Chapter 24: Clues From Beyond the Grave

“Dad!” Everly’s heart was banging in her chest as she turned to see her dad standing by the attic stairs, the angry look on his face not nearly as frightening as the terror of being snuck up on. “You scared the crap out of me.”

“What are you doing up here, Ev?” he asked, coming over to where she was and taking her mom’s camera out of her hands. He put it into the box and closed the lid.

“I was just… looking for Mom’s pictures,” she said. “Why aren’t they hanging up anymore?”

He didn’t answer her. “I would really appreciate it if you didn’t go through the boxes up here, okay?” It was clear he was still mad, but at least he wasn’t yelling.

Everly wasn’t sure she was going to let him be mad about this anyway. He didn’t have any more reason to be mad about her looking in the boxes than she had to be mad at him for not telling he