Nick’s hand lands on mine, gripping the top of the door. “If he is, it’ll come out at some point. It always does.”
I huff. “Not for men like Richard Dunbar. Men like him always seem to sneak under the radar. Besides, the most you’d find out about him is that he’s a philanderer who can’t keep his tiny toad in his pants.”
I look back over toward the truck and watch as Richard stalks off in the opposite direction, box in hand. The tall man gets into the passenger seat, and the truck turns around, heading toward us.As it slowly rolls past us, heading toward the exit, my eyes collide with the man’s black orbs. A demonic smile spreads across the driver’s face as he gets a look at me.
My skin crawls from his unwanted attention. There’s something evil about him, but also familiar. I’m trying to place what but am coming up short. As the truck continues on, I see Jenna, pointing her finger in the direction of the truck.
A warning. A sign.
I can feel it.
That’s when it hits me, and the air whooshes from my lungs.
Marcus Wells. The man from the spa.
Who happens to be beefy and bald.
Jackson had described his killers as a tall, abnormally skinny man and a beefy bald guy.
Could I have just come face-to-face with the murders?
I grab Nick’s shoulder, shaking it. “It’s him. That’s the guy.”
Nick twists me so that we’re face-to-face. “Who? What are you talking about?”
“You saw that man, he looked evil. And the red truck. It has to be those men that are behind all the murders.”
His eyes close and I wonder what’s going through his head. I don’t have to wait long.
“Please keep that between you and me. That man is dangerous.”
“I will. I promise,” I say, willing to give him that much reassurance. For now.
I smile up at him, but I can’t get the creepy grin or the darkness of that man’s eyes out of my head. It’ll be a miracle if I don’t have nightmares about him.
“Hey. Look at me,” he says, placing a finger under my chin and tilting my head up to look into his eyes. “He can’t get to you. I’ll be right next door.Ipromise, you’re safe.”
His words cascade over me like the balm I so desperately needed.
“Okay.” It’s all I say, because I’m tired and calmed by his promise of protection.
“Get home and get some rest, Lyss.”
Lyss.
It might only be a nickname, but it’s something that furthers the shift between us. And I like it. A lot.
Five of Pentacles
UNLIKE EVERY OTHERyear, I skipped the rest of the festival, not in the mood to see happy families going about life like people aren’t dying all around them.
The non-dramatic part of me simply had no interest in running into that man in the red truck.
I have bigger issues currently, anyway.
Ava ditched me most of the weekend to hang with friends, leaving bright and early Sunday to get back to school so that she could... hang with friends. I’m not bitter at all.
More importantly, I’m struggling with my next move. I’ve hit a dead end with Billy and Jackson. They haven’t been able to remember anything else that could help. Not that their accounts are what I need. At this point, it’s physical evidence that needs to be uncovered and the one person who could help in that department I’ve sworn not to involve.
