The house had been quiet all night. The family spent about another hour at the hospice with Emerson's body before Trudy finally let them take him away, then everyone had gone back home. It was too late to call most people with the news, so there wasn't much to do that night but try -- and fail -- to sleep ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

"Right, so." Eliot stood by the rental car at the end of Trudy's driveway, suddenly realizing that this was it, this was Hardison's 'meet the family' moment. "Trudy said Ellie stayed at the hospice with Pop last night, but Cassie and Johnny and Jake'll be here -- and Trudy of course. . . ."

( The moment of truth! Or -- one of them, anyway. )

( In which Eliot beats the crap out of Sterling. Again. )