Page 77 of Buried in the Woods Below

The notes on the doors.

Is whoever left them making good on their threat?

Eric’s face bursting with rage when I told him about Vivek.

Olivia maliciously encouraging me to take matters into my own hands.

Russ Neuman greedily wanting the island to himself.

Carlos trying to be my hero?

Even my mother, eyes blazing as she eviscerated Vivek and his wife with words.

And where is Laelynn?

With each thought, my pacing accelerates. Each possibility, however remote, feels chillingly plausible.

“You doin’ okay?” Olivia asks in a hushed tone as she materializes in my room. She taps her head to knock the excess water out of her ears.

“Where have you been?” I ask. The words burst out, sharp and accusatory.

“Shh,” she says, her gaze blistering. She checks behind her. “I don’t want the cops to know I’m here.”

“Why not?”

“Because then they’ll ask me questions.”

“And?”

“And I don’t want to talk to them, okay?” She turns away, tugging at a loose curl and watching herself in the dressing table mirror. She smiles, her round cheeks shining, and checks her paper-white teeth, running her tongue along the surface.

I step closer, voice dropping to a whisper. “Are you involved in this?”

“No, don’t be ridiculous,” she says, leaning into the mirror and tapping her cheekbones, pouting her lips. “But I can’t say I’m mourning them.”

“Jesus, Liv. Two people died.”

She snaps around, cheeks flushing. “CharBar, that guy assaulted you! And I’m sure you’re not the only woman he’s ever assaulted. And his wife is no better. She’s turned a blind eye to whatever he’s been up to. I won’t shed a tear for them.” A vein rises on her forehead, just like her mother’s. I notice a rage in her that was never present as a child. The room suddenly feels smaller. The horsefly slams against the screen, as stubborn as Olivia.

“Fine. But doesn’t it freak you out even a little that there’s a murderer on the island? That we could be next?”

Her eyes narrow as she eases into the guest chair and throws her legs up on the ottoman. “I haven’t been sexually assaulting anyone lately. Have you?”

I slap the windowsill to shake the horsefly loose. Part of me hopes it will shake Olivia as well. “How can you be so glib?”

She runs her hand through her hair as though she’s discussing where to go for dinner. For the first time, I wonder if she’s still the girl I grew up with. “I don’t understand why you’re freaking out,” she says.

“You don’t understand why I’m freaking out? How are you not freaking out? I knew Vivek. At one time, I liked Vivek. He was a creep, but he didn’t deserve this. Not only that, but think about how this looks for me. I’m the only one here who knew him. You should have seen the detective’s eyes light up when I said we worked together. Your dad and I were fifty feet from their house last night. Once the police have more time to investigate, I’m suspect number one.”

“Okay, so the optics aren’t great for you. So what? Your mom will get you one of her high-priced attorneys, and everything will be fine.”

“My mom? My mom’s got her own problems. She was at the Adwanis’ house last night. She was the last known person to see them alive.”

“Shit. I forgot about that. You don’t think she—? No, what am I saying?” Olivia’s left eye twitches, and I spot a crack in her carefree facade. She fiddles with her necklace. “Have you talked to her?”

“Not yet.”

“You should call her. Knowing your mom, she’ll have a five-point plan laid out already.” Her face brightens. “You’ll be fine. We’ll be on the lake laughing about this in no time.”