Page 138 of Deliverance

I lick my lips nervously.

“What if he has evidence, though? What if he goes to the police?”

“I’ll buy them off,” Asher says flippantly.

“What if it’s not enough?” I snap.

“I’ll just kill him,” Vincent says simply.

As if he were listening to our debate, a third text comes through, this one more ominous than the previous ones.

Unknown: If you don’t come, I guess you’ll never know what truly happened to your mother. Make sure you bring Margret as well.

I frown at that. My mother? My mother died in childbirth. There has never been a question about that. What the fuck is he talking about?

“Could be a trap,” Asher says.

“Maybe it’s not,” I say numbly, trying to make sense of the text message.

“You want to go?” Maggie asks, like she’s afraid of my answer.

“I need to,” I answer.

The room is quiet for a second before Ronan nods. “So, we need a plan.”

Yeah. We do.

* * *

My leg bounces nervously as we drive down the road. The guys let us borrow one of their cars, and Maggie follows the GPS, as it takes us further and further out of Salem. When we arrive at the address, I furrow my brows. It’s a house. A very simple, plain home. Nothing that would scream Thomas in any way.

Maggie and I share anxious looks before slipping out of the car. She reaches down, offering her hand to me, and I gladly take it, my heart pounding wildly out of my chest. When Maggie gets to the front door, she pushes it open carefully. The old wooden door creaks, echoing through what we can see is an empty house.

Dusty wood floors, peeling wallpaper, and missing light fixtures surround us. We take slow measured steps together into what looks like a formal living room when we find Thomas and?—

“Mom?” Maggie balks.

Calista greets her daughter with a wicked snake-like grin.

“Hello, Margret.”

Thomas looks down at his watch, smiling.

“2:10PM on the nose. Punctual little things you are.”

“What do you want, Thomas?” I ask stiffly.

He tsks. “Is that anyway to speak to your fiancé, darling?”

“You’re not my fiancé.”

He shrugs. “I have papers indicating otherwise.”

“Baby, I thought you said you didn’t need her anymore,” Calista pouts.

“Baby?” Maggie and I echo in disgust.

Thomas grins, his eyes moving from me to Maggie before he nods.