Page 28 of Unburied

Tucked between the frame and box spring of the twin-sized bed, Vivi found an old book. She fished it out and turned it over in her hands. The cover was faded and cracked, and she opened it to find childish handwriting. As she flipped through the pages, the handwriting got neater, but the content became darker and bleaker.

“Whatcha got?” Knox peered over her shoulder, and she held up the journal.

“I think it’s Christine’s diary,” she said.

His brows drew together. “I wonder if there’s anything in it?”

She had no idea. She felt like an interloper reading Christine’s personal thoughts, especially since she’d later killed herself. There was no question that Christine had been damaged, disturbed. She set it aside to go through later and decide what to do with it. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to bring it up to Ellen or not.

She glanced around the nearly empty room. “Thanks for your help. I think I’m going to relax for a bit.”

“Sounds good. I’ll take these out on my way,” he replied, gesturing toward the bags they’d gathered.

They dragged them out to the curb, and Knox threw an arm around her shoulders in a brotherly hug. “I’ll see you at work in the morning.”

“Sounds good.”

“Think about those floors,” he said. “I’m sure we can find something relatively inexpensive and easy to install.”

“I will.”

With that, he was gone and Vivi headed into the house. She hadn’t heard from Mason yet, but she was fairly certain he’d be stopping by later. She fished her phone from her pocket, disappointed to find she didn’t have a response to her earlier message. She could tell he’d been upset with her earlier, and she bit her lip as she typed out a new one asking if he’d be over. She hoped fervently that she hadn’t screwed things up.

Her heart gave a little leap when his response came a couple of minutes later, telling her he’d be there in an hour.

She wandered back into Christine’s room, then picked up the diary again. She felt like she was violating her privacy, but Christine had been gone for more than twenty-five years. Besides, she couldn’t deny that she was intensely curious about what was inside. Had Christine written about what was bothering her? Maybe there was something in there that could give Ellen closure.

She took the book into the living room and opened it, losing herself in the words of a troubled teen as she waited for Mason to arrive.

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Mason left Vantage, ignoring the call from Miles. He caught Miles looking at him twice earlier, and he knew Miles had noticed something was different. He wasn't sure he was ready to say anything, especially given Vivi's reticence. Part of him wanted to tell his brother everything. Miles was his twin, the only person in the world that he could typically count on. He texted Miles to let him know he was headed out for recon and that he’d talk to him later. That at least would buy him a little time to decide whether or not to tell him.

He swung through a fast-food joint and ate as he drove over to meet up with Jaxon. For the next hour, they watched their mark. And he stewed over his situation with Vivi. Why was she so afraid to tell her brother they’d hooked up? He didn’t think she was afraid of him, exactly. It seemed like she was more… embarrassed. And that stung. He didn’t want to be anyone’s second choice, and he refused to be some dirty little secret. Was she ashamed of him, of the time they’d spent together? He wanted to corner her and ask, but every time he got within ten feet of her, he lost his head.

It was like the chemistry between them took over, and he had the urge to push her up against the wall, take her like he had in the hotel. He wanted to feel that one more time—a hundred more times. He didn’t know what it was about her, but he couldn’t get enough.

“You good?” Jaxon threw a curious look his way, and he nodded.

“Yeah. Sorry.” He shifted in his seat, cracking his neck to relieve some of the tension there. “Just… a lot on my mind.”

“You seem a little on edge,” Jaxon remarked.

If he only knew. “A little,” he admitted.

“If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

He appreciated the offer, but Jaxon had female troubles of his own. “I’m good. Thanks, though.”

His brother called just as he and Jaxon were packing it in for the night, and he thumbed the screen to answer. “Yeah?”

“Meet me for a drink.”

That was the last thing he wanted to do right now. “Nah, I think⁠—”

“Come on. Meet me at Van’s in thirty.”