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Chapter 1

I don't remember much about the accident

I was only twelve at the time

My mother's boyfriend took me home and tried to kiss me when he found out my mother wasn't there He was a powerful man, but I didn't understand that at the time When I pulled away from hiain and I punched him I'd never been so scared in hbor's house

When I told ry She pulled out our suitcases and began tossing things into them

“Pack a bag We're going to your aunt's house Be sure to bring Nan's book,” she'd toldrooeneration to generation It never left the shelf, but it was always in our house I kneere officially settled somewhere when the bible went up on the shelf

That's how I knew that this was serious The bible co

If I had knoas going to happen, I would have begged her to stay with me I would have kept her with ether Sometimes I blame myself, but I know that I couldn't have known It wasn't my fault

It was his

We were alot a phone call It was him Her boyfriend She said she was busy, but he said it would only take afor her She tried to tell him no, but he wasn't the type of man to take that for an answer

She shut her suitcase hard enough to shake the bed and called her sister, but this time she kept the door shut I didn't hear that conversation

“Re up her purse “It's io do this or he'll chase us forever I'll be right back”

She kissedin her chest

“I love you, pumpkin” Those were her last words to me “I love you so much”

Then she was gone She wore a yelloeater and a soft gray dress Her dark hair was up in a ponytail

The next tiue There had been a car accident They said she hadn't been wearing a seat belt and had been ejected from the car That didn't ious about seat belts Shelot She wouldn't even start the car until I had mine buckled

Even then, so saying soet any information out of them I knew that he was a powerful business

I was young, but I re nervous They wouldn't answer any of our questions

“You're a part of our family now,” my Aunt Sophie told me “You're safe with us”

She'd held my hand when I went to identify my mother She had the same dark brown hair and nose as my mother Her eyes were blue instead of brown She didn't sh

No one told h crime shows to know that someone should have wanted to speak with me about what happened, but no one ever came

Now that I'm older, I think I knohy

Senator John Norwood murdered my mother and paid to have it covered up

Ten years after the accident

“The boss doesn't like you being here,” Ethan says, crossing his ar sleeved t-shirt