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But I knew deep in my heart of hearts that Ash would always be a threat. To herself most of all. To herself, she would always be dangerous.
27
“Aubrey told me to invite you over for dinner one night soon,” Malcolm said as he settled his bar tab with the waitress.
I smiled. “I’ll try to, as soon as things settle down.”
“She’s worried about you.”
To tell the truth, I was worried about me too. “I’m fine,” I replied. “Lynn will be back soon. Then we’ll all get together and Lynn and Aubrey can try to beat us at cards.”
“The kids want to see you, too.” Aubrey and Malcolm had been married for ten years. He’d put her back together after Shelly happened to her. Now they had two little boys. The kids were perfect and awful all at the same time. Kids were never in mine and Lynn’s plans, not with her history.
“I’ll see them soon,” I said as I pulled some bills from my wallet. “How’s Aubrey doing?”
“Sometimes she still has nightmares,” Malcolm admitted.
“Bad ones?”
His head jerked in a quick nod. “Seems like when Lynn’s gone, she has more of them.”
Of course she did. Triggers followed patterns, and Aubrey’s were obvious.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Malcolm said.
“Tell Aubrey hey for me, will you?”
He rapped his knuckles on the table again. “Sure thing.”
He left, pushing through the doors and onto the street, and I couldn’t help but remember the night Aubrey went missing.
* * *
My phone had rung around midnight, jerking me out of post-sex sleep, and Lynn rolled over to hand it to me. “Who is it?” she whispered in the darkness.
“My mother,” I said quietly. “Mom?” I answered the phone.
“Mason,” Mom said, her breaths heavy like she’d been running.
I sat up, the blankets pooling in my lap. “What is it, Mom?”
“Honey, it’s Aubrey. You haven’t heard from her, have you?”
“No, why? Where is she?”
“No one knows. Her mom called. Said she hasn’t been home since yesterday and they’re worried.”
I lowered the phone from my lips and spoke to Lynn. “Have you talked to Aubrey?”
“Not for a few days, why?”
I put my mom on speaker. “Apparently, she’s missing. No one has seen or talked to her,” Mom said.
Lynn was already out of bed and was getting her clothes on. “Where are you going?” I whispered.
“I don’t know yet,” she murmured as she walked to the bathroom and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
“Well, I was just checking, Mason. If you hear from her, call me right away, will you?” Mom said.
