The Temporary Murder of Thomas Monroe
Novelette 11,900 words Recommended by 4 award/anthology sources
"Jay scrubs at the blood spot on her tennis shoe with her thumb and a gob of spit, hurried by the knowledge that Hardy will be there any moment. It’s swelter-hot on the gravel back road, and she’s doused in the sound of cicadas from the forest behind her and the quiet knowledge of what she’s left in that forest to rot."
Content warnings 2
deathviolence
Quasar links out; the story lives on Clarkesworld, where the author gets the click.