Chapter 9

Minnow had seen the man stepping out on the road in the rearview mirror, watching her disappear. There was something about that man making him hard to forget.

It was the day of the dreaded birthday party. Minnow's room had been transformed into a beauty parlour as multiple people pampered her for the big day.

The large bay windows flooded the room with natural light as the afternoon sun travelled westward across the sky.

Soft tunes were playing on the stereo, mixing pleasantly with the murmur of low voices from the stylists moving around in the space.

Minnow sat quietly on a chair in front of a sizeable lit-up make-up mirror.

Her face was etched in a deep frown from all the fuss. None of this was her idea. It was all her mothers doing in her strive for perfection. Minnow had to be shown looking fabulous tonight in front of the more important townspeople.

Her mother had been bossing everyone around since the crack of dawn. She had a hand in every detail, leaving no stone untur