Guilty by Proximity

etween them instead of in his hands. Hazel didn't touch it right away. There was

s," Liam said. "Tell me

d World History and sat on a town council nobody paid much attention to. Grade quizzes. Council prep-

eks back, some

request county fil

Called EPA regional o

the pen harder without meaning to: Confirmed. Site was never remediated a

that line t

am said quietly.

atience with whatever bureaucratic wall he kept hitting. DR pushing vote up. Why the rush?

o-last entry, dated fo

tion to council. This needs to be

y in the plan

aid slowly. "

d careful, like he was trying not to

at him. "You k

wered his voice. "I knew there was tension about the mill sale. I knew Holloway was asking questions my da

the council the

e out before he seemed ready for them. He exhaled and looked down at

? If it'

ole life being the person who's supposed to make the Ashworth name look good. Every room I walk into, I'm alre

wasn't an excuse. It was simply som

e do with thi

proof, and Holloway was about to make it public-"

ur dad might

on't know if that's the same thing." He rubbed a hand over

e actually looking at this honestly, which

, and from the way his mouth twitched, half sur

ing you've said to me

get use

Hazel finally got home, later than she'd meant to, her head s

h in pajamas covered in cartoon foxes, fighting a losing

Desa announced, like th

r bag and crossed over to press a kiss to

the voic

d, without looking up from his homework. "

he wolf sou

nds like Dad

off the couch, padding over to loop both arms around Hazel's waist in a hug that lasted e

gently toward the hallway. "I'

omi

omi

diner," Milo sai

at the

Ashw

. With A

y tear the page. "Dad left dinner in the microwa

no good f

d up finally, something quieter underneath the deadpan. "You l

en a lon

Hazel let herself feel, for a moment, the specific relief of being

te later in mismatched pajamas, clu

'd read me th

ed. She had, in fact, said that approximately four days ago, and clearly

e min

ou

in

en reach Hazel's mouth, tucking herself against her side with the easy, uncompli

t her st

due tomorrow she hadn't started, and every reasonable version of the evening

ys it's about the mill. S

d mattering. She

her side. She put her to bed and t

them from the parking lot. Brynn was already there when Hazel and Liam arrived, arms crossed tight against the cold,

s out I said anything, he loses his job. You understand that, right? He's worked mill

am said carefully.

led in her face. "Because I've been carrying this around for a week, trying to decid

u did when you didn't want to spo

er arms tighter

s everyone out. I was waiting for him to finish up, sitting in the lot." She glanced at Liam, apolog

s it?" Ha

But my dad let it through the gate like it belonged there. Like whoever it was had clearance, or knew

pulse had picked up wit

ower, like saying it any louder might make it more tru