Chapter 39

Emma slowed as she reached the dead end street where Tommy lived. She wasn't sure what she had expected to see. Nothing, really. She wanted it to look like it always had, a long, tree lined drive that ended in a single car garage. She wanted the house to be bright, for music to be playing low on the sound system. She wanted it to be like it had been the last time she was there.

But as she slowly passed the few houses along the road, houses with cars parked out front, windows shuttered, she knew something was different. There were no visible cues, but there was a difference, just the same.

And then she approached his drive.

The gravel was different, rutted in a way it hadn't been before. There had been a lot of cars here.

She pulled boldly into the driveway, no longer caring who might see her.

And then she saw the crime scene tape.

It felt as though someone had reached into her chest and ripped her heart out.

She stopped not even halfway down the drive. It had rained last night.