Chapter 2

I pulled up our family accounts to see how much we had for the medical bills ahead.

The transaction history stopped me cold.

Four days earlier, every cent in Liam's college fund had been transferred out.

The memo contained two words:

"Vehicle purchase."

I stared at the amount until the numbers blurred.

Liam had earned every dollar with his own hands.

The previous winter, he'd gone to the restaurant with a fever because the shift paid double. When he came home, he'd pressed that day's pay into my hand.

"That's a little more toward college," he'd said.

Mark had been sitting on the couch watching television.

"A little hard work is good for him," was all he'd said.

He'd watched Liam work for every dollar. Then he'd spent it on an SUV for Jason.

A nurse hurried out of the ICU and told me Liam had briefly regained consciousness.

I went to his bedside and took his hand.

"Mom..."

He barely had a voice.

"I'm here."

"The heating bill..."

"Forget the heating bill."

"Don't lose my pay envelope."

My tears splashed onto the back of his hand.

When he saw me crying, he moved one finger against my palm, trying to comfort me the way he had when he was little.

"I'm okay."

"You're going to get better."

Liam closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, he asked, "Did Dad come?"

I couldn't answer.

He found the answer in my silence.

"How's Jason?"

"You know it was him?"

"The driver got out." Liam's breathing grew uneven. "I saw his face."

"Did he call for help?"

Liam stared at the ceiling.

"He looked at me. Then he called Dad."

My stomach dropped.

"Does your father know you were the one he hit?"

"I don't know."

Liam paused to catch his breath.

"Mom, don't beg Dad to come."

"Why?"

"He'll say Jason didn't mean it."

The nurse told me Liam needed to rest.

Once I stepped out of his room, I made three decisions.

As Liam's mother and emergency contact, I refused to discuss any private settlement while he was incapacitated. I asked the police to preserve the results of Jason's blood-alcohol test. Then I froze the money left in our joint account so Mark couldn't drain it for Jason's legal fees.

Mark called less than a minute later.

"Why did you freeze the account?"

"That money belongs to our family."

"Jason needs a lawyer!"

"Liam needs his father."

The line went quiet.

"What happened?"

"He's in the hospital."

"Jason could be facing criminal charges." Mark lowered his voice. "I don't have time to deal with one of Liam's minor problems right now."

I looked at the ICU doors.

"You haven't even asked why he's here."

"I'll deal with Liam once Jason's in the clear."

His patience snapped.

"Grace, can you stop making everything a competition with Jason? Liam has always been sensible. He'll understand."

"He won't understand this."

I ended the call, grabbed my coat, and drove to the police station.

As I reached the door, I heard Mark inside.

"Someone has to pay for what happened to Jason's new car."

An officer reminded him, "The other party is still in intensive care."

"He has health insurance," Mark replied. "Jason only gets one shot at his future."

Linda spoke next.

"That delivery rider was weaving through traffic in the middle of the night. For all we know, he was trying to stage an accident."

Mark didn't correct her.

Instead, he asked the officer whether the rider's family could be held responsible for the repairs.

I wrapped my hand around the door handle and walked into the station.