ning, the ru

oo loud in the kitchen. Someone saw Connor le

rs reached

ed the house, suffocating. He sent two

ed to his study.

voice, low and furious. I imagined what he would do to her. To

o do so

into t

. My mother stood before him, pale and terrified. Connor

uted, my voice

rious gaze on me

fault. I begged him to stay. I wanted to hear about the

g. Suspicion warred with surprise. I had

s my mother had told me about Chicago. About her family. I twisted them, made them about Conn

g at my father, trying to seem eager, h

He was still suspicious, but he saw something else in m

"Get out.

didn't look at me. She just

llway. He put a hand on my

o," he said, h

t a small, heavy object wrapped in a sil

ver, custom-made. Engraved

y," he said. "But you

cago River. It doesn't flow naturally. They reversed it. A feat

e almost a whisper. "Just like lo

ward my moth

her," he said. "Tell h

ne in the hallway with the heavy lighter in my