Night Latch by Anela Deen

Author:Anela Deen [Deen, Anela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Two hours later, when the weather eased off somewhat, the emergency responders finally arrived. I’d still been close enough to Ames that Story County police showed up to the scene of the crash, rather than Bellemer’s. A small reprieve, given everything. The last thing I needed was Nana and my mother finding out about my near miss on the road.

It was another hour before they cleared me to leave the scene, and that only after they took pictures of my truck from every angle, gave me a breathalyzer, and demanded ten ways to get ahold of me later if needed. I didn’t take it personally. A life had ended here. The least I could do was not make things difficult for those tasked with putting order to chaos—at least in the living world. I’d bungled things colossally with Alice, but I was too exhausted to dwell on it as I drove home, especially with worry for Nick weighing heavily, and this new responsibility sitting next to me in the passenger’s seat.

“They couldn’t see me,” Margaret said softly, the first words she’d uttered since Alice had left us. “The police and the firefighters, they looked right through me. I’m really dead.”

“Yes,” I said for lack of anything better. “I’m sorry.”

“I was driving too fast. I knew it was going to storm but things had gone rotten with this friend I’d been staying with. I didn’t want to wait.” She sighed. “Why didn’t I just wait?”

That had to be why she only wore a t-shirt and cutoffs in the middle of November. “Where were you heading?”

“I know a couple people in South Dakota. I was coming up from Texas and got a little turned around on the highways.” She glanced at herself with a slight, rueful smile. “I meant to stop and pick up something warmer. I hate extra delays on long car trips though.”

How many cross-country drives had she done in her life?

“You’re more of ‘second star to the right and straight on till morning’ kind of gal?”

“Yeah.”

“Margaret, do you mind if I ask how old you are?”

“Seventeen last month, and call me Maggie.” She looked at me a long moment. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but what made you stand up for me back there?”

“Do I need a reason?”

“Most people do.”

“You said you didn’t want to be what you were. I believed you.”

“Why?” she pressed. “You don’t know me.”

“I’m not sure I can explain it,” I told her honestly. “Only that you asked for a chance to be better and I think it’s wrong not to give you one.”

She considered that. “Will you get in trouble for this? She seemed really mad at you.”

Oh, she was.

“Let me worry about that. Either way, it’s worth it to help you.”

She gave a small, surprised laugh that didn’t quite hide a touch of mockery. “I’ve never met anyone who thinks like this. Are you an angel?"

“Ah, no. My socks stink as much as the next guy.”

“But you can see me—and they put you in charge of my second chance.

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