The road in the Shaw’s lake house subdivision is quiet and the few vehicles we encounter are going as slow as we are. The rain is just a drizzle, but there’s an eerie feeling being out when the houses all along are dark from the power outage.

We go on as far as we can until a police barricade prevents us from getting any closer to the highway. Tara pulls over on the side of the road and puts on her flashers. “I’m going to walk from here.”

“Walk? And do what?” Corinne asks from the back seat. “They’re not going to let you through on foot.”

We’ve learned absolutely nothing and there’s no sign of Tanner or his Firebird. I’m going to duct tape a charger into his car so he can never take it out again.

“We can at least ask them if they have any update on the road reopening or cars stranded on the other side.” I glance around the car. Amelia and Corinne don’t look like they love this idea. “You two stay here. Tara and I’ll go.”

Tara’s brow quirks slightly in surprise, but she doesn’t protest. The wind whips around us as we walk in silence along the side of the road.

“Tanner is probably sitting somewhere in a warm restaurant chowing down and watching TV. He’d have a good laugh at the two of us.” I try to lighten the mood.

“Or at the bar.” She snorts and pulls her jacket tighter around her stomach.

“No, not the bar. He doesn’t drink if he knows he has to drive, and he’ll be wanting to get home as soon as he can.”

She regards me seriously and gives me a slight nod. When we get within earshot of the barricade, one of the police officers notices us and walks toward us.

“The road is closed ahead. We’re not letting anyone through—cars or pedestrians.”

“We don’t want to get through. We just want to know how much longer it’ll be?” Tara asks.

“We have someone stuck on the other side who can’t get home,” I add.

He rests his hands on his belt. “It’s going to be a while still. We’ve got a crew cleaning up from the wreck and there’s the tree and the power lines… anyone needing through is going to be waiting a bit, I’m afraid.”

Tara’s lower lip trembles.

It’s the first anyone’s mentioned an accident at the closing.

“Can you tell us who was in the accident or the model of the vehicle?”

“Smaller vehicle, a Fusion, I think. Everyone was stable and alert when the ambulance left for the hospital.”

“Thank you,” I manage for the both of us.

With a nod, he dismisses us, and Tara and I head back.