Chapters (97)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Eighty-Eight
- Eighty-Nine
- Acknowledgments & A Personal Note
- Excerpt
Emma gave a statement to police, then in accordance with school policy, completed reports and forms. Twice she reached for her phone to call her husband but was at a loss as to what she’d say, deciding to wait until she saw him at home. Afterward Glenda Heywood, the principal, came to her office to speak with her.
“The police told me what the bus driver said. Your quick action saved him, Emma.” Heywood touched her shoulder. “How’re you holding up? Do you need to talk to anyone?”
Emma shook her head, adrenaline still rippling through her. “We were so lucky. His friends noticed something wrong and alerted me. The signs weren’t glaring but they were there.”
“He’s alive because of you and his friends,” Heywood said. “Cancel whatever else you’ve got today and go home. Want me to call anyone for you?”
“No. I’ll be okay. Thanks.”
After wrapping up matters and collecting her things, Emma stared at her phone. Again, she thought of calling Ben but dismissed it. Still no response from Kayla.
I’ll deal with all of it later, she thought, embracing the warm breeze drifting across the staff parking lot. She got behind the wheel of her SUV and before starting it a chill coiled through her. Glancing at her phone and Carson’s farewell text, she knew what it felt like when you don’t want to be on this earth any longer.
But she was a survivor. It took years but she’d made so many changes so she could crawl out of the dark, fighting to prove that she had value in this world, that she could help people. She was doing that every day, building a life, a good life with Ben and Kayla. But beneath the surface she struggled because the scars of her past would never, ever fade.
Emma thrust her face into her hands and cried.
After several minutes she found her composure, searched her bag for a tissue. Using the visor mirror, she tried to regain her composure, then froze at what she saw.
In the distance, far across the street she saw a parked car, a green sedan, with a woman behind the wheel wearing dark glasses and a white ball cap.
Is it my imagination, or is she watching me?
Emma was certain she’d seen her once or twice before…
Anger surging, she opened her door, got out and strode toward her. But before she could cross the street the woman started her engine and drove off, leaving Emma exasperated and perplexed. Cursing under her breath, she returned to her SUV, halting when she noticed something she’d missed before: a small, white envelope tucked under a wiper.
Nothing was written on it.
She tore it open, finding a single sheet of paper with a printed message.
SOON IT WILL BE 20 YEARS. YOUR DAY OF RECKONING IS COMING.
Five
Cielo Valle, Orange County, California
Present day
Tires.