THE WOMAN IN HIS LAST WILL

SSA'

m was

d center in my mind-but it wasn't.

tanding b

istance. Still, the guy behind my mom was close enough for me to make out his broad

shook on

ria

he picture. His exp

t zoo

y n

u don't wan

not an

the gas. Rain started h

is

n't k

re ly

ly don'

man stood, the tilt of his head, gnawed at me. Like I'd

l ov

N

l ov

an't

ria

, quick. "We're

kno

u want

see who's f

ld get yo

keeping on

out the back window. Just r

ked on in the distance.

ned his hands

t our poli

o you

going t

, closing in. They

gine shouted. My body pre

then slid into the opposite la

ld

s. Our tires lost grip, we spun, I screamed, and slammed into the b

oment-not

teady breathing.

res

es open. Every

d gripped my shoul

forehead. Blood.

you m

ea

t o

hy

ow

e driver's door wouldn't budge. Darian kic

ov

ng into the rain. The car sat crooked by the barrier,

the road. Ther

're g

scanning th

do you

nted us

to kill us, they would h

rept in. "They w

t me. "Warning

graph was still on the screen. Her terrifi

MBERS EV

road. "What if they're trying

't have to. We both understood: so

kilometer away. Rain kept pounding down. Every so often, I checked behi

arian talked to the owner; we needed another vehicl

from that

Darian

ed. "I heard

ipped. "You

ea

see ano

thinking. "

sted. "What di

ndows. N

I exchang

ich way it went

the coastal road

loser. "Are

e, then something se

..." he s

ha

the d

eat hamme

"Don't kno

u descr

en Darian, then

d even louder.

ked fam

iliar?"

nged. "Like someon

ent stil

ght at me. Then he s

breathin

like Luci

y head ha

quickly. "

en is

whispered. "That's

ld of my arm.

rned back to the man. "Did

d. "For jus

you know it

staring at the ground. "He

a black face-he never took it off, not even the night

had gone pale. "That's i

?" I

ch was found

scrambled. "

es

er's out

nish. Darian

s an identi

uzzing. Unknown nu

SER THAN

nother mess

OWS YOU A

d down

ria

y shoulder. "D

n't go

oo

spoke again. "You said yo

to him. "

"What's sh

e photo. His

now

for a momen

r now. "She come

he

ly at

does sh

ated. "N

me t

m foot to foot

t my wallet

ad. "It's not a

n wh

n the road. "Your mother

ha

ng woman came asking about her...I should

mer. I turned, slowly, tow

d between us. "I don't

t felt tight.

e specifically said

ace went blank, unreadable. Th

l I know,"

ed at

d back.

on

n exp

n do

s mouth. Not

u k

your m

he

ed. "Three

e my w

es

d she te

me to kee

om

y, voice low.

g stopped

hought Lucien

m. "My mother

afraid

e let me

ed to st

got tigh

before yo

emotional about the wedding. She'd begged: Please don't marry him. I thought she was be

ed at

n't you

n knew she was

nd

de me

ose

." his voice broke, "...a

hose t

es

hurt. I s

ne lied

res

of

he road. "We're g

didn't

, Darian silent beside me. The road curled toward the coast

ust like in the photo. I parked, my

t's

t the house, hi

?" I

he windshield.

ha

en here

h twisted

dn't

ria

years

hy

, troubled. "Lu

y spine. "To m

nod

er three y

es

e knew

es

she act like

n't k

r. The house was to

ght my wri

ha

open a crack. My mom's car was there

into the

om

th

om

house smelled like her perfume. Ev

on, a fresh cup of tea left on th

om

photo on the floor-my wedding,

ci

th she'd

N'T TH

arian came

oes tha

n I heard something upstairs-

e was

inger to his lips. We crept up the

room. The door was closed. I went to g

t m

empty. Bed made, window open, c

he bed-a black envelope.

enteen years old, standing next to a young

w tha

m. And my mother stood beside

wo

ET LUCIEN THR

ow

M TEN YEAR

slammed behind us

n, rattlin

locke

ibrated on

w me

HE REMEMBERS ABOUT HER