Chapter 8: The Night of the Accident
Dad immediately called back.
The number was disconnected.
"Again.""
He hit redial.
Nothing.
"Again!""
"Robert," Andrew said, "stop.""
Dad slammed his phone onto the table.
"Don't tell me to stop!""
His chest rose and fell.
"That man just mentioned the night my wife died.""
My mother hadn't died immediately.
Her car had gone off a wet road and struck a tree.
She survived the crash.
She spent twelve days in the hospital.
Then complications took her.
For years, I'd hated that road.
I'd hated rain.
I'd hated the smell of hospitals.
But I'd never questioned the accident.
Until now.
"Where was Linda that night?"" I asked.
Dad stared at her.
Linda folded her arms.
"I don't remember.""
"You don't remember where you were the night my mother nearly died?""
"I didn't know your mother.""
"You knew enough to call her attorney.""
"Allegedly.""
Madison suddenly whispered, "I remember.""
Linda spun toward her.
"No, you don't.""
Madison looked at me.
"We were driving.""
My throat tightened.
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"Think.""
Linda stepped forward.
"Stop interrogating my daughter.""
Madison backed away from her.
"I'm trying to remember.""
She closed her eyes.
"I was in the back seat. It was raining.""
Dad's face went gray.
"What car?""
"Mom's old silver sedan.""
Linda shook her head.
"You are inventing this because you're upset.""
"No.""
Madison opened her eyes.
"You were arguing with someone on the phone.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
"What did she say?"" Daniel asked.
Madison pressed her palms against her temples.
"Something about being late.""
Linda scoffed.
"Very useful.""
Then Madison's face changed.
"And a red scarf.""
Linda stopped breathing.
I noticed immediately.
"What red scarf?""
Madison looked at her mother.
"You had one.""
"No, I didn't.""
"Yes. The one with little gold flowers.""
Dad gripped the table.
Susan had owned a red scarf with gold flowers.
I'd seen it a hundred times.
Mom wore it whenever she wanted to dress up without buying something new.
I looked at Dad.
He was thinking the same thing.
"My mother had that scarf.""
Madison's eyes widened.
Linda shouted, "Thousands of women own red scarves!""
"But why do you remember it?"" I asked.
Madison swallowed.
"Because Mom threw it away.""
"When?""
"That night.""
The kitchen seemed to shrink around me.
"Where?""
"At a gas station.""
Linda laughed again.
"Listen to yourselves.""
Daniel stepped between her and Madison.
"Let her finish.""
Linda glared at him.
"You've caused enough damage.""
"No. I uncovered it.""
Madison continued.
"We stopped somewhere. Mom got out. She took something from the trunk and put it in a trash can.""
"The scarf?""
"I think so.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Emily.""
I looked at him.
"Your mother wasn't wearing her scarf when the police found her.""
"So?""
"I thought she'd lost it in the crash.""
Andrew raised one hand.
"We need to be careful.""
Dad turned on him.
"Careful?""
"Yes. Memories from a child years later are not proof of a crime.""
He looked at me.
"And Thomas may be deliberately manipulating everyone.""
I hated hearing it.
But he was right.
We had documents suggesting financial fraud.
We had suspicious behavior.
We had a phone call.
We did not have proof that Linda had anything to do with Mom's crash.
I forced myself to breathe.
"Then we find proof.""
Daniel nodded.
"We start with records.""
Linda's eyes narrowed.
"You can't investigate a fifteen-year-old accident.""
Andrew answered.
"Records can survive a long time.""
Dad picked up his phone.
"I still have Susan's accident file.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"In the basement.""
"Why?""
"I couldn't throw it away.""
He walked toward the basement door.
I followed.
So did Daniel and Andrew.
Linda remained in the kitchen.
Madison came with us.
The basement smelled like cardboard and dust.
Dad pulled an old plastic storage bin from beneath a workbench.
SUSAN.
Seeing Mom's name written in his handwriting nearly broke me.
Inside were hospital bills.
Insurance letters.
Photographs.
The police report.
Dad handed it to Andrew.
"Here.""
Andrew read quietly.
Daniel stood over his shoulder.
I couldn't.
Not yet.
Then Andrew stopped.
"Robert.""
"What?""
"The report mentions another vehicle.""
My heart slammed.
Dad frowned.
"No. Susan lost control.""
"That's the conclusion.""
Andrew pointed to a paragraph.
"But a witness reported seeing a silver sedan near her vehicle shortly before the crash.""
Madison grabbed the shelf beside her.
"Silver?""
Linda's old sedan had been silver.
Daniel read the paragraph.
"The witness couldn't identify the plate.""
Dad whispered, "Why don't I remember this?""
"You were grieving.""
Andrew turned the page.
"The witness was interviewed twice.""
"Name?""
"Harold Finch.""
Dad looked at me.
"I know that name.""
"Who is he?""
"He owned the gas station near the accident site.""
Madison covered her mouth.
"The gas station.""
We all looked at her.
"That's where Mom stopped.""
Daniel immediately took out his phone.
"Let's see if he's still alive.""
A quick search.
His eyebrows lifted.
"He is.""
"Where?""
"Same town. Different address.""
Dad grabbed his coat.
"We're going.""
Andrew stopped him.
"It's after midnight.""
"I don't care.""
"Showing up at an elderly man's home in the middle of the night is not smart.""
Dad clenched his jaw.
"Then first thing tomorrow.""
Linda appeared at the top of the basement stairs.
Nobody had heard her approach.
"You should cancel the party.""
I looked up at her.
"Why?""
"Because this family is falling apart.""
"No.""
"Emily.""
"The party happens.""
Her face hardened.
"After all this?""
"Especially after all this.""
Daniel looked at me.
I knew what he was thinking.
The party would put everyone together.
Daniel's parents.
His father's attorney.
Andrew.
Dad.
Linda.
Madison.
And perhaps whoever Linda feared.
"We don't hide anymore," I said.
Linda stared at me.
Then smiled.
It was the strangest expression I'd seen from her all night.
Almost relief.
"Fine.""
Dad frowned.
"What?""
Linda turned away.
"Have your party.""
She walked upstairs.
Something about her sudden surrender bothered me.
Daniel felt it too.
"Emily.""
"I know.""
We followed.
By the time we reached the kitchen, Linda was gone.
May you like
The back door stood open.
And on the counter, Andrew's envelope had disappeared.
