I choked back a sob and felt a hand on my back.

“Go now,” the Ghost whispered, gently pushing me toward my daughter.

I glanced back, but John Asselta was already gone. So I did the only thing I could. I made my way toward the woman I loved and my child.

EPILOGUE

Later that night, after I kissed Carly and helped her to bed, I found the piece of paper he’d jammed into my pocket. It was just the first few lines of a newspaper clipping:

KANSAS CITY HERALD

Man Found Dead in Car

CRAMDEN, MO.—Cray Spring, an off-duty police officer with the Cramden force, was found strangled in his car, apparently the victim of a robbery. His wallet was reportedly missing. Local police said his car was found in the parking lot behind a local bar. Police chief Evan Kraft said that there were no suspects at this time, and that the investigation was ongoing.