“Grandpa, don’t.”
“You told me she knew about the other ones.”
My heart stopped.
“The other ones?”
Ryan shut his eyes.
His grandfather suddenly looked sick.
“I thought…”
I stepped closer.
“What other ones?”
Ryan snapped,
“Enough.”
I had never heard him speak to his grandfather that way.
Grandpa stared at him.
“You said Vanessa knew.”
“I said drop it.”
I looked between them.
Then held out my hand again.
“Phone.”
“No.”
That answer ended my marriage.
Not legally.
That came later.
But something essential between us ended right there in the kitchen.
I turned and headed toward the bedroom.
Ryan followed.
“Where are you going?”
“To look at the smoke detector.”
“Vanessa.”
I ran upstairs.
He caught up with me in the hallway.
“Stop.”
“Don’t touch me.”
He froze.
Claire stepped out of the guest room with a towel wrapped around her wet hair.
“What’s happening?”
I pointed toward our bedroom.
“Did you notice a smoke detector in the guest room?”
She frowned.
“What?”
“On the ceiling. Near the closet.”
Her expression shifted.
“There is one.”
Ryan said,
“This is ridiculous.”
I looked at Claire.
“Did it always have a little blue light?”
She went pale.
“Yes.”
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