THE BRIDE SHE LEFT BEHIND

de it to t

, I heard Caleb's footsteps downstairs

it

e until dawn, staring at the ceiling

asn't the

t mean? And

til Caleb left for work. Then

h Dr. Harrison," I t

ardi

... I was Evelyn Thorne's sister-in-law.

. "Hold

crawl. Everything felt wrong today. The sunli

A man's voice,

es

. I was sorry to hear abou

er. "Dr. Harrison, I was hoping we could meet

tretched

not sure what you'

It's im

in this afternoon? Say, around fou

Than

. Th

es

to almost a whis

The waiting room smelled like disinfectant and fear. Medica

a nurse led me down a nar

y, with silver hair and deep lines around his eyes. Bu

rne. Plea

air was uncomfortable, the kind th

r seeing me,

meet my eyes. "You said you

final days. Her.

d with a pen. Cli

arn. Evelyn was... she was struggling. Mentally. Th

nd of st

f not sleeping, hearing things. She wa

ickened. "W

ssion. She thought her husband was... well, sh

nd of fa

really looked at me for the first

why are you

hink my sister in

t very

serious ac

cusation? Or

cross the desk. The clock

velyn ever mention t

drained fr

did you he

know who

w. He reached for a glass of wa

Clara was my

as

. Three y

ow

se f

n around me.

ike... just

hair. "Dr. Harrison, what

alked to the window. His b

n. She came to me with the same complaints as Evelyn.

A

ks later, sh

dry. "What hap

he funeral. Said he couldn't

did h

back to me. His face

Thorne. He

m tilte

rted over. No one knew ab

ords out. "What... what

voice was bar

Caleb

n't think. Couldn't proce

my husband...

his before. The same pa

l over. "Why didn't you say anyt

fires? That their husbands were grieving wi

could have save

oice cracked. "You think I don't lie

ndow and back. My

records. Medical

les. Even after I was su

he

thinking... someday someone

I see

f what I suspect is true, the

kno

she was being careful too. Sh

appened

eavily. Suddenly he looked e

ied. Said David had been... different. Angry. Threatening. She

d y

Every

d t

o death in her own bed

. Harrison, I ne

. Th

them t

a long moment. The

em ready. But

Y

't go anywhere alone. If I'

ha

was bare

is second victim.

t me like a

hi

pulled out an old newspaper clipping.

d: LOCAL WOMAN D

oung woman with dark

w it made my

rvived by her husba

ompson," I

avid Thompson. A

b Tho

Thorne, your husband has been kil

wspaper clipping,

w he's

arah and Clara, yo

ht now I don't kno

s. Thorne, there's something els

unding so hard I though

left a video. Hidden in my office. She wanted

deo o

t David what C

re i

fe. With

legs. "I'll meet you a

Thorne

rned

se Clara said. In tha

ha

dropped to

aid David had shown her a photo of his 'firs

ha

oto, Sarah wasn't hi

silent except for

ny? I w

yes were full of

orne. But I'm afraid w