“That’s not what I—” Vance started, but Adam had already opened the door. “You’ll see,” Adam said over his shoulder. “I’ll make you proud yet.” He stepped into the hallway without looking back. The lock clicked. It sounded more final than either expected.
That was the last time Vance saw his son alive. He heard about the crash hours later: a car smashed against the barrier near the bypass with no other vehicle at the scene. The report called it a single-car accident. Driver error. End of file.