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“Yeah. That.”
Willa laughs and shakes her head. “I’ll be there to kickhim in the shins when he tries to kidnap you so you won’t leave him.”
“You mean when he cries and whines for hours on end until I just give in?” I say with a laugh.
“Tomato, potato.”
Willa and I spend the next few hours stocking up on the summer essentials and chatting over lunch. By the time we’re heading home, I realize I still haven’t heard from my brother. Kai has checked in a few times and usually Cal is either with him or texting me constantly. Willa’s not wrong when she said he hates being alone.
Me
Cal? I haven’t heard from you all day.
I wait for a response. Soon Willa is pulling into Kai’s driveway and my phone has stayed silent.
Me
Don’t make me come over there, Callahan.
“Text me when you want me to go to Cal’s with you. I’m going to head home and put all this away. Maybe take a nap.”
“Thanks, Willa,” I tell her distractedly as I get out of her car and grab my bags from the trunk. She waits as I make my way into the house and then honks her horn as she leaves.
I toss all my bags at the foot of the stairs and call Cal.
His voicemail picks up after a few rings. “Cal. Call me back.”
Me
I’m home. Haven’t heard from Cal today. Have you seen him?
The text to Kai goes unanswered as well. So I head into the kitchen to get my car keys. Something is wrong. I can feel it in my gut, and I’m not going to sit here and wait to find out what it is.
My phone falls from my hand as my body seizes up when I see what’s waiting for me on the kitchen island. I don’t even hear it hit the floor with the way the blood is rushing to my ears. There, in the middle of the island, is a large crystal vase with black dahlias and black roses. Right in front of it sits a note with familiar handwriting.
I thought this was done. The flowers and the notes had stopped, but I got too comfortable. I run to the counter and grab a knife from the block. I don’t think Brad is still in the house, but I can’t be sure. I pick my phone up to call the police, but the screen is cracked and unresponsive.
“Fuck!”
I don’t have a way to look up the flower meanings, but I don’t need to. Whatever the message is, I’m sure it’s laced with hatred.
“Kai!” I scream, worried that he was here, and he’s hurt. I slowly make my way around the house, checking closets and behind shower curtains.
Kai isn’t here. His car isn’t in the garage, which must mean he’s still with Mav somewhere. At least I hope he is. I can’t think about the alternative right now or I might collapse. I take a moment to calm my breathing and make my way back to the kitchen on shaky legs.
I reach for the note, the tremor in my hands making itdifficult. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before reading.
17 Snowflake Lane
Show up or he dies
I can feel myself hyperventilating, but I’m having some sort of out-of-body experience at the same time. My arms feel heavy and disconnected. My legs won’t move even though I’m telling them to.
It takes strength I didn’t know I possessed to snap myself out of it. I grab my keys and run to my car. Brad has him. My first thought was Kai, but Cal is the one who I haven’t heard from since yesterday. If Brad thinks his stupid tabloid scheme put distance between me and Kai, it’s Cal he would go for.
I keep my brain thinking as I drive. Summer Bay is divided into two sections. The first one has streets named after types of trees and the other is seasons. Snowflake Lane is located next to Falling Leaves Terrace. I don’t know what’s at 17 though.
Part of me thinks I should just drive straight to the police station, but the other part isn’t willing to risk my brother’s life. That’s the part driving right now.
