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Back The Hallows Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I stared at him a second while he took a deep breath. “Was she out for the funeral?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know where she is. For the first few years, the kids would get cards on their birthdays, but then that stopped. I don’t know if she’s alive or dead, or has another family. People say change is a good thing, but it sure ain’t for the people you leave behind.”

“If she was the type of woman to run out on her kids, maybe it’s for the best.”

He glared at me. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Look, um, I just came by to tell you we’re doing everything we can. We may have a witness.”

“A witness? What the hell are you talking about?”

“There may have been a family up there at the time, and their child may have seen something.”

Anger flashed across his face. “Why didn’t the cops tell me?”

“They didn’t know.”

He was silent a second, fury building in his face. “You telling me they missed someone that saw my little girl get killed?”

“In their defense, Hank, they’re not experts in this. This type of thing just doesn’t happen out here, and these investigations are very complex.”

He calmed and nodded. “Well, you’re here now, and I know you’re gonna do everything you can for Patty.”

I swallowed and had to look away. The pain he was going to experience when it finally went public that she was escorting would be excruciating. He would blame himself for not knowing, and by extension, for her death. I wanted to just tell him now and get it over with but knew I couldn’t.

“Yeah . . . I promise I’ll do everything I can,” I said. “Um, look, Hank, did Patty ever mention anybody maybe following her around?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like someone that maybe was following her around that she didn’t want following her? Or did you ever notice someone around the house? Maybe just waiting outside in their car?”

I wanted to add, Someone like our dear mayor, but held my tongue.

“No. Why?”

“Just following up on everything. I gotta be thorough. Look, I gotta run. Duty calls. Call me if you need anything.”

I turned to leave and he said, “Tatum? Thanks for coming here. I mean, to the town, but also here today. It’s nice to talk about it sometimes. Everybody else in town walks on eggshells around me.”

I nodded and left.

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