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
“Why?” I ask. “Why can’t I defend myself?”
“Were you defending yourself with Daniel?” Haley asks. “Did he try to hit you and you hit him back?”
“I didn’t—”
He’s not asking about Chloe. He’s asking about Daniel. He’s asking if I hit him. “Why are you asking me about Daniel?”
Haley’s eyes narrow. He watches me like a cat. Then he seems to decide something. He looks at Dad and then back at me. “Daniel Nevin was murdered last night.”
Twenty-Six
My eyes zoom in on the wood grain of the table. It’s way more detailed than I had ever realized, even though I’ve been sitting at this table several times a day my entire life. There’s even a knot that’s shaped like Kentucky. How have I never noticed that before?
All of a sudden, there’s a rushing sound in my ears like a train going through my head.
The table is covered with spots. And I blink over and over trying to clear them away.
It’s the concussion again. Pounding. Taking over my brain…
Dad is next to me, holding a glass of water, which I gulp down like an animal. I didn’t even know I was thirsty.
From far away, light years away, Haley’s voice comes again.
“Did you hear what I said, Hunter? Daniel Nevin was murdered last night. His mother found him when she came home from work. Are you sure there isn’t anything you want to tell me? The sooner you tell me, the better. Maybe he tried to hit you—”
Dad’s voice booms through everything. “Stop this. Right now.”
I’ve heard Dad angry before. I’ve even heard him yell on a couple of occasions. But those four words fly through the room like Japanese throwing stars. Haley stops talking and looks at Dad who goes on. “Can’t you see that Hunter’s had a shock? If you want to talk to him again, bring a warrant. And be sure his lawyer and I are both there before you do. Right now, I don’t want another word or another question.”
Haley pushes himself up from the chair. The spots are clearing from my eyes. Once he’s standing, Haley looks even bigger. He places his hands on his hips and puffs out his chest like a strutting bird.
“Hunter needs to come to the station,” Haley says. “He needs to answer questions and sign an official statement. I can take him now—in handcuffs, if need be—or you can drive him. And you’re correct. He has the right to an attorney but pushing me out the front door isn’t the answer. You have problems, and they’re not going away.”
The spots are almost gone. Daniel. Standing on the front lawn, both of us saying awful things to each other. That was about eight hours ago.