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Closing my eyes, I tried to recall a memory of the boy I fell in love with, any memory that would remind me that the Dante I kneould never hurt anyone But as I did, the raphs I had to knohat Breaker Chasrandfather was still in his office, stuffing a briefcase full of papers In front of hi up the mess

I stepped around hi it frolasses and squinted at the ih my office?"

When I didn’t respond, he thren his briefcase

"Did you take Annette LaBarge’s file fro"

"I just stulasses, he stormed out the door and into the library, where the rest of the clippings were scattered on the desk I watched as he shoved the?"

"Business," he said

"What was Miss LaBarge looking for in Breaker Chasm, Vermont?"

"I don’t know," he answered "Which is why it’s is in order You can’t just take things like this and leave theotten thrown out? Misplaced? We would have lost the only clues we have" He snapped his briefcase shut "This isn’t a ga I don’t think your friend Eleanor would be amused by whatever half-hatched theory you’ve coest you save your childish endeavors for the dorht, it started to snow I ate dinner alone, sitting at the end of the long dining room table while Dustin stood in the corner, his hands clasped behind his back

"If I may, Miss Renée," he said as I picked at my duck "I believe Breaker Chasm is in the part of the lake country that many people believe is haunted"

"Haunted?" I repeated

"I believe so"

That’s when I felt it At first it was subtle Just a slight chill ticklingup beneath the table to my arms, ainst my plate and fell to the floor The air around e itself into his name: Dante But it couldn’t be He wouldn’t be here; it was too dangerous

Dustin stared atmyself to attention, I nodded and reached under the table to pick up h an upstairsExcept ere deep into the Massachusetts winter; none of the ere open Could he really be here?

It was too dark to see anything out the , except for the snow collecting on the panes, but I could still feel hio outside and see if he was there

"But you’ve barely touched your food," Dustin said, concerned "Colance out the , because he continued "Is there soaze "I can call the gardener to fetch it for you"

"No," I said quickly "I was just ad to draw his attention to Dante

After dinner I stayed up with Dustin, watching late-night talk shows until he nodded off, his head in his hand as he leaned on the ar across the room, I turned off the television The roohts on the Christmas tree I crept out, up the stairs, and into hts, a cold hand coveredshut behind me

"I didn’t want you to screaid Dante He was here, in ainst my back as he breathed I could s on the panes in rhythm with his heart

When he released me, I backed away from him Framed in the doorway of my closet, he looked like a mannequin Tall, pale, and too perfect to be real, his broad shoulders stiff beneath his sweater

He pushed a loose lock of hair behind his ear "Why are you looking at entle He moved toward ?"

"Where have you been?"

"I wasme the same answer he always did

"But where?"

He frowned, his forehead wrinkling into delicate lines "Why does it matter? I’m here now"

"Why does itto find you forwhere you were or what you were doing You know everything aboutabout you Do you kno that feels?"

"Don’t say that," he said, hurt "You know me better than anyone"

"It doesn’t feel that way"

"I’m sorry," he said, his eyes a soft brown "I was in Ver you because I thought it would be safer if you didn’t know"

I leaned against my bedpost "Breaker Chas as they left my mouth