White Space Season 1

driveway and hopped from the car, slammed the door and raced to the side of the house. She twisted the hose faucet like it was the face of her enemy, yanking the hose by the nozzle and scattering the spool into a slithering snake as she returned to the car and pulled the trigger, spraying at the “Murderer” engraved in hate across her windshield.
    The paint, unlike the pain, had dried. But like the pain, it was impossible to wash away.
    “Damn it,” she cried, rubbing her left palm against the windshield.
    She seemed to remember reading about ways to take paint off, somewhere. Maybe with gasoline?
    Liz was about to run inside the house to look on the Internet, but remembered her house had been stripped of computers. And she never did figure out how to use her phone’s Internet browser to work worth a damn.
    She stared at the word “Murderer,” rage building inside her.
    She wondered why someone would do this to her car. Had they mistaken the car for Roger’s, which was still at the impound? Had they targeted her because she was the only vessel into which they could pour their rage? If so, how long was her family safe on the island? How long before they came after Alex? Part of her felt like she should leave, but where could she go? Roger’s family had all passed away, and she hadn’t spoken to her brother in years, nor could she turn to him for help. Her few friends were on the island. How many would be willing to step up now?
    It was only then, staring at the accusation in red, that Liz realized how truly alone she was on Hamilton Island.
    The hose fell to the ground. Liz wanted to fall down beside it, and let her harbored anguish bleed to the puddle of water spreading beneath her.
    The front door opened and Alex came running outside with Katie. His eyes locked onto the windshield, then found his mother. For a moment it seemed as if time had frozen, an unspoken truth finally screaming between them.
    Alex came to her side, and hugged her. Pain shook through her sob. Alex cried too, as Katie moved back to the front door, giving them their space and privacy.
    Alex pulled away, eyes red, and jaw clenched.
    “Who did this?”
    “I don’t know. I was at the library, and when I came out, someone had painted the window,” she said.
    Alex turned to the black SUV parked in the road outside their house, and the Paladin guard assigned to them sitting inside. He stormed over.
    “Wait!” Liz called, but Alex kept walking.
    “Why didn’t you follow her?” Alex shouted, though the guard’s tinted window was still closed.
    The window rolled down and the guard, the same man that had saved Alex from getting beaten with a baseball bat, said, “We were watching the house, sir. Your mother didn’t ask us to follow her.”
    Liz apologized for Alex’s outburst. “It’s okay, I’d rather you watch my son and daughter. I don’t need an escort, thank you.”
    She pulled Alex away from the guard and back toward the house.
    “It’ll be okay,” she said, thinking it odd that she almost believed her verbal band-aid.
    “This is bullshit!” Alex said, pointing to the car. “We didn’t do anything! It’s not our fault what Dad did!”
    Liz was surprised that Alex was now admitting what Roger had done. He’d seemed to be in denial for so long. She wondered what her son would say if he saw the list or flash drive. But no, she couldn’t show him. Couldn’t destroy the love Alex had for his father. Not when she was no longer certain whether something bigger was at play, or what Roger had stumbled onto.
    Alex picked up the hose and began spraying the windshield.
    Having no success with the water, Alex tore off his shirt, wadded it in his fist and started scrubbing the windshield.
    “Fuck!” he screamed as the paint remained on the window.
    Alex threw the hose aside, went to the garden, picked up a large gray stone and heaved it with two hands above his head.
    Liz screamed, “Put that down!” but it was too late.
    The rock flew from his hands and through the windshield, safety glass raining beneath the weight of the stone as the entire window collapsed inward.
    “All gone,” Alex said, disappearing into the house. “I’ll call the insurance company.”

    **

    Dinner was a quiet affair, with both Alex and Katie seemingly lost in their own thoughts, perhaps thinking about the fact that school was starting tomorrow. Liz was no longer certain that she wanted Alex to go back so soon. Particularly after what