Chapter 41

"Wasn’t it just traffic? Couldn’t help it," Gerry Hawthorne called out as he tried to catch up, sounding like he was trying to smooth things over. "Edward! Edward…" Even though he hurried after him right away, he was still a step too late—by the time he made it to the yard, that black Bentley had already rolled off. The Hawthorne estate sat tucked away in Sunshine District, nestled among hills and lakes—a peaceful, classy slice of suburbia. A white Volkswagen turned down a narrow side road lined with neatly maintained flowerbeds on both sides. Out of nowhere, a flash of white darted out from the flowerbed. Startled, Alice slammed on the brakes and jerked the wheel slightly to the left. What she didn’t expect, though, was the oncoming car heading straight her way. Her eyes flew open wide as she yanked the wheel again. BANG. A high-pitched screech of metal followed—and both cars came to an abrupt stop. Headlights from the other vehicle lit up her pale face. Alice sat frozen, clutching th