Chapter 2

Christ on a cracker! Pigeons burst into the desert sky as the SUV backfired with a thunderous crack, causing Lindsay’s heart to rattle her ribcage. She wheeled around on raw instinct, but the Uber was already trailing dust up the hillside. What the – oh. Okay. Okay. She scrubbed both hands over her face and gulped down a steadying breath. Might want to get that hunk of junk checked out, Bluetooth. Minus one star for you. Her lips puckered at the memory of his voice, nonstop and invasive. Make that two.

Lindsay snatched her phone from her pocket and skimmed the mounting list of texts before tipping her face heavenward and sighing. Mom, Dad, Jennifer, Gina, especially Ali and Evie ... I’m sorry. So, so sorry. Her chin lowered, eyes drifting over the townscape with the guarded fascination of someone who’d only seen this place in photographs. But I had to get out.

Flagstone’s Red Light Avenue was already in full morning swing. A delivery truck jockeyed for position outside the century-old opera house as locals shuffled in and out of Gunslinger’s, a restaurant and lounge across the street, clutching to-go cups of coffee. A mother dragged her toddler son toward a parked minivan while a cluster of college-aged guys loitered near the convenience store in a haze of marijuana smoke, beer bottles loose in their hands, their laughter juvenile and raucous. Eww. Easy pass.

The paper mill loomed at the far end of town, its dual chimneys emitting clouds of gray smoke against the deep blue horizon. The town’s lone traffic light blinked yellow in all directions. Old ore buckets served as planters along the sidewalks, and a mini rail-car sat on the roof of the hardware store, rusted solid but stuffed with plastic flowers. The hitching posts of yesteryear were still standing, too, though now repurposed as bicycle racks.

All the familiarity hit harder than she’d expected. Oh, look ... there’s St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on the next street. After so many pictures and so many tiresome hours of tracing this town on Google Maps, standing here felt more like a return than an arrival for the first time. She shoved both hands into her pockets and made a face. Catastrophe, my ass. They reemerged and balled into furious little fists. I’ll show you, Gina.

At the far end of the street stood the house – not a house, not really – the business she’d dissected more than anything else.

What if they don’t like me? Lindsay unclenched her fingers, jaw going rigid. Where am I gonna sleep tonight if they don’t hire me? No, no, no! She crammed her eyes shut. Deep breath. In through her nose, out through her mouth. Who am I kidding? She rocked back and forth on her insoles. No way I’m gonna ommm my way through this.