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The wife whom I watched die.
My head hurts.
I’m so utterly confused.
“Impossible,” Memphis says.
“I assure you it isn’t, and frankly, it’s none of your business or concern.”
“But…you can’t be the owners,” I say under my breath. “The owners were just here. We talked to them.”
“She’s right,” Memphis agrees.
“What owners?” he asks, exasperated. “Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but we need to get inside.” He glances over at the door, and his face goes ghastly white. “Oh my god, the door… The door.Are you kidding me?” Both hands go to the side of his head. “I’m going to have to call the sheriff’s department and see what’s going on. Come on. Get in the house.”
He puts a hand behind his wife’s back and leads her inside, casting an accusatory glance our way before slamming the door, though he seems to have forgotten it’s broken and doesn’t latch. I turn back to look at the rest of the group.
“Well, at least you know she’s okay now,” Mara says with an apologetic shrug. “That’s a good thing, right?”
I nod. “Yeah, I guess. But, I mean, how is that possible? What the heck is going on?”
To that, no one seems to have an answer. When I look at Memphis, he’s shaking his head with a puzzled look on his face.
“Ethan sure picked a quiet little town, didn’t he?” Austin jokes.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Back inside, I head upstairs to my room and call Officer Montgomery on the number he contacted me from last night.
“Montgomery.”
“Hi, Officer Montgomery. This is Lena Ortega from the house on Buchanan Street last night. You told me I could call you back on this number if there were any issues.”
“Yes, Ms. Ortega. That’s right. What can I do for you?”
“Um, so, a couple showed up at the house this morning claiming to be the owners, and they said they’d spoken with you and had to cut their vacation short to come home and deal with this. But then they left at some point, and now the first couple is back and sayingtheyare the owners. And the woman from last night is here and apparently fine.”
“So, the woman you thought you saw get killed is at the house now?”
“Yes.”
“And she hasn’t been harmed? She’s fine?”
“Right. That’s how it seems.”
He’s quiet for a beat. “Okay, then, I guess I’m not understanding what the problem is.”
“Um.” My mouth goes dry. “Nothing, I guess. But there are two couples saying they own this house.”
“Well, until one of the owners calls to file a complaint with us, that’s not really our problem. And it’s certainly not yours. If no one is hurt, then, as far as the law is concerned, our work here is done.”
I swallow. “Don’t you want to come check on her or something?”
“Why would I? You just said yourself she’s fine, and we told you yesterday there were no signs she wouldn’t be.”
I want to point out that they also told me yesterday there were no signs she existed, and here’s the living, breathing proof she does, but instead, I say nothing. I’m too angry. Too confused and upset.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” Officer Montgomery asks. “I need to get back to work.”
