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Chapters (47)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraphs
  5. Prologue
  6. Part One
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. Part Two
  25. EIGHTEEN
  26. NINETEEN
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. TWENTY-NINE
  37. THIRTY
  38. THIRTY-ONE
  39. THIRTY-TWO
  40. THIRTY-THREE
  41. THIRTY-FOUR
  42. THIRTY-FIVE
  43. THIRTY-SIX
  44. THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. Acknowledgments
  46. About the Author
  47. Newsletter Sign-up

August 12, 2015

De—

I thought of beginning this letter Dear Mr. Shaw, but hell, you aren’t dear to me. And Mr. Shaw is the name my daughter called you because you were in a position of authority and she was your employee. A position you exploited. I have names for you, bub. I sure do, but that’s not why I’m writing.

I wish I could forget what Ann told me a few weeks ago. It was you, huh? I knew in my gut it wasn’t Michael, but you? You weren’t even a fly on my radar.

You probably think I’m writing to chew you out for what you did, and believe me, there are things I’d like to do to you, but after all these years I guess what you did is between you and your creator. I got a damn fine grandchild out of the deal, and you? You’ve got nothing, and I’m sorry for you. I won’t waste my energy on hate or pity. I’m old now. I feel older than I am. And I’m watching my wife forget everything that has ever happened to her.

I don’t understand how exactly you puppet-mastered the deal. I’m trying to put together the pieces. Ann says Michael was paid off. That he blackmailed you. I know that’s bullshit. You were behind everything.

They were just kids. The damage you did. Man, there was damage.

Still with me? I’ll get to my point. I’m writing because I want to find Michael. He’s my son. He has always been my son. I don’t know where he is. All my leads are dead ends. Perhaps you know where he’s gone off to. Tell me. How can I find him? Please help. Earn back some goodwill. I want to see Michael, but don’t do it for me, do it for my wife. She’s missed him so. I want Connie to look into Michael’s eyes and recognize who he is before she can’t anymore.

Please, will you help?

Sincerely, and I am sincere,

Ed Gordon

THIRTY-SEVEN

Poppy

2017

Poppy loved the town of Nazaré in Portugal. It was fun to watch the surfers of Praia do Norte, the beach where the largest wave ever had been surfed. And it was still cheap. She could eat a huge piece of turbot and some vegetables for under ten euros.

The reason she’d chosen Nazaré was because it was on the westernmost point in Europe, almost directly across the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Cod. It was her way of staying connected to Wellfleet without actually being there, providing her with the global traveler’s illusion of proximity.