Page 1 of Even in the Dark

Prologue

10 YEARS AGO (Dylan, age 7)

911 CALL TRANSCRIPT, RECORDED AT 11:32pm (San Francisco, CA)

Child:I think my dad – I think he just killed two ladies!

Operator:Are you—

Child:Oh my God! I think he killed them!

Operator:Is your dad still there? Is he with you right now?

Child:I have to go. [crying]

Operator:I need you to stay on the line. Don't hang up, okay?

Child:[erratic breathing]

Operator:Start by telling me your name, alright?

Child:I can't. I just… I don't want to tell you that. Can you just send someone to help the ladies?

Operator:Someone's going to be there soon, but I need you to stay on the line. Is your dad still there?

Child:[crying hard] I think he killed them… They're all cut up.

Operator:The ladies are cut up?

Child:Yeah.

Operator:And areyouhurt anywhere?

Child:No. Uh, I guess my neck kind of. From the knife. Before.

Operator:Are you—

Child:I'm scared… I'm scared he's going to get in trouble!

Operator:Is your dad still there?

Child:Yeah. He's cleaning [muffled]… the washing machine. I'm really scared. I think he killed them!

Operator:I need you to listen to me, okay? You need to find somewhere to hide until—

Child:It's not my house. We're not… I don't know where we are! Can you just send someone to help them? I have to go! [rustling noises, faint thumping]

Operator:Someone is on their way. But you need to—

Child:[barely audible] I have to go!

Operator:Can you—

[phone call disconnected] Call ended 11:34pm

Chapter One

Scarlett

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