AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wait, we’re going to walk?” Austin asks. “It’s already dark. How do we know it’s safe?”
“We don’t, but it’s just up the road. Come on. There’s not much time.”
I turn around to see no one following me at first. Then, Mara grabs her bags and moves toward me. Memphis is next to follow, and soon we’re all on our way out the door. We don’t bother locking it—who would we really be locking out anyway?—as we head out across the yard and down the road.
The neighbor’s driveway is empty, which makes me feel only slightly better. Wherever they’ve gone, there’s a great chance they’ll be back soon.
I pick up my pace, moving faster when something catches my eye. Parked back behind the house is the blue SUV from this morning. The one that belongs to the Hawthornes. I must’ve missed it earlier.
I stop, despite not wanting to waste time, something roiling in my stomach. Why on earth would the Hawthornes still be here? Why would their car be parked in the grass, toward the tree line, as if it’s meant to be hidden?
In the dark, it nearly is.
Could they be in on it together? Both sets of supposed owners?
“What’s wrong?” Mara asks.
“It’s the SUV from this morning,” Memphis answers before I can as if he knows my every thought. “The people who own the house.”
“They’re here?” Austin asks.
“I don’t know,” I say, trying to think.
“We need to go,” Memphis reminds me. “Come on. We’re wasting time.”
“Hey. What do you think’s down here?” Austin asks, drawing our attention to a cellar door in the ground up against the house.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think I want to know,” Paulette whines.
“Come on, guys. We need to go,” Logan says, dragging her backward. “We’re going to miss our ride. The neighbors could come home at any minute.”
Memphis takes a step back, but I can’t move.
I’m pinned firmly in place as Mara studies me. “Lena?”
“We’re not going to make it to the car anyway,” Austin points out. “Even running, it’s at least thirty minutes to the end of the road, and we all have our bags slowing us down. I thought you wanted to solve the mystery.”
“Fuck the mystery,” Paulette says. “We have to try to make it to the car. Come on, you guys. Seriously.”
“Lena, let’s go,” Memphis agrees, snapping his fingers. “We’re wasting time. This is none of our business.”
“They could be hurt,” I say, nausea overwhelming me. I suddenly feel dizzy. “The Hawthornes. They could be down there. Or in the house somewhere. We have to check.” I would hope someone would check on me, that someone would care enough to try to help.
Memphis is staring at me as if I’ve started speaking a foreign language and I realize I don’t think I ever told them who the Hawthornes are. “Who?Look, we have to go. We’ll call the police from the car.”
“Because they believed us so well last time?” I stare at him, shaking my head.
“They weren’t even nice to you, Lena. And now you’re willing to risk your life for them?” He sets his jaw, clearly furious with me.
I don’t expect him to understand why I can’t walk away. I’m not even sureIunderstand it.
“They’re still people. If this man is dangerous, if he has his wife living in terror, how do we know he didn’t hurt them? Maybe they came home and confronted them and…” I can’t bear to voice my worst thoughts. “Please. I need to do this. I need to understand what’s going on.”
Memphis looks like he’s going to argue, but I turn away.
“Feel free to go if you need to. I won’t ask you to stay,” I whisper. “But I am.”
Austin nods, needing no further instruction. “Someone help me with the door, will you?” He takes hold of it, lifting with a groan.
