Page 53 of Tell No Lies

“During my last team performance, I saw someone standing by the exit doors with a hoodie on. I couldn’t see a face, but by the size, I think it was a man. He was looking directly at me, and I was hoping one of you would notice me looking in that direction, but I guess you guys didn’t.”

Liv began shaking her head. “I noticed, but I just thought you recognized a friend or something. I looked down, but I didn’t see anyone.”

Frustration set in. This person had followed me to the competition and watched for me to be alone. Whoever it was had had enough patience to wait for the perfect time. According to the cop shows I’d seen, that meant this person was smart. Smart and crazy, a deadly combination.

Brandon slowly reached forward to pick up the envelope. I’d nearly forgotten about it after everything else that had happened today. Carefully he broke the seal and examined the interior. He exhaled slowly while lifting out a card.

He met my eyes once before reading it aloud.

You’ve ruined my whole life. Now it’s my turn.

We sat in stunned silence. I quickly ran through a mental list of people I knew here. I didn’t think I had even been at Bayview long enough to make an enemy, let alone ruin someone’s life.

“Who is this?” Mike verbalized what we were, no doubt, all thinking.

Brandon ran his hand through his hair several times before replying. “None of this makes sense, and now that we have their motive, it’s even more confusing. It’s gone from a possible prank to something personal. This is a direct threat.” He put his hands on his knees and pushed forward to stand. “I’ll go make the call.”

I’d been through this enough to know who he was calling. My favorite pair of detectives.

While he paced around the kitchen island, Liv scooted closer to me. “We’re going to figure this out, Aubrey. Now that he’s become physical, the police will have to do more.”

I wanted to believe her, but we had nothing further to give them. This note was no different than the others, and those had proved futile. Carter had been the one who was able to isolate the area of where the messages were coming from to our general area. The detectives had done nothing but question my accountability.

They requested that moving forward I would turn over any letters or notes to them immediately, unopened. How could I give them everything without knowing what it said? I didn’t say it aloud, but that wasn’t something I would be doing.

After three hours of me repeating the few details I knew from the competition, there was a unanimous decision that I was officially under house arrest until the stalker was found. The detectives were the first to suggest it, but approval quickly spread. As much as I wanted to fight for my freedom, it was time for me to accept my reality. If I wanted to remain safe, I needed to listen this time. From now on there would be a set schedule of my day and my chaperone.

“I swear if one more thing happens, I’m going to have to figure out something else.” Brandon sighed as he sat across from me on the couch when we got home.

“What do you mean?” I thought we took care of every detail.

Mckayla would be picking me up for school, so I wouldn’t be alone for even the five-minute drive to her house. Cassie would take me to dance and then back home, where either Mike or Brandon would be with me. I knew this would be where things got tricky. Brandon was still insanely busy at work, and it just wasn’t feasible for him to work from home. Liv offered to step in whenever it was needed, but she had a life to live too. I couldn’t ask anyone to do this, but I didn’t have to. They each volunteered.

“We know the threat is local. I don’t even want to wait for something else to happen, but I know you won’t leave yet.”

“Leave?” My stomach dropped through the floor.

He nodded, “I was thinking of calling Olli.”

I shook my head. There was only one Olli I knew and there was no way he could be thinking of dragging him into this mess. “Brandon, he’s busy. He has is own life. A baby.”

“He also has security and access to more if needed.”

Mike glanced between us, “Who’s Olli?”

“Our cousin.” I answered wanting to keep the rest quiet.

“Why does he have security?” Mike couldn’t let anything slide without knowing everything.

“He’s the goalie for the Utah Fury,” Brandon explained.

Mike sat up. “You’re related to him? He’s one of the best goalies in the NHL!”

I ignored him and focused on my brother. “I’m not dragging his family into this. Emma has enough to deal with.”

He stared at the floor. “I don’t want to, but I will if it comes down to getting you out of here quietly and quickly.”

Shipping me off again didn’t sound like a good idea. It was one thing involving my brother when I didn’t realize I was being followed. I wouldn’t make more of my family a target.