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‘The countdown starts now. Anyway, what are you doing today?’
‘I was going to grab some groceries, clean the car, maybe watch Hellraiser. What about you?’
Mia laughed, nearly choked on her eggs. 'After this, I'm going to wash the Hollywood off me, then go to bed. You're welcome to join.'
‘Alright,’ Martin said, ‘but don’t expect the good stuff. I haven’t slept either.’
Ripley slapped his hand. ‘‘You spoil me,’ she laughed.
‘And I always will.’
EPILOGUE
After arriving back in D.C. at five AM, all of Ella’s vulnerabilities returned an instant wave. She suddenly felt watched, exposed, as though Logan Nash’s cronies could be waiting for her around any corner.
So now she was driving through Virginia, heading towards the place her contact had referred her to. Police-designated housing for criminals awaiting trial, for those deemed too untrustworthy to go back to their regular lives.
The rain battered against the windshield as Ella's car wound its way through a series of darkened country roads. Her wipers worked furiously to keep the downpour at bay. The headlights illuminated the narrow road ahead, revealing little more than trees and the occasional wild animal darting across. Each turn felt like a leap into the unknown. The silence was thick, broken only by the rain and the occasional buzz of her car's engine.
Her grip on the steering wheel tightened as the GPS indicated she was getting close to her destination. The safe house was located in a remote area, away from prying eyes. It was perfect for hiding witnesses or anyone that needed to stay out of sight.
Logan Nash was not aware of her arrival, and for all Ella knew, he might not even be here. The house was not guarded twenty-four-seven, and residents could come and go as they pleased, providing they didn't venture further than their court restrictions allowed. Despite Logan Nash being a lifelong contract killer, the evidence against him was merely circumstantial, and was therefore deemed safe for such a low-security imprisonment.
She pulled up to a heavily fortified gate and waited for a moment. She'd called her old contact at Virginia PD and had him add her license plate to the registered vehicles list. That meant she had a three-hour window to come and go.
A camera above the gate focused on her, and then, with a loud buzz, the gate slowly began to swing open. As she drove through, Ella couldn't help but feel she was entering a fortress.
As she drove down the long driveway, she saw the house ahead. It was tiny, resembling more of a cabin than an apartment. Lights illuminated the exterior, likely equipped with security cameras and other measures to ensure it had eyes on everyone who came and went.
She parked up, then took a deep breath before switching off the car engine. She could feel her heart rate picking up as she slowly opened the car door and stepped out. Logan Nash was obviously a dangerous man, but how would he react in such a secluded environment? She had her weapon – a new one, since her old was in an evidence locker in California – and Logan was unarmed.
Approaching the cabin, she noticed a few cars parked in the vicinity. If she had to guess, she'd say some were visitors like her, and others belonged to the residents. There was no clear indication of which car might be Logan's. She took another deep breath, pulling her coat tighter around her to shield herself from the rain, and walked towards the entrance.
Ella rapped on the door, a sharp, concise knock. Silence. The pitter-patter of the rain and the occasional distant roll of thunder were the only sounds. She waited, counting the seconds in her head, then knocked again, louder this time.
There was no response.
A prickle of unease traveled down her spine. Ella tried the door handle, half-expecting it to be locked. To her surprise, the handle turned, and the door creaked open slightly.
‘Logan,’ she called out. ‘Are you home?’
Pushing the door open fully, Ella stepped inside cautiously, her eyes darting around, trying to take in every detail. The living area looked lived-in with an open newspaper and a coffee mug on the table, complete with a film coating that suggested it had been sitting there a while.
‘Logan?’ Ella called out again, this time with a hint of desperation. Her voice echoed back, but there was no other response.
She walked slowly through the cabin, checking each room. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, revealing an unmade bed and some personal belongings scattered around. The bathroom door was shut; Ella knocked softly before pushing it open, but it was empty.
She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. The place was devoid of life, yet signs of recent activity were everywhere. Ella felt a mix of emotions: fear, anxiety, frustration. She had come this far only to find Logan Nash gone.
Ella's thoughts raced. Had he caught wind of her coming? Was he watching her right now? Had he fled somewhere untraceable?
It was then she noticed a door that led to a small room at the back of the cabin. Curiously, she approached the door, her senses heightened. It looked like an addition to the cabin, a utility room perhaps.
Slowly, she pushed the door open and took a step inside. It was a tiny room with a washing machine, dryer, and some shelves filled with cleaning products. A small window at the top let in a sliver of the gray outside light.
But the focal point was something else entirely. Something her rational mind struggled to comprehend. Something that made her question whether she was still in California, dreaming up solutions to her problems.
Ella's breath caught in her throat. A rush of disbelief hit her.
