He took his keys and left quietly, and I stayed awake listening to the house settle around me.

PART 13

The next morning, I told Evelyn what Colton had admitted.

She advised me to write down his statements while I remembered them accurately, preserve any messages, and leave the decisions about criminal or civil proceedings to the appropriate investigators and legal processes.

I also called my ophthalmologist.

Not because Colton had injured my eyesight, but because the stress had sent me into a panic about losing it again.

The doctor reminded me that recovery after traumatic injury could be uneven and that changes in vision needed proper evaluation.