Chapter Seventy-Seven - One Last Attempt

Tori’s POV

The smell of burning roused me. Then I saw Fran. She was beside herself with rage yet crying, too.

“What are you doing here?” I murmured, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“Finishing what he started. Except I’m useless at it.”

“Alex? You’re better than him.”

“No, I’m not. Because I was contemplating doing what he arranged for someone else to do. You might say he saved me from myself. Mom knew I was bad. She always said … Oh, never mind. I’d better go. I’m not wanted here.”

“Don’t be hasty,” I said. “Let’s talk.”

“What is there to say?”

“You have Naomi now. And me, for what it’s worth. I never stopped thinking about you all the time you were missing. I don’t blame you for any of it. Truly.”

“Really? And what about this?”

Her gesture took in the singed furniture and blackened carpet. It was strange how the sprinkler system had malfunctioned. Correction, it was belated.

“I’ll say I did it,” I panted, climbing out of bed and trying not to think about how much I resemble