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AT FIRST SHE DIDN’T recognize the man in front of her. He was dirty, his hair stuck out all over his head. It took her a moment to realize it was sweat. Clive Gunderson’s brown eyes were red-rimmed with tears. “Perci.”
He just stood there, repeating her name. Staring. At her, at Rhea and Ivy directly behind her.
“Mama, Mama, Mama.” Ivy chose that moment to call for her. To remind her that she wasn’t alone. Wasn’t alone and vulnerable alongside a deserted highway any longer.
Perci stepped to the left, putting herself bodily between Clive Gunderson and Ivy. “Gunderson.”
“He’s dead.”
“I know. Nate told me.”
“You’re not. You’re right here in front of me. Perfect. You’re not sorry at all, are you?”
“Why should I be? He almost killed me. He almost killed my sister. And he...you...made our family miserable, terrified, for four years. That’s hard to forget.” All the times he’d terrified her at night coalesced in her mind. Reminding her of everything. Everything she’d lost, everything that had happened to the ones she loved because of it. Everything. Perci wouldn’t let him do it to her again. Not anymore. He didn’t have power over her anymore. “If you don’t mind, we need to get going. It’s getting late and Ivy needs dinner and put to bed.”
“You’ll have it all.” He stared at her. Rhea said her name and wrapped one hand around Perci’s elbow. “You’ll have that baby. Have that doctor. That family of yours. His. You’ve won. I have nothing. Not now. It’s all gone.”
Perci risked a glance at Nate’s mother. Rhea held Ivy tight. But they were all far too exposed.
And Clive Gunderson held a pistol in his hand. “Rhea, get Ivy into the car. Or take her back inside. I think...she needs her diaper changed. Can you take her back inside for me, please? I’ll be in to get her in a minute.”