Page 116 of Day Break

Still, I felt a shiver race down my spine, remembering the last time we’d been here. How close I’d come to losing Lane. To losing everything I loved.

“Here,” I said to Lane, who stopped and handed me the flashlight.

I held it while he dug. We had to dig a few holes before finding the small silver lockbox.

We sat side by side in the sand, and Lane pulled out the key and unlocked it.

Inside sat the small locket that I’d given to George shortly after someone had broken into Sherry’s room. Lane reached in with shaky hands and picked it up.

“This is Sherry’s,” he said with a frown. “It was supposedly lost in the pond where she was dumped.” He glanced at me. “How did my grandfather get this?”

“I gave it to him. It was in her hiding spot where I found her diary. After someone broke into her room, I gave everything that was still hidden there to George for safe keeping. There’s something more in there,” I said, shining the light inside. I saw another white envelope with my name on it and something shiny. A glint of gold at the back of the box.

Just then we both jumped as Byron let out a low growl and darted off into the darkness.

“Shit,” Lane said softly beside me. Then he took the flashlight from my hands and shut it off.

I heard him take the items out of the box and shove them into my hands.

“Run,” he whispered, then he pulled me up off the sand and shoved me towards the trees.

I wanted to argue with him, but he shoved me again. “For our baby. Run,” he whispered next to my ear.

Lane took off towards Byron’s growls. I stood there for a moment, dumfounded. Then I heard Byron cry out in pain and instantly thought of running towards my dog. To save him. To protect him.

Instead, I did what Lane had told me to. I ran through the tall grass, heading straight for the trees.

What had been a clear night with the moon lighting the way earlier had somehow in the past half hour turned into a darker night. The skies were filled with clouds now, which blocked out the moonlight periodically.

I was running almost completely blind in pitch darkness as I cradled the locket and what I assumed was a ring and another letter from George. With every step I took, I feared that I would drop them both. I tucked them deep in my jean pockets but still feared they would bounce out as I ran.

I heard shouting behind me and picked up my pace. When the shot rang out, I cried out and dropped to the ground.

Lane!

I waited and listened.

There was only silence. Only darkness.

What should I do?

I glanced back, then forward, then back.

I wanted to go to him. Only… I laid a protective hand over my belly. Was there really a baby growing in there?

I couldn’t chance it. I promised Lane I would protect the baby. His baby.

I got up on my knees, trying to listen, trying to see, to think.

When I heard movement in the grass near me, I jumped up and ran again.

I was so worried that someone was following me, someone who had murdered Sherry all those years ago, that I kept glancing over my shoulder. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and ran directly into strong arms.

“There she is.” I heard a deep voice. Then he laughed and I knew instantly who it was.

I knew for a fact that family had killed family.

“Let me go,” I screamed, trying to break free of his grip.