“Terrence, leave Tom McKenna alone. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with him.”
“Please,” Terrence scoffs. “I’m not threatened by some reckless lunatic who should’ve joined the 27 Club years ago.”
My hand flies to my mouth.
What?
“Trust me, you don’t want to get involved with that family. They’re dangerous, things won’t end well for you.”
She’s talking about the McKenna’s.
It’s no secret something’s off about them. I’ve listened, made notes, asked questions. There are gaps, things that don’t add up. But what the hell does she know about Tom? Why is she saying this to Terrence?
“You’re friends with him, right?” Terrence asks.
“We know each other from Amsterdam. Same scene, same parties. I’ve seen the ceiling of his bedroom more than once, but that’s all. No way I’m getting near that family.”
No. No. Not her and Tom. I don’t want that picture in my head.
“Tell me everything you know about that family. Why is he here?”
“Okay, this is all a bit crazy, so listen carefully.”
Stella pauses.
“The story goes that the entire family is either cursed or just really, really dangerous.”
Terrence scoffs. When I risk a quick peek around the corner, there’s a mocking smile on his face.
“Here’s what I know,” she continues. “One of Jay and Emily’s children died. Jay is Tom’s brother; Emily is Jay’s ex-wife. Their child drowned.”
Chris.
Fuck.
She’s talking about Tom’s son, but referring to Jay and Emily as his parents. Is this what they made the outside world believe? No one knows the twins are actually Tom’s? Does Evelyn even know Tom’s her dad? Tom never mentioned any of this at all. Oh God, this is messed up.
“Then things started to get… strange,” she whispers in a tone full of suspense. “About a year later, there was a fire. Their mansion burned to the ground. Joan and Evelyn—Jay and Emily’s daughters—and Jay’s assistant were inside when it happened. Are you following?”
Terrence nods.
“Thank God they survived the fire, but…”
She stops, and so does my heart for a second.
But what? What else don’t I know?
“Okay, here’s the thing. Since that night, Emily’s been missing. No one knows what happened. Was she in the house? Did she escape? Is she gone? I don’t even want to say my theories out loud.”
Emily is gone? She’s just… gone?
Her name in my journal just turned into a gaping question mark. And the way Stella speaks, it’s like she suspects the unthinkable.
That one detail Tom never mentioned changes everything.
A part of me wants to walk away and pretend I never overheard this. The other part wants to stay and hear every last piece of it.
“That family is next-level vile. They don’t let anyone in. No one. And whoever manages to get in won’t get out. Last year, their bodyguard was found dead in the canal after it was rumored he’d had an affair with Joan McKenna.”
