be.”
“I kind of do,” I say. “That night I was here, the night…you know. I said things to him I shouldn’t have said. And that’s the last time we talked.”
“A few words you say to someone in a heated moment doesn’t cancel everything else you’ve ever shared.”
“I hope not.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I should go. It’s late, and I’m not finding anything.”
“You can come back any time. Kelcey and I would be happy to see you.”
“Do you mind if I keep looking at those files at home?”
“Of course.”
“And I will come back,” I say. “I promise.”
Elizabeth walks me to the door, and when we’re there, she hugs me again and holds on tight.
“A parent never gets over losing a child,” she says. “That’s just a fact. But you’re young enough to move on from all of this. I hope you remember that.”
“I’ll try,” I say.