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“Amelia! Come and join the tea party!” She pats a place between her and the teddy who has a plastic cup and saucer in front of him.
“I will in a minute, I just need to head downstairs and then we can play all afternoon!”
“Yay!” She jumps up, throwing her arms in the air.
Smiling, I head out of her room, listening as Tris shouts, “Bye!” As soon as the front door closes and the tires sound on the driveway, my face drops, my heart rate picking up. Sprinting down the stairs before pushing the kitchen door open, I grab a knife and open the package. My hands shake, not able to grip the cardboard properly, slipping on the edges several times.
I may have told Tris they were new shoes, but I can’t remember the last time I bought myself anything online. He accepted the lie without a second thought. It makes me both relieved but also has my stomach churning.
I pull out the small jewelry box that’s nestled in the black tissue paper, whipping my head around to make sure neither of the kids are coming down the stairs. Once I know they’re not, I slowly pull it open.
“No,” I whisper, my voice sounding strangled as I pick up the necklace inside.
My fingers tangle with the small chain as my thumb swipes over the oval locket. It can’t be.
Flipping it over, I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping it won’t have the inscription on the back from my mom.
“Dare to be remarkable.”
My breath hitches. I’ve worn this locket every single day since I left home. How… I look up at the ceiling trying to work out if I took it off. I remember having a bath on Thursday night, but did I put it back on after?
I mustn’t have… but that must mean they’ve been inside the pool house in the last two days.
The locket slips through my fingers, landing back in the jewelry box. Snapping it closed, I push it into my back pocket, swiping the cardboard box off the table, I walk out of the kitchen and throw it toward the front door.
I need to get out of here, we can’t be in this house; not now I know they’ve been here.
They were in my space… things are escalating. The empty boxes felt like a step up to whatever the hell is going on, but this? This has to mean more.
Yanking my cell out of my pocket, I scroll through my contacts, looking for something—anything?
??to do to get the kids out of here and away from potential danger.
Danger? Would they hurt the kids?
The answer is I’m not one hundred percent sure, and I won’t take the risk.
Nate!
My thumb presses against his name before I type a message.
Amelia: Hey! Tris had to go into the city for the afternoon. Are you free? The kids want to visit.
I bring my thumb up to my mouth, biting on the side of it as the bubble floats on the left side of the screen. I wait, my gaze flitting from the box to the door and then up the stairs.
NATE: Free as a bird, I’d love to spend the afternoon with you all. Bring your bathing suit.
As soon as the message flashes on my screen followed by another one with his address, I run back up the stairs and head to Clay’s room first.
“We’re going to Uncle Nate’s for the afternoon,” I tell him, walking over to his drawers and getting his board shorts out. “Put your sneakers on.”
“Huh?”
Facing Clay, I see the confusion on his face. “We’re going to Uncle Nate’s.”
“But… why?”
“Because—”
