“I’ll be home by six,” he said.
He didn’t kiss me goodbye.
He hadn’t in years, but I only noticed it in that moment.
The truck backed out of the driveway.
We listened until the engine sound disappeared completely.
Then Ava’s knees buckled and she sat down hard on the kitchen chair.
“He saw me,” she said.
“He knows something’s wrong.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know him.” She pressed both hands flat on the table.
“He came back for his phone.
But he was watching my face the whole time he was in here.
That’s what he does.
He watches.”
I pulled the note from my pocket and read it again.
The words didn’t change.
*Daniel has been lying to you.*
“Ava.” I set the note on the table between us.
“I need you to tell me everything.
From the beginning.
