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“I said that to Grant, I told him exactly how I felt.”

It wasn’t just the use of Grant’s name, but rather the familiarity of how Braithe used it that sent a chill through Rainy. Did she have any memories of them behaving oddly together? She searched her mind, but came up with none. She’d always thought Braithe and Stephen were the perfect couple, and she’d never seen so much as a crack in their relationship.But you weren’t looking.

But more importantly, how had Paul captured Braithe? All this talk of Braithe and Grant was a distraction. How long had he been watching; what else did he know about their group? The thought was terrifying.

He’s been waiting for something like us to play with, Rainy thought. He was creating situations to feed on, and their group had been there at the right time. What would he do if she refused to play his games?

I’m calling the police.

What will you tell them?

She had to think about that for a minute. So far, all she had for evidence were a bunch of texts from Braithe’s number. Coy, playful texts were not a cause for alarm. All of Braithe’s other friends believed she was blowing off marital steam. He had isolated her from them with texts. It was actually brilliant.

Hate to tell you this, but you’re the reason she’s here, Summer. And no one is going to believe you. By the time you get them to believe you I’ll have cut through her vocal cords.

Rainy went cold.

She stared at her phone for a long time, unmoving.Summer.He knew. He had Braithe, but this wasn’t about her at all. And he didn’t say he would kill her; he’d specifically saidcut through her vocal cords. He was telling her he had a plan. Whoever he was, he was here for her. No matter what Braithe had or hadn’t done, she couldn’t let her die at the hands of someone who was after...

Summer.

Taured. Or was it? After all these years, she knew his tone, his style. This was not Taured. But what did he want? As she sat, trying to fight the fog in her brain, it occurred to her. A fragment of an idea began to form in her mind.Sara.She opened up a browser on her laptop.

Okay, she texted back.What do you want?

23

Then

She’d woken in a hospital room alone, not afraid, but relieved. O’Connor was in the room, sitting in a chair, and a man stood next to her, this one short, bespectacled and bald.

“May I have something to drink, please?” Her voice was a rasp. A nurse brought her water and sat her up in bed. Then O’Connor turned to her. “Summer, this is Dan Malari. He’s a social worker with the state and he’s been assigned your case.”

“What case? I have grandparents, I told you their names. I—”

“It’s just procedure to open a case file, Summer. When there are accusations and a removal of a minor from a home, we have to investigate for your well-being.” Dan Malari didn’t smile at her when he spoke, but Summer felt that he was an okay guy, anyway. There was something calm about him.

“But I don’t have to go back there?”

“No, you’ve been removed from that place and it is currently under investigation.”

Summer felt like she could breathe for the first time since...when? Forever. She could breathe so long as they never sent her back to that place. She touched her neck and felt bare skin. “Where’s my mother’s necklace?”

“I’m sure they’re keeping it safe for you. They might have taken it off while making sure you were okay.”

If it was gone... Her face bunched up and she dissolved into tears.

“What about my mother? Will they be investigated for what they did to her?”

“What did they do to her?”

“They locked her in a room and killed her.”

“How? With what?”

“She didn’t take drugs, no matter what anyone says. I know she didn’t. They injected her against her will.”

He looked embarrassed for her, but he nodded slowly. “We’ll let the coroner do their job, okay? My job is to find out where the safest place for you is.”