Chapter 68

Twelve Years Earlier

Liz finished scrubbing the pot she’d made the chili in earlier. She’d have plenty to freeze since Dad didn’t come home for supper and Ian was on vacation with his family. It didn’t look like anything was missing from the surplus she’d made.

The old house was quiet, save for a few creaks here and there. Her phone dinged with a text, and she pulled it out of the pocket of her sweatpants as she passed the back door. Her dad’s filthy boots caught her eye, and she tucked the phone back into her pocket. It was Ian. No one else texted her. Right now, she needed to get those boots cleaned off and outside.

She scrunched up her nose at the smell of chicken manure and grabbed the top of the boots as she opened the door. She kept a wire bristle brush by the back door, and she sat on the cinderblock step and held her breath against the stench to brush the bottoms.

Mr. Garrison’s back porch light was on. He always left it on… for her. The old busybody knew she snuck over to Ian