AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He chuckles, his voice crackly. “It’s okay. I know how it is.” He pulls away and glances at Blake with a nod of respect before focusing back on me. “You staying for the reception and burial?”
“No, I don’t think so,” I reply, shaking my head. “I feel like shit. To be honest, I’ve felt like garbage since that night.”
“Yeah. Same.” He returns my hug. “I just wanted to say thank you for coming today. I know Jen would appreciate it.”
I can only nod as my throat tightens, unable to find the right words. Nick gives me a salute of departure before walking away, melding into a sea of black suits.
“We’d better get going if we want to escape Sherlock Holmes over there,” Blake says, nodding his head toward Bryant, who is still hovering in the corner.
Hastily, we make our way out of the funeral home. Outside, I inhale deeply, grateful for the cool breeze that replaces the stifling air inside.
“Thank you so much for coming with me today,” I tell Blake as we traverse the parking lot.
“Anytime,” he says, smiling—but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
I’m taken aback, but I say nothing as he unlocks his car and gets inside. I follow suit, suddenly feeling suffocated again.
The car ride back home is silent, filled with a tension that I don’t understand. I stare out the window, watching trees and buildings pass by us in a blur, feeling Blake’s eyes on me from time to time. But he never speaks.
Finally, we pull up to the apartment building. I unbuckle my seat belt and open the door. Blake follows behind me, his steps heavy and determined as he makes his way toward the entrance. I turn around to face him before going in, expecting a goodbye. Instead, he just stands there, looking at me with an intensity that takes my breath away.
“Blake,” I whisper, my heart pounding in my chest. “Are you okay?”
He takes a deep breath before finally speaking. “I don’t want to see you cry again,” he says. He steps forward and wraps his arms around me tightly, as if trying to keep me from breaking apart. “I can’t stand it when you do that. It hurts too much for me to bear.”
Tears form in my eyes, and I rest my head against his chest as he holds me tightly. He pulls away slowly, pushing a strand of hair out of my face before speaking again. “I won’t let you cry alone. Not anymore.” He takes a step back, giving me one last look before turning and walking away, leaving me standing here in confusion.
What the hell was that all about?
Chapter
Twenty-Four
HIM
Damon has been getting antsy lately, so I’ve let him out to play.
I tap my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the music as the tires of the rental car hum along the road. The scenery has transformed from flat highways with trees on either side to rolling hills dotted with small farms and houses. The engine roars in protest, but I don’t pay attention to it. My mind is too busy running through all the potential scenarios that await me at my destination.
I pass a sign that reads:Welcome to Ellsward County, home of PA’s most beautiful lakes. I can’t help but think that they’re only highlighting their natural beauty to divert attention from what they’re actually known for—the infamous Lakestone Reaper.
I’ve been here before. After moving to Pennsylvania for college, I would often visit Cameron’s old house on the weekends. Patricia left him before the authorities uncovered his killing spree, and he had already given up the property—the same property that’s currently in their daughter’s name. Gwen lived there with her mother’s string of shitty boyfriends.
One day, little Gwen snapped and took matters into her own hands by grabbing a knife and stabbing one of her stepfathers. Despite what the papers said, people talk, and I took advantage of that by posing as a journalist interested in writing a book. The townspeople were more than happy to divulge information about those years, proving that gossip trumps shame.
Since I moved to Fallbank, I haven’t returned to Lakestone. Now I’m back, but for a different reason. After parking the car out of sight down the road, I sling my bag over my shoulder and make the trek to Cameron’s house.
Gravel crunches under my boots as I survey the property. Years of untamed weeds and bushes choke the yard. The mailbox, rusted and forgotten, mirrors the fate of the house itself. With its peeling paint, sagging roof, and lopsided shutters, the house looks like no one has cared for it in years. I go on the porch, stepping on the faded welcome mat.
This place was a prison for Gwen. And now it stands here, desolate and abandoned.
As I open the creaky door and step inside the house, the smell of mildew immediately hits me. The wind whistles through the broken windows; rain must have soaked the floorboards. It also appears that someone threw a party, based on the old cans of beer and scattered food wrappers. I pause and listen for any sound, but it seems Gwen hasn’t arrived yet.
I would call her to check if she’s still at the apartment, but with the terrible cellular signal, I’ll just have to wait. I make my way up the stairs, carefully avoiding the loose boards that could give way at any moment. Upon reaching the top, I find myself standing in front of a small room with bare walls and nothing but an old mattress on the floor—covered with blankets and stains I’d rather not investigate closely.
A noise outside interrupts my thoughts. Cautiously, I peek out the window and see Gwen park her car and get out. She looks exhausted as she subtly drags her feet along the gravel path. I clutch my bag, planning my escape. But ultimately, I decide to stay and surprise her. Damon demands it.
I don my mask—and let him out.
