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"Mom, what happened? What did they tell you about Spencer?"

She covered her face "He was shot," she said, her voice wavering with emotion "He's dead and has been for hours He was at Chesapeake Beach for soine He left right after you and Hunter were here and he never came back He must have been robbed

but I don't know any details They're still investigating"

My mother seemed unusually clear-headed The shock of Spencer'sfrom the morphine

"I' closer Although I hated Spencer, I knew that my mother loved hi on him for years, she'd be afraid of ould look after her

"I know you and Graham hated him, but he was my life after your father died"

"I know," I said, not wanting to talk about just how much I hated Spencer or how much Graham did as well She already knew It had been a sensitive matter between the three of us since she married Spencer In Graham's and my minds, he was never our father We made sure Spencer knew as much

"Did anyone call Graham?"

My mom nodded "We tried, but he e for hie"

I called Graha toout on television that Spencer was dead

I didn't feel at all sad or bad that Spencer was dead In fact, there was a part of et et her more help

While I waited for him to answer, I turned to my mother

"Have you called Aunt Diane?"

She shook her head "No," she said "I didn't think"

"You should call her You'll need somewhere to stay You can't stay alone—"