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“I’m sorry, Ms. Ortega. We have no reason to believe there was anyone in that house tonight, or this weekend for that matter. Now, I want to believe you know better than to try and pull this off as some sort of prank, and I hope I’m not wrong about that. The owners will be returning soon, and we’ve asked our officers to go back to the house at that point to talk with them. For tonight, we’re going to end our surveillance of the house. We have no reason to believe you’ll be unsafe, but you can feel free to call me back at this number if you have any issues, okay?”
I swallow and barely manage to squeak, “Okay.”
He has just accused me of lying to the police. Of reporting a crime that didn’t happen. Of doing all of this as some sort of…prank. Why would I do that? That’s illegal, isn’t it? Am I going to get in some sort of trouble?
I feel as if I’m going to be sick.
I don’t know how the call ends, but eventually it does, and everyone is waiting for me to tell them all I’ve learned. But I can’t. I can’t say anything at all because one single, terrifying truth is repeating over and over in my head.
The officers outside—our only source of protection and safety—are leaving, and soon, the man will be back.
CHAPTERELEVEN
The police waste no time leaving. In fact, by the time we make it to the window to check, all we can see of them are taillights.
“I don’t get it. How can they just leave?” Logan asks.
“Because they don’t believe us,” I say, my voice powerless and defeated.
“We need to go,” Paulette says, running a hand through her hair. “We need to get out of here before these psychos get back.”
“If we leave, we look guilty,” I point out.
“Better than looking dead,” she argues, on the brink of losing it.
“Lena’s right,” Memphis says. “We can’t leave. They told us to stay put until Sunday. We’ll lock the doors. I can stay awake and keep an eye on things. If they come back, we’ll call the police again.”
“Because they were such a help last time,” Paulette scoffs.
“I’m not stopping anyone who wants to leave,” Memphis says, “but I’m staying. And it sounds like Lena is staying.”
“I’ll stay, too,” Mara says, taking my hand in hers. I look over, and she gives me a reassuring nod and bumps my arm playfully. “I told you I got you.”
“Me, too,” Austin says. “I’m not leaving Lena here alone. Or anyone, for that matter. We’re safer together.”
Logan and Paulette look at each other, and Paulette groans. Logan raises one shoulder with a shrug.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“Fine,” she says with an attitude, “but I’m not sleeping alone.”
She barely gets the sentence out before Logan volunteers as tribute. “I’ll stay with you.”
“I can stay with you if you want, Lena,” Austin offers. My stomach drops.
Memphis opens his mouth with what I expect is an objection, but Mara speaks up first. “I’ve got her. We’ll bunk together.”
“Oh, okay. Cool.” Austin steps back.
“Not that any of us will be sleeping,” I add dryly.
“Come on. Let’s try not to think about it anymore, right guys?” Mara looks around the room, trying to garner encouragement, but she receives none. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she says finally. “You know, I bet it’s probably just…a Halloween prank or something.”
“A month late?” Austin asks.
“You guys believe me, don’t you?” I ask them, almost too scared to know their answers.
“Of course we believe you,” Mara says quickly. “A thousand percent. If you say you saw it, you saw it. And anyone who says otherwise has to fight me.” She wrinkles her nose at me, trying to force the joke, but I can’t summon the strength to smile.
