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The loud bang of a gunshot ringing out in the distance A piercing screa to his knees and clutching his chest as he opened hisbut strangled silence He was gone within adead

"It’ll only take a few minutes," the detective said when Carmine didn’t respond "May I coet out the words "Go away"

Before he could sla out behind him "Let him in, son"

Car on the stairs He had to have heard wrong Vincent DeMarco would never willingly invite law enforcement into his home "Excuse me?"

"You heard me" Vincent descended the last few steps into the foyer "Let him ask his questions"

"No way," Carmine spat He was about to ask his father if he had lost his mind when his brother interrupted

"Where the hell’s the food? I’reat roo toward the front door His eyes hen he saw the police officer "Whoa, definitely not the delivery guy! What did you do now, bro?"

Carroaned Why did he have to assume it was him?

"He isn’t here for Carmine," Vincent said "He just has a few questions for Haven, and then he’ll be on his way"

Begrudgingly, Carmine moved aside so Vincent could lead the detective into the faing Tess along with him Carmine went to close the door when a car pulled up, the Chinese delivery guy parking behind the unuy, then snatched the food and sla their dinner off in the kitchen before hurrying to the family room

Car to be far from her, as the man cleared his throat "I’d prefer to speak to her alone, if you don’t mind"

"Unfortunately for you, I do mind," Vincent said "I invited you in, but I won’t be put out by you"

"Fine" Detective Baranski pulled a small notebook from his pocket and flipped it open "Haven, do you know Nicholas Barlow?"

Haven picked at her fingernails as she started sta "Yes Well, I knoho he is, but I didn’t really know him that well Or, I mean, I don’tnot didn’t"

Her panicked eyes darted toward Car on the floor

"When’s the last time you saw him?" Detective Baranski asked

"The end of Septeht"

"And did anything out of the ordinary happen at the game?"

"I kicked his ass," Car to recount it "That’s not really out of the ordinary, though We fought all the tiht?"

"He ran off," Carht"

The officer eyed Carmine suspiciously "Was that the last time you saw him?"

"No, I saw hi the SAT at the high school when he showed up"

"Why?"

"For shits and giggles Why does anyone take the SATs?"

"I’ you why you took the test," Detective Baranski said i why he was there"

Car what heto answer that question

"Did anything happen then?"

"Exactly what happened every other tiht" The officer nodded as if it were no surprise "And the last tia her head "Well, no I saw hiht at Aurora Lake We talked and then I went home"

"And that was the last time you saw him?"

Her eyes quickly scanned the rooht Car

"Do you have any idea what ht’ve happened to him?"

She didn’t hesitate this ti, Carmine looked at her incredulously What the fuck?

"The night at the lake, he said there was nothing left here for hi, to start over so, but I wonder if that’s what he did"

"It’s possible" The officer closed his notebook and returned it to his pocket

"I can’t help but think it’s my fault," she continued "Maybe I could’ve stopped hione"

Caruilt at her words

"You can’t blame yourself for decisions other peopleto leave "I appreciate your tiht help us find Nicholas, give me a call"