The trial took place on a sunny spring day. Our small crowd gathered by the entrance to the courthouse, awaiting news about the verdict. Several hours passed, but we still knew nothing, and Ellie’s godmother had to leave.

“Let us know if there’s news,” Samantha said to Lou after hugging Ellie goodbye. “I wish we could stay.”

Louise’s lips tipped up in a barely-there smile. “That you were here means a lot, especially to Ellie. She needs support.”

I shook Michael’s hand, and we watched him and Sam get in their car and drive away. My gaze darted between the heavy wooden doors and the few passersby on the sidewalk. Jim left the building soon after that and said something to Ellie, who rushed inside and exited the courthouse fifteen minutes later, looking ten times paler.

Worry marred Lou’s expression, but she didn’t insist with the questions when Ellie said she was alright. For the next hour, we did nothing but wait, except this time, we weren’t the only ones — several vans with the logos of local TV channels parked across the street, and some people started to set up the equipment.

Concern flashed in Louise’s eyes. Michael was a journalist, and he knew nothing about the presence of the media. Daniel Kennedy wasn't a nobody in the city, but the trial happened behind closed doors. How would anyone know what was going on?

The crowd outside the courthouse grew denser. As I glanced toward the same set of doors I’d been expecting Steve or Aiden to exit, my eyes landed on Steve’s colleague.

“Detective Hutches,” I called.

He pushed through the cluster of the gawking onlookers and walked over to us, pulling a cigarette out of the pack.

“What's taking them so long?" Ellie asked him.

"It's done. Steve will tell you about the verdict when he's free." Detective Hutches lit the cigarette he’d put in his mouth. 

I studied his expression but failed to see anything other than the calm he was trying to exude, although the way he frowned at the cameras around us told me it was an unexpected turn of events even for him.

Ellie shifted her weight, looking at the detective. "Where's Aiden?" 

"I saw him in the garden behind the building,” he said.

"Thank you."

She rushed toward the gates leading to the garden behind the courthouse, and I nodded at the journalists. “What’s that about?”

Raymond Hutches opened his mouth to reply, but another man stood next to us — Steve. 

“Finally.” Lou heaved a sigh. “What happened?”

“Everything went well,” Steve said. “He was declared guilty.”

His words had a calming effect on Lou, but I couldn’t shake off a strange feeling of foreboding, and something heavy settled in my gut. 

“Then what’s with all the media?” I asked Steve. “What are they doing here?”

“News travels fast.” He shrugged. “Where’s Ellie?”

Feet slapped, and the girl in question dashed toward her mother, sobbing loud enough for us to hear from a few feet away.

***

“I don’t understand anything,” Lou mumbled, massaging her temples as she leaned against the wall in her bedroom. “They were so happy. Daniel is convicted. Why would Aiden break up with her like that?”

Ellie had been crying in her room since we returned home a few hours ago.  Louise wanted to stay by her side, but Ellie asked to be alone, and the only thing we’d done since was talk in Louise’s room, making guesses that would explain Aiden’s strange behavior.

I believed I knew him well enough to be sure his feelings toward Louise’s daughter were genuine. Aiden wasn’t the kind to dump a girl using a lame excuse. That he didn’t pick up when I called him multiplied my concerns, and when Marco’s name appeared on the screen of my phone, the knot of nerves in my stomach tightened to the point of pain.

I accepted the call. “Marco, what happened?” 

“Thierry, it’s—”

Pots and pans clattered in the background, almost drowning out Marco’s voice. Three big celebrations — two birthdays and an engagement meal — were taking place at the bistro. He had his hands full, and I hoped no disasters happened while I wasn’t there.

“It’s what?”

The noises faded. “Aiden was here,” Marco said. “He gave me the key to your studio and said to thank you on his behalf. He looked off, and I tried to make him stay, but he didn’t want to. I thought you should know. He went toward the beach. I’ll go there as soon as the entrées are served.”

My heart leaped to my throat. Why would Aiden give his key back when he was still staying at the studio? “Okay,” I said. “Be there in fifteen.”

Lou looked at me, eyebrows raised. “Problems at the restaurant, long story,” I said, shoving the phone in my pocket. “I’ll text you later.”

I ran down the stairs and out of Lou’s house. The drive to the beach seemed to take forever, and my desperation to get there only made the minutes crawl.

When I parked close to the beach, I glanced around, looking for Aiden’s car. His SUV was parked not far from the bistro. Aiden was still around, and my mind took me to the time we were jogging on the same beach. He’d be there if I were lucky.

I sprinted toward the ocean. It roared louder with each thud of my feet against the wet sand. I panted, standing in the middle of the deserted shore. There wasn’t anywhere for Aiden to hide, so where the hell was he?

Cries of seagulls pierced the air. My gaze snapped to the water, and the air drained from my lungs — someone was there. Someone’s head barely rose above the raging waves.

I darted forward, praying it wasn’t too late to save Aiden.

***

I could’ve been late. The same thought swam in my brain over the next few hours, during which I pulled Aiden out of the water, got him into my car with Marco’s help, and took him to my house.

He was asleep now, and Marco and I sat in my kitchen. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared,” Marco said, studying the coffee in his cup. “Poor guy. His life depended on us getting there.”

“Don’t remind me.” I pressed the heels of my palms to my forehead. “I feel responsible, Marco. I should’ve suspected something was wrong when he broke up with Ellie.”

Marco let out a humorless chuckle. “I’d joke that now she’s finally free and closer to turning eighteen, but we both know those kids are endgame. What could’ve happened for him to want to end his life?”

In the days that followed, neither of us got answers. Marco stayed with Aiden while I tried to support Lou, who was going crazy because Ellie refused to eat or leave the bed. Louise felt as hopeless as I did, but I didn’t tell her the culprit of Ellie’s breakdown was just as miserable as her daughter, staying at my place after getting drunk and almost killing himself. 

I needed to know what happened the day Daniel Kennedy got convicted, and I unexpectedly got some of the answers when Lou thrust a few newspapers into my hands as soon as I crossed the threshold of her house.

“Read the articles. I can’t tell Ellie about them,” she whispered, glancing toward the stairs. “She’s too sad. I don’t know how she’ll handle the news.”

I unfolded the first paper and skimmed the headlines on the front page.

The truth was, I had no clue how Aiden would handle the news, either.