I BURNED HALF MY FACE SAVING MY HUSBAND—FOUR MONTHS LATER, HE LEFT ME FOR THE WOMAN WHO KNEW HOW THE FIRE REALLY STARTED

Police moved quickly.

But someone warned Derek.

He disappeared before officers reached his office.

Simone vanished too.

For thirty-six hours, nobody knew where they were.

Then at 2:13 a.m., my father’s security alarm sounded.

I woke to glass breaking downstairs.

Dad told Mom and me to lock ourselves in the bedroom.

Then smoke entered beneath the door.

My body froze.

Not fear.

Memory.

Heat.

Black smoke.

Skin burning.

For a second, I was back in Dunwoody.

Then my mother screamed my name.

I moved.