Page 25 of Lies Beneath Secrets (Skeleton Crew #1)
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Con
I crack my eyes open to see her step out of the room. I hear her moving around and getting dressed, but I don’t want to let her know I’m waking up. Giving her a little time to adjust to what happened last night will be better. Sitting up in bed, I look around the room and take it all in. It’s not spotless, but it’s not a mess either. Neatly cluttered could be the words to describe it. She has a small closet with the door wide open with a dresser inside it. Its drawers are mostly open, and there’s a pile of clothes on top of it. Next to that is a basket overflowing with what I assume is dirty clothes.
My gaze moves from her closet over to the table next to her bed. That’s when I see it.
A journal.
The need to find out what’s written in there, if she wrote anything about that night, eats at me every second I stare at the small blue book. Tattered from being opened and written in for weeks—probably months. Did she start writing in it after that night? Or has it been something she has done since she was younger? Are there more? Shaking my head, I look away. I can’t look at it. Not even a peek to make sure she has only talked about things that won’t get her killed. Yet here I am. As soon as I hear the shower turn on, I’m grabbing the journal and opening it up to the first page.
It’s not what I expected though. Not the typical dear diary, this is something entirely different.
1:36am
Woke up out of breath. A tall, dark shadow holding my throat with claws for fingers. He’s so tall and lifts me completely off the ground to bring my face to his. “I’ll find you” he tells me. “I’ll kill you.”
3:09am
The same man was back again. I couldn’t breathe and just before I passed out, I jumped up in bed. I couldn’t see him, but I know it was him. That man. The one who broke in. I feel that he’s still out there every time I step outside.
I drag in a deep breath. There are no dates on these entries, only times. Looking up toward the bathroom door, I strain to hear if the water is still running. I don’t know how long her showers normally take, but I want to read more.
2:45
The man is there. Has me trapped until someone comes into the room. I don’t see who it is; I just remember feeling that I didn’t need to be scared anymore. I don’t think that’s true. I still feel as though I’m being watched.
“What are you doing?” I freeze. I’m so enthralled, I didn’t even register the bathroom door opening.
“Shit.” It’s all I have to say. I won’t play stupid; she doesn’t need that. “Sorry. I got curious. You have some bad dreams, baby.”
“Please put it back.” She turns from me and goes to the closet, disappearing for a moment. I do as she says and get up from the bed, finding my jeans as quickly as I can. I sense there’s more conversation to be had about this situation, and I’d rather not have it completely naked.
“Look, I’m really sorry but damn, that shit sounds scary.” I don’t know why I take it further. I should drop it, but it’s nagging at me. What did she see? The man in the dream has to be King.
“I don’t want to talk about it, Conner.” She brushes past me. “I need to get to work.”
“You don’t start for another hour,” I argue. “Why won’t you let me in?” If there ever was a more hypocritical question, I’m not sure what it could be.
“Let you in? You’re here, aren’t you? I think I’ve let you in pretty well,” she scoffs. “You’re one to talk though. How about you tell me where Gabby’s mom is? No, you won’t because while I need to let you in, you won’t let me in.” She takes a sweatshirt from the hook by the door and yanks it over her head.
“You want to know where Gabby’s mom is? She’s dead.” Lauren freezes in her tracks and turns to face me, her skin going slightly pale. “She was murdered by her husband.”
“Her husband?” Her head tilts to the side, clearly confused.
“I met her a few years ago. The guy she was married to was in prison. It was a one-night stand that resulted in Gabby. It wasn’t until she was born that I learned about her and still, her mom didn’t want me involved. So, like a coward, I left it alone. Fast forward to a couple months ago, I get a call saying that I needed to come pick her up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry—” I hold up my hand to stop her.
“No, don’t be sorry. I don’t know why I didn’t want to tell you. I mean, fuck, it’s why Gabby barely speaks. She saw the whole thing, Lauren. My daughter watched that piece of shit murder her mother right in the kitchen, while she hid in the cupboard.” She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand; small tears fill her eyes but don’t fall.
“That poor baby girl,” she whispers.
“I know you two go to the same therapist and that something traumatic must have happened to you too,” I say and watch as those tears suddenly dry up, and her spine straighten. “It’s okay,” I try to tell her, but she shakes her head.
“No, it’s not.” She steps back when I make a move to get closer to her. “I can’t do this now, Conner.” She’s running. Shit, why did I tell her that part?
“Lauren,” I say sternly when she starts to walk away.
“I said that I can’t do this right now, maybe not ever. You can let yourself out. I need to get to work.” I try to stop her again, but she’s quick about getting the door open and dashing out into the hallway.