Page 178 of Trust No One

A stack of notes slid loose. They all began with the phrase I used to believe . . . And then lessons and insights. Cheaters don’t win . . . Good planning leads to success . . . Bad people are easy to spot.

The handwriting was uneven, hurried. I didn’t remember Amy’s handwriting, but it reminded me of Maria’s.

Could Maria have written them? And if she had, how did Amy get ahold of them?

I scanned the closet sleeping place. Amy had set up shop in Hale House. Not in a room where she could be found, but a closet where she could squirrel away.

I’d been uneasy ever since I’d arrived. On some level, I’d sensed Amy’s presence.

I took pictures of the notes and photos with my phone, documenting them. I tucked the notes in the scrapbook, closed it, and placed it all back in the trunk. I snapped more images of the room.

Photo evidence would prove this was real when I called Judson in the morning.

I backed out of the closet. A part of me wanted to take Molly away from this house. I was fooling myself to think a contractor could rip out memories along with the old walls.

But she was finally sleeping. And I was exhausted. Driving on the roads now wouldn’t be safe.

I glanced down the stairwell and realized I’d left all the lights on. Fine. Let them burn all night.

Back in Molly’s room, I lay on my side of the bed and very slowly eased my feet under the covers. I nestled close to Molly and rolled toward the door, cell phone in hand, when it dinged.

A text from an unknown number. Belated Happy Birthday, Raine.

Chapter Sixty-Six

Pete Miller

Saturday, October 24, 2026, 4:00 a.m.

Pete stood outside in the cold, staring up at Hale House. He shivered, anxious to get inside and warm up.

The lights in Hale House burned bright. Hard to judge if Raine was awake or lying in her bed scared and thinking about him. Will Pete come after me? Where is Pete now? What’s that noise outside? Is it him?

He smiled. He hoped he was in her head, haunting her. As tempted as he was to break into the back door, he hesitated. If he was caught, the cops would haul him away and he’d never get bail.

There were other buildings on the property. There was a cottage half a mile from here. He’d stay there.

He wouldn’t go after Raine tonight.

But soon. He would find her. And finish what he’d started.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Raine

Saturday, October 24, 2026, 6:30 a.m.

The steady thud of footsteps across the front porch jolted me out of a restless sleep. My eyes flew open. Molly was still curled beside me, breathing deep after her own fitful sleep. The lights downstairs still burned, a glaring reminder of my fears.

Amy’s secret closet. The tokens. The scorch marks in the attic. They chased me as I slid off the bed, still in yesterday’s clothes.

I slipped out of the room and down the center staircase.

Through the glass panels on either side of the front door, I caught Judson’s frame. Rubbing my eyes, I glimpsed the grandfather clock. It was six thirty.

Shoving back wild strands of my hair, I opened the door. “Judson.”

His frown deepened. “Did I wake you? All the lights were on, so I decided to knock.”