Miles
I sat and stared at the brown envelope in front of me, the contents gripped in my hand.
There were newspaper clippings, a photo, and what looked like a receipt. I lay the stack down on the desk, picking up each piece one at a time.
The newspaper clipping was from September 17, 2017.
Beloved 21-Year-Old Server Killed in Hit and Run
Around 11 pm Saturday night, Schooner's employee James David Cross was crossing the street at the traffic light at Thomas Drive and Sunset when an individual in a black minivan ran the red light and struck him, killing him instantly.
Several of Cross's friends who were at the Waffle House waiting for him witnessed the accident, but no one was able to get a view of the license plate or describe the driver.
If you have any information on this hit-and-run, please contact the Panama City Beach Police Tipline at 1-850-555-INFO.
My heart was pounding in my chest, threatening to break my ribs. Why did my dad have this article? I lay it down, picking up the next piece of paper. I swallowed when I realized what it was: James' obituary.
Cross, James D.
Taken from this Earth too soon on Saturday, September 16. 2017, at the age of 21 in Panama City Beach, Florida. Survived in death by his parents, Bradley and Susan Cross; younger sister, Rachel Cross; and girlfriend Ashley Roberts. James was a 2014 graduate of Bay High School who enjoyed soccer, photography, and theater. He was a full-time student at Gulf Coast State College and a longtime server at Schooner's Beach Club.
All family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on September 2o at 2:30 pm - Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 2403 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, FL 32405. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Bay High School Theater Department.
Tears had filled my eyes, threatening to spill over. But when I lay the obituary down and picked up the next article, I was done for.
Family of Slain Young Man Pleads for Information
October 14, 2017
The Cross family, left heartbroken by their son and brother's untimely death, is pleading tonight for any information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.
Rachel, James' younger sister, cannot grasp the concept that her brother is gone. "My brother was a beautiful soul – truly selfless and kind. He didn't deserve to lose his life this way. Whoever is responsible for this deserves to be punished. Please – if you know anything at all, I am begging you, from the bottom of my broken heart, to come forward."
James' mother and father echoed their daughter's sentiments. "Our son was precious. There's really no better word to describe him," Bradley Cross muses, holding his sobbing wife in his arms. "His death has broken us. Nothing can bring him back – but seeing the person responsible pay for what he or she has done would at least provide a sense of closure. Please. If you know anything at all, call the tipline. Your identity will be protected."
Again, the number for the tipline is 1-850-555-INFO. This family deserves closure. Someone out there can give it to them.
YOU ARE READING
Not the Only One (Book 1 in the Four of Us Trilogy)
Teen FictionWhen we don't know who to turn to, sometimes we turn to the ones we least expect. Luke Salazar is a senior at Bay High School, and he's been pushed, shoved, and shut out for most of his life. Miles Jefferson has been the ringleader of a lot of that...
