What Happened Next

Chapter 1

What do I remember about the murder on the lake? Nothing, really, though Julian insists I know more than I realize. “Charlie, dude,” he says. “You have to dig deep. Start with what’s true, then ask what happened next. And keep asking until someone tells you the truth.”

But what is the truth? I’ve pulled details from police reports and read through archives of local news coverage to establish a timeline of the murder and identify the key players—the cop who responded to the call; the detective who took the case; the infant, me, who survived; and the man who didn’t—but the story didn’t catch on or devolve into a media sensation.

Once the police investigation ended, the whole thing petered out.

Now, even though we live in a world where crimes get dissected and rehashed and retold, where strangers debate what might have happened, where the guilty live in a perpetual state of unease, I can’t find a single online forum dedicated to uncovering this truth. My truth.

But Julian’s right. I should dig deep. There has to be more to the story. And if I ask the right question, if I find out what happened next, maybe the whole thing will finally feel real. Maybe my father will stop existing as a monster who haunts the shadowy corners of my world.