WHEN SHADOWS FALL

slight scent of coffee becoming cold on the table next to me blended with the lingering fragrance of turpentine. As if paintin

it was

n designs in his study, my father laughed. When he informed me that Calloway Industries had destroyed his business, there was

rimson and dragged it over the canvas. I couldn't stop the co

were always

and I froze, the brush floating in midair. His fitted suit and immaculate white shirt s

s place?" With a te

the doorframe and murmured, "I

et yourself

the room as he shrugged. "

id, putting down the brush

ete artwork in front of me, he replied, "True." "How

. Even though the picture was abstract-a flurry of hues and

plied, "You have no righ

here to critique." "I wanted to check

ipe my hands and turne

murmured

red to acknowledge, and I squi

demeanor, there was a hint of haste in his voice that made

o talk about," but my voice wa

g into my eyes. "Because I bel

shook my head. "Now i

a little. "Because you won't even let me try to fix what I b

as I took a deep breath. "Liam, you can't

s warmth permeated the chilly gap between us, and his p

th to speak, but the words died in my throat. The gentle, hesitant

ice just above a

t?" Don't you remember what we had? Don

and shook my head

n't fair, Eva." However, it does not ex

ess before buzzing back to life before I could react. I turned to look

at

from the far end of the studio. My pulse poundi

proached the sound, Liam

a palette knife off the table

hicker with each step. The floor was covered with glass from a shattered window tha

enched as he took in the view. He said, "Stay

," and followed him

e for the dim gleam of glass in the streetlight. Howe

around in the dark. He said,

e about me as I shiver

ery. As we both looked for the source of the scream,

self!" his voice reso

a

out of the darkness. After standing still for a whil

s a f

respond, the figure van

he folder. He flicked it open, his gaz

My voice tremb

re photographs-of me, of him, of the two of us toget

outside Calloway Industries, his f

crawled in strong red characters

old, the room sw

m's words. "Eva, we need t

nted to know the answe