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
“Scott,” I say. “Can you tell Laura, can you…I mean, you know I wouldn’t hurt Chloe. I would never.”
He keeps staring, and I’m not sure if he’s heard me. But then he says, “I know that. But…Laura’s in a different place.” He turns to me. “Speaking of her, I have to go. Hunter, just take care of yourself. Okay?”
I should stay quiet, but I can’t waste the chance to talk to someone who knows Chloe so well. “Maybe she ran off,” I say. My voice sounds hopeful, like a little kid wishing for a new bike at Christmas, something they’re starting to fear they’ll never get. “Maybe that’s what happened.”
“In a homecoming dress? With no shoes? And no purse?”
“Maybe somebody met her,” I say.
“Who?” Scott asks. “You’re her boyfriend.”
“What about Mike Basher? He’s always hanging around your house.”
“Mike?” Scott’s eyes narrow, and his cheeks flush. “Are you suggesting something?”
“I’m just saying, he wasn’t over her. Maybe he wanted her back.”
“Michael is a fine young man. I know all about the drama around that stupid poem he wrote. Chloe was upset, and I told Mike he used poor judgment. But he was sorry, and he apologized. Leave him out of this.”
“Maybe…” I can’t think of any more maybes. I lift my arms and then let them fall to my sides, where they smack against my thighs. “If she’d just come back, I wouldn’t care who she was with or what she was doing.”
Scott shuts his eyes and keeps them closed. He looks like a knife has been slipped between his ribs and he’s riding out a wave of intense pain.
I wish I’d kept my mouth shut.
His eyes open, and he nods like he’s reached some agreement with himself.
“I guess we all wish we could rewind and go back to that night,” he says. “We could just stop Chloe from leaving the house that night. We could make her come straight home after the dance. We could have driven her.” He sighs. “Like I said, I have to go.”
As he walks away, I say, “I didn’t recognize your car.”
He goes to the driver’s side, tugs the door open. “It’s a rental.” He points to the tree. “Obviously. The Charger is...”
I feel stupid for saying anything.
But then Scott says, “If any other memories come back, let me know. Okay?”
“I will.”
“Seriously, let me know the minute you remember something. Anything.”
Then he’s in the car with the door closed. I stand beside a waterlogged stuffed bear and watch him drive off.
Thirty-Eight
Dad’s true to his word. His car is in the driveway by the time I get home.