The Good Girls by Sara Shepard

didn’t want to talk to him right then. And so she’d caught a bus back into Beacon, bummed around for a few hours, and met up with Julie, resolving never to talk to Fielder again.
    But she was still struggling to process everything about her dad’s death. She couldn’t believe he was gone. Really, truly gone. Somehow, she’d expected to feel a different reaction. Joy, maybe, even euphoria. Instead, all she feltwas numb—followed by the most pounding headache she’d ever suffered through. And even more annoyingly, she’d started reliving all sorts of awful memories of her dad—his abusive Greatest Hits, if you will. She needed a way to kick him out of her head once and for all.
    Which was why she’d ended up back here.
    Her phone chirped from the pocket of her hoodie, and Parker jumped. Her skin was clammy with cold sweat. She fumbled for her phone with jittery fingers. “Hello?”
    â€œWhere are you?” Julie’s voice was worried and tense.
    â€œI’m fine,” Parker insisted. She tried to sound steady.
    â€œWhy weren’t you at the service?”
    â€œWhat service?”
    Julie exhaled. “For Granger.”
    â€œ You were there?” Parker was in no shape for a funeral. But she couldn’t believe Julie had shown her face. It wasn’t like Julie was out making social rounds after the mass email about her hoarder mom.
    â€œYeah,” Julie answered. “I mean, I hid out, basically, but I went. And you should have been there, too. It doesn’t look good that you’ve just skipped.”
    â€œWho cares?” Parker said. They weren’t even suspects anymore.
    â€œ I cared! ” Julie snapped. “I wanted you there! Parker, we really need to stick together. After everything that’s happened—”
    Fielder’s receptionist appeared in the doorway with an exceedingly sweet look on her face. “Parker Duvall? He’s ready for you.”
    Parker covered the mouthpiece with her hand and nodded at the woman. She didn’t want Julie to know she was at Fielder’s office. Julie would kill her.
    â€œSorry, I have to go,” Parker whispered into the phone.
    â€œBut—” Julie began. “Where are you?”
    â€œI’ll see you later, okay?”
    Parker tapped off the call and slipped the phone back into her pocket. She rose and followed the receptionist into Fielder’s large, airy office. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, sitting at his desk, jotting notes on a pad. His lean runner’s frame was totally relaxed as he worked. He seemed so harmless and innocent. Not like a stalker at all.
    She wanted so badly to trust him again. But how could she get over what he’d done—or how angry he’d been when he’d caught her at his computer?
    Fielder’s head snapped up, and a smile crossed his face. “Parker! It’s so great to see you.” He ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I’m just so relieved—so happy—that you’re here.” He gestured at the chair across from his. “Please, sit.”
    Parker hesitated. Maybe this was a bad idea. She fought the urge to bolt past him, past the lady out front, through the office door and into the street.
    Fielder held her gaze, as if he understood what she wasthinking. “It’s okay, Parker,” he said gently. “It’s safe here. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just here to listen.”
    Parker sat down, but she leaned forward in the chair, ready to leap up at any moment. She stuffed her hands in her hoodie pockets and waited for him to speak.
    â€œI owe you an apology,” Fielder began. “And I’m truly sorry for scaring you. For following you.”
    Parker nodded. “You should be.”
    â€œI wasn’t stalking you. It’s just that—you said you had memory gaps. I was just—God, this sounds crazy when I say it out