Page 61 of The New Year's Party
“I don’t know,” said Mackenzie. “It was a long time ago, Daddy. Why are you asking me all these questions?”
Will sighed. Mackenzie had a fearsome memory, but it had been so long, and she was so little at the time.
“You know what, never mind,” he said, forcing a casual laugh to cover the plummet of defeat in his chest. “I was just curious. You said it was so fun, I just thought...”
“Wait! It was snowing!” said Mackenzie. “I watched Mommy put the car seat into the van, and then she drove away and the snow looked like little diamonds!”
Will had to lean on the railing to steady himself.
This—this was it. And the image was as chilling as he might have hoped—or feared. His wife loading their newborn into the car to go burn down a restaurant three hours away. Dear God, the nerve of it all. What if he had woken up?
“Daddy?” said Mackenzie, sounding suddenly worried. “Is everything... okay?”
Will forced himself to keep his voice light. Positive. “Yes! This was perfect, honey. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
He made Mackenzie promise not to tell Granny about their conversation and wished her a happy New Year. Then he googled2014decemberweather inindianapolis. He was so revved up he felt like he might either pass out or float up into the sky. This could be another dead end... or it could be everything.
When he got to the end of his search, he laughed. There was only one instance of snow in Indianapolis in all of December 2014. Some flurries around 10 p.m. the night of December fifteenth.
His head was hot, then cold, then hot again. He laughed again, louder. She had burned the place down with her own two hands.
There was no precedent telling Will how to feel about this. It was a nightmare. It was a dream. His horrible only hope at exposing his wife and getting full custody of the girls.
Just then, the glass door slid open, spilling out warmth and light and laughter.
“Will?” It was Jenn’s voice. “What are you doing out here?”
He turned. There she was, looking just as she had when he met her on campus during freshman orientation at Ball State. Beautiful and fresh, with her bouncy curls and her sporty body. An amazing smile too. The girl next door every man dreamed of.
“Champagne! Pass out the champagne!” Ted was crying from inside. “It’s the countdown!”
“It’s almost midnight,” said Jenn, holding up a champagne flute.
If Will could dial back time, he would run. Far, far away. Of course, it was too late for that. But maybe it wasn’t too late for a different future.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said, walking toward his wife.
Got you.
Chapter 28
Doug
“What do you mean you don’t know who sent those texts?” Doug’s ass was throbbing where Bennett had just plucked out the BBs—none too gently, by the way—but this new development was a welcome distraction as he buckled his mud-encrusted belt. It wasn’t just old Dougie who’d brought the drama! “Like, did youask?”
“Of course I asked,” said Bennett. “They didn’t answer.”
“Why did youbelievethem, man?”
Bennett looked at Doug like he was the crazy one. “Because why would someone make that up?”
“I can think of so many reasons,” said Doug, numbering on his fingers. “To fuck with you. To fuck with you. Oh, and also, to fuck with you.” He spread his hands expressively.Am I wrong?
“Gee, thanks, Sherlock,” said Phelps dryly.
“I assume you looked up the number,” said Doug.
Bennett gave him a look. Dude wasangry. “Of course. It wasn’t listed.”
