SIX
I started pacing the parking lot near Mark’s truck as I pulled out my phone and called Hayword. I tried to look at Mark or the truck, but I could only focus on the darkness. It was so dark. I could not wait for spring. I could not wait for f*****g spring.
“Brooke?”
“Hayword,” I said. “Hayword, he’s here. He’s f*****g here. And he’s talking about Alberto as if he has a right to speak about him.”
“Who is there?” Hayword said. It pissed me off that he sounded so confused. He should know. He should know. He should f*****g know!
“Ryan Nichols!”
“Ryan Nichols?” I could hear in his voice that he didn’t know who that was. That made me almost angrier at him than at Ryan.
“Oh my god,” he said.
“Yes, yes,” I said.
“He’s at the AA meeting?” he asked. “Did he follow you?”
“No,” I said. “H
