“What do you want to do with his body?” Godfrey asked.
Thoughts swarmed in my head. “The killer must’ve known he was working with us. His death was a bold statement—a challenge. The kill wasn’t a display with bouquets of flowers. Andrew’s death was quick. Maybe the killer lost his patience.”
“Maybe he wanted this to be on the news,” Godfrey said.
I nodded. “We won’t give him the satisfaction. We give the corpse to Calvin Wong’s farm. I think it’ll satisfy Hudson and Timber knowing their kidnapper’s body fed some animals.”
“What about his family?” Godfrey asked. “His wife and daughter will wonder about him.”
“Send an anonymous note to the wife, saying his enemy got to him,” I said. “That’s the only closure we can give them.”
My phone rang, and I picked up the call immediately. “Hi, Harry.”
“Milo is back.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
Chapter Fifty
Eva
After propagating the bleeding hearts into five pots, I sifted through the supply box. I didn’t know what my situation would be like in an hour or the next day. I had to prepare. The act of it calmed my nerves. I took a pair of garden shears, a few paperclips, a bent metal stick, a lighter, and rope. My fingers trembled as I tucked the tools into my socks, which were hidden under my bootcut jeans. I never imagined I’d be in this dangerous situation. Almost like something I’d watched with my grandfather.
Was Grandpa okay? He was probably worried sick about me.
I felt the muscles tightening in my back and released a slow breath, reminding myself I had to survive if I wanted to see Kain and my grandfather again.
Despite the anxiety, hope and the will to see those I loved pushed me forward. Had this been what Kain experienced?Tears slid down my face, blurring my eyes. It had only been hours for me, and I was near a breaking point. How had he survived all those years? I admired his unmatched resilience, determination, and courage.
What was he doing now? Was he searching for me?
I wished I could call or send him a text, but I didn’t know where my belongings were.
After wiping away my tears and cleaning my hands at the sink, I said a silent prayer and stepped out of the greenhouse. Straightening my posture, I tried my best to look confident, as though I was a member of this chapter by choice and not by force.
I gave the wooden pendant from Tony a squeeze and made my way down the hallway. I passed a room where a man in a navy outfit was repairing a boiler. He shifted, saw me, glanced at my pendant, and nodded, revealing the word Maintenance embroidered on his uniform.
“Not sure if I can get this thing fixed tonight,” he said, pushing the chin-length brown hair away from his face. “Gonna need to order some parts.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Oil leakage here, some water leakage there. The pipes are all rusted. It’s an old boiler. I told them they needed a new one, but no one has ordered a new boiler.”
“Tell Tony. I’m sure he’ll get a new one.”
“He’s too busy, but yeah, I’ll try to catch him to approve the order.” A hissing sound erupted, and he cursed, grabbing a tool to fix it.
I walked away and came to the door with a metal plate that read Packaging on it. Voices came from the room across the hall. I glanced around and didn’t see any cameras in the hallway. The noises sounded like singing, but that couldn’t be right. Who would sing or celebrate here?
Curiosity led me over to grab the doorknob, but it was locked.Shit.Then a thought popped into my head. I rushed back to the boiler room, where the repairman was looking at his phone. From that angle, I saw the cross tattoo on the side of his neck. His face brightened while glancing at his phone, telling me he was probably looking at a woman’s text.
“Excuse me, I forgot my key to that room down there. Can you please open it for me?”
“Sure.” He rose and followed me.
“You have phone service here?” I asked.
Fear splashed onto his face, and he held a finger to his lips. “Please don’t tell anyone. I’m not supposed to use my phone here. The internet connection is poor here. I was just missing my girl, so I was browsing my photo album. She’s pregnant. We’re having a boy.”
