SloaneMy father called on a Thursday morning.I almost did not answer.Not because I was afraid of what he would say. I was past afraid of Gerald Mercer. What he could do to me emotionally had a ceiling now that I understood the full shape of him. You cannot be devastated by someone you have already seen completely.I answered because not answering felt like unfinished business and I was tired of unfinished business."Sloane," he said."Gerald," I said.A pause."I have been contacted by the criminal attorney," he said. "The one handling the case against Strand."I sat up straighter."When," I said."Yesterday. They want me to testify." Another pause. "I wanted to call you before I decided."I sat with that for a moment.He was calling me before he decided.That was new."What did you tell them," I said."That I needed to think about it." His voice was quieter than usual. The Gerald voice I had not heard before. Not the performing voice or the apologetic voice or the justifying voice
Last Updated : 2026-05-07 Read more