Page 107 of Diamonds

Today, it’s rain.

“Do we have to go to this, Dad?”I ask.“I’m going to get my nice suit all wet.”

Dad is next to me—we’re being driven by his chauffeur—and he rolls his eyes.“So you’ll get it cleaned, Maddox.Christ.”

“This is a wool suit.If it gets wet, it can lose its shape.”

“Then we’ll buy you another suit.”He glares at me.“This is important.”

“Whatever.”I stare out the window.

We’re in Dad’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V.He’s kept it in great shape, and it’s got lots of room in the back for me, Mom, and Dad to sit while the driver carts us around.

Mom volunteered to sit in the middle since my legs have grown like crazy over the last year.She hasn’t contributed to my argument with Dad.I think it’s because she agrees with me, but is afraid to defy her husband who provides her cushy lifestyle.

So I got the window.The raindrops are forming little trails down the side.I like watching them grow bigger as they join with other raindrops.Watch them race down the side of the window.Try to guess which one will win.They look like small tears, like the Rolls-Royce itself is crying, joining me in feeling?—

“And for God’s sake, stop staring at the raindrops,” Dad snaps.“I bought you a cell phone, didn’t I?Why can’t you play Tetris, text your friends, like a normal kid?”

* * *

God,he was an ass.

What the hell was wrong with me watching the raindrops?Most parents would be thrilled to not have their kid staring at a screen.

But as I watch the raindrops fall down my window, I notice something odd.

Most of them are going down in a straight line, like you’d expect.Occasionally some of them curve a little, but that’s not out of the ordinary.

But one trail of raindrops veers off, goes almost sideways.Toward my side-view mirror.

“What the fuck?”

“What is it, Maddox?”Alissa asks.

“I just noticed.The raindrops.They usually fall down in a straight line.But the ones toward the front of the car”—I point—“are swerving off in an unnatural direction.That shouldn’t be possible.”

Alissa narrows her eyes.“Maybe it’s just the shape of the windows.”

I shake my head.“I’ve been sitting in this very car for years, watching raindrops on the window.It was a way to stave off boredom when I was younger.My dad was super annoyed by it.Thought I was an oddball.”

“That’s rubbish.Rain is fascinating.”

“I’m not looking for comfort, but thank you.”I scratch my head.“It’s just… I mean, I haven’t watched the raindrops in forever.I used to watch them race, try to guess which ones would win.”I chuckle.“In fact, one time, I even pretended they were tears, that the car was weeping along with me, like it didn’t want to go to the…”

“To the what?”

I drop my jaw.“Oh myGod.The river of tears.”

She cocks her head.“From the message you received from your father?”

I nod.“Follow the writing raven through the river of tears.I thought the river of tears was referring to the river that ran through the nature preserve where we found May’s head.But maybe…”

She widens her eyes.“Do you think he meant the little trails the raindrops make on the car?”

I rub the back of my neck.“I always wondered why he left me this car.And you heard what my mom said, that he was absolutely adamant about me getting the car.No conditions.I didn’t even have to wait for probate.I walked out of my father’s funeral with the keys in hand.We weren’t on good terms when he died.There was no reason for him to leave me the car, unless he had some kind of underlying reason.”

She unbuckles her seatbelt.“Well, let’s see where that odd raindrop trail goes.”