Page 114 of A Wild Darkness

In no time we’re off this hell of a property and pulling onto the tarmac at the small municipal airport. The rented jet waits for us, and I couldn’t be more relieved knowing we’re headed home. I need to be in my own space to collect my thoughts in my office.

Stevie and I step out of the car while the driver removes our luggage from the trunk. The wind whips her hair around, and I can’t help but take a moment to appreciate how beautiful she is. Under the early morning sunlight, her skin glows.

She catches me staring and lowers her sunglasses. “Are we getting out of here or what?”

I push away a few loose curls blown into her face. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”

As I’m walking up the stairs into the plane, Stevie turns to me with a concerned expression. “Should we have checked on the others we drugged? Like if they woke up?”

“I’m sure they did. But that’s not our problem. I’ll touch base with Christian when we get back about what our next moves are, but right now, we just get out of here.”

“What about the note?” Stevie slumps into one of the leather chairs. “That might have information in it about what the next event or events are. How long is this killing season anyway?”

I take the seat to her side. “Once we get into the air, we’ll read it. The captain will most likely want to check in with us before takeoff, and I don’t want any disruptions.” My hand finds hers again. Our fingers intertwine. “As for how long the killing season is, Christian mentioned that historically they’re about a month or so.”

“So, we only have a couple weeks left, right?” she asks.

“Yeah. That’s why I’m anxious to get back home.”

“Good morning, Mr. Thompson!” Captain Boone steps out of the cockpit.

I smile. “Nice to see you again.”

He turns to Stevie. “And Ms. Stevie.”

“Hello,” she returns.

“Well, it’s clear skies this morning, so we should have a smooth trip back up to Seattle,” he tells us, glancing out of the window. “My wife loves coming to Dupara County. That woman can put down some wine,” he jokes to himself.

I appreciate his friendly demeanor, and I give him a friendly smile and a nod. “It was an unforgettable trip.” In more ways than one.

Stevie’s cheeks redden with a blush, but her eyes say something different. She watched me kill two men this weekend, and it must be weighing on her.

There’s so much to unpack once we’re back at the manor—between Stevie and me and coming up with a plan on how to take out a handful more of the members.

Once Captain Boone is back inside the cockpit, I slide the white envelope from the pocket of my leather jacket. Taking one more glance around us, I remove the note and hold it up in front of me.

Stevie leans over the armrest. “What’s it say?”

To my wonderful, like-minded friends,

I hope you enjoyed the weekend in wine country. My hope is that you built stronger connections with your fellow members while also learning a thing or two about our shared hobby. I will see you all next weekend back at the library downtown at 10 p.m. for another memorable event. I cannot wait to hear about your free night out in the country, whether I hear about it on the news or from you. Stay safe, and do not get caught.

Best,

S.

Stevie and I read the letter in silence. He’s comfortable writing a place and time down for us, so we’re gaining his trust. But knowing Silas, he’ll reach out on the burner phone before then anyway.

The paper slides easily back into the envelope, and I place it safely into my pocket. “We have to use this week to take out another member.”

Stevie rests her head against the seat. “I wonder what this event will be?”

“From what we’ve seen already, it could be anything.”

“So, who are we going to go after next?” she asks, moving on.

My mind is coming up with ideas for Harry. A killer who simply shoots people. No explanation or method to his kills, clean and simple. As I relate to that approach, the suicide by firearm setup would serve this man appropriately.