efore they reach

urred the windows of the black car carrying Catherin

en Margaret a

ed the front p

dy s

oth hands folded

was her

messages from a dead

ried beside the tiny box of ba

through t

an ancient stone wall. Ashford names covered the monum

ere Liam wo

ht felt i

ar st

iel followed, opening an umbrella

hesi

said, offeri

abou

rvive th

like something Liam might have sai

e umbrella with

iel no

id no

s carried tow

walked b

ords like eternal, rest, and pea

thing peacef

s twent

n married fo

would neve

ess

d towards the g

black suit wa

nd the m

mbre

ers as he stood beneath

's pulse

i

ger from

ced at N

appeared to be

towards the tree aga

os

h to draw

r to know it

r finished

quietly b

the controlled woman Catherine had seen at th

ed an arm ar

could not

d towards

ered her a

tared

N

lding it loo

iny yellow wildflower growing

it on Lia

ained about the ros

uth tr

she forgot ev

warn

stra

fe

was on

what you got y

rested again

w why you di

suddenly like the only piece o

otect ou

e droppe

romi

lowering Liam

orced herse

d not lo

he coffin d

st handful of ear

roke somethi

rned s

tranger staring

ouched two fing

ine fr

under

wa

i

lling her

d towards

ack, the stranger

ook one ste

heri

voice st

rs are

tu

as tha

ression remai

at

under t

looked t

as nobo

what you're

ved throug

genuinely had

was

_____________

ck began twent

l this time. Margaret travell

ed across t

hecked the

ee

el

asiona

ad no

simple when it app

ppearing was

d no l

assp

littl

ifically warned h

d around the key

s all s

to som

ewh

heri

d towards

een watc

ha

you going a

mach ti

do you

the f

om

came too

ssion shifted alm

r ho

es

lo

e stared

e you a

oked towards

reas

absolutely

iam's warnin

do not trus

ne turn

ea came

nau

a hand ove

the

glanced int

Ash

ase

unched onto

the door open a

r hit h

he verge, bent forwar

, a car do

han

on

sto

straighten

ahead was a na

h the rain, she c

statio

CKR

ne star

in st

t began

was

a

portu

ooked

stood besi

eyes

passed bet

w the decisio

ad known bef

he car, Cather

n't move t

ook one ste

ano

l remain

e said

certain she had

ha

ce har

get in t

her something en

rine

d

the wet pavement as she

t look be

llowed, she did

e didn't want to

ited at th

were alrea

ai

ine sp

her and held t

oard seconds b

in bega

id Catherin

stood near

n't fo

ained exactly whe

nd widow stared at one another

el disappear

ank into an

as so

ath

rif

al

ned her

he baby socks before find

e, Catherine exam

thing engraved

the moisture

y numbers

1

ine fr

ker n

ro

phone v

ood ra

i

ew me

open

w find l

lowly raise

rther from the Ashfords

at the silver

simply tol

d where she w

e understood somethin

repared for the poss

expec