The Last House Guest(87)

There were shouts from below, people wading into the water from the beach. But it was too late, and we all knew that.

“No one move,” the policeman said as he took in the scene. I recognized him then—Officer Paul Chambers, the other man who had interviewed us last year.

Officer Chambers looked at the house in the distance, the smoke rising. Then at Parker, heaving on the ground, holding his arm.

“He killed Sadie,” Parker said. “He was going to hurt Avery.” Looking at me, pleading. A negotiation, even then. “He had a gun. I had to do it. I had to stop him.”

Never had I felt such power, in the moments he held his breath, and everyone was watching. I did not confirm, I did not deny.

I felt Parker’s gaze on the side of my face. Heard his desperate whisper. Please.

“No more talking, Parker.” That was Grant, his voice cutting through the spectators’ in warning.

There were faces I knew in the crowd. The Sylvas, the Harlows, the Lomans—Grant was on his phone as Parker sat there, holding his arm. Connor pushed his way to the front of the group, but another officer had arrived, keeping everyone back. There were sirens. More shouts from below. A directive to move the cars, move the people—that emergency vehicles could not get through. Behind us, the smoke had reached the open balcony doors of the second floor, billowing out.

The Loman house was burning, someone was dead, and we were still on the ledge.

“You killed my parents,” I said. Loud enough that others could hear. Not only Officer Chambers but the people who had gathered, watching. Connor, Faith, Grant and Bianca.

Parker winced, shaking his head, though we both knew the truth.

“I know you did. And Sadie is dead because she found out, too.” All these people I’d lost could be traced back to him, and I wanted him to pay.

Parker kept shaking his head. He remained silent, as his father had instructed. Even as he was told to stand. Even as the handcuffs clinched behind his back. Parker’s eyes drifted side to side as he was led through the crowd, as if desperate for someone to fix this.

He went quietly, head lowered. A man, just like any other.



* * *




AT THE STATION, I gave them everything. But I had lost so much to both the fire and the sea.

The evidence had burned. My phone. The flash drive. It was all gone. But I’d copied the file of the flash drive to my laptop. And I’d transferred Sadie’s photos from her phone as well. Officer Chambers looked surprised at the mention of Sadie’s phone—it seemed that Ben Collins had kept this information to himself, never mentioning the discovery of the phone to anyone else.

I didn’t know whether it was enough, the things we had left.



* * *




AFTER, I STOOD IN the lobby of the police station with nothing. My car and my laptop would have to stay with them as evidence. I asked the receptionist to use the phone, but I couldn’t think of a single number by heart.

“Avery.” I turned at the sound of Connor’s voice. Saw the truck behind him through the glass windows, parked haphazardly, like he’d been waiting.

I didn’t ask where we were going as I buckled myself in—didn’t know where to go right then. But when Connor turned up the overlook, I knew.

He parked in the gravel lot of the B&B, turned off the engine. A box of my things was already on the front porch. Connor pushed his door open but paused before stepping out.

“End of the season, there’s always room.”





SUMMER


?????2019





First Day of Summer


Through the open windows, I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks. The wind blowing in off the coast, the leaves rustling overhead.

Sunlight flickered through the open curtains as the branches swayed above.

I took down the glasses, pulled out the bottles and the plates of food from the fridge. Shook out the cushions, dragged a few extra chairs around back. Getting everything ready.

They’d be arriving soon, up the drive of Landing Lane.



* * *




THE HOUSE COULD NOT be salvaged. It shouldn’t have been built in the first place. Sadie had hinted at this years ago: It wasn’t safe. Not something this size, that stretched beyond the easements. They’d paid someone off around the permits the first time. It would not happen again.

There’s still a footprint if you know where to look. Where the grass is a finer, paler green. A slight dip in the dirt where the pool used to be.

But from the guesthouse, it’s just a quirk of nature, a clearing of trees before the rocks. A stunning, unobstructed view that greets me each morning.

A reward, for a risk.



* * *




I HEARD, THROUGH OTHERS in town, that Parker had worked out a deal. Heard he was confined to house arrest. Heard he wore an ankle monitor. Heard he was removed from the company.

Most of these were probably rumors. All I cared was that he was gone. And that they would not be coming back.

In the winter, after I sold the plots on the overlook, I offered a low but fair price for this property. It’s not like anyone could rebuild up here. Only the guesthouse was set back per the guidelines. But that was all I needed.

I took this property for the view itself, looking out over all of Littleport and everything I’d ever known.