Page 35

Dylan

S teven and I were at my house going over plans to increase its security system. More cameras. A potential addition of a safe room.

Steven frowned as he made notes on an iPad. He wasn’t happy with my decision to not have constant armed security on my property. “At least consider someone walking the perimeter. You’re out here in the woods.”

I paced to the window. “We have to find a balance between being cautious and being paranoid. Yes, security needs to be tighter. But Jennifer is a free soul. She doesn’t want to live in a cage, and I don’t want her to feel like that’s what being with me would be like.”

“How much does she know?”

“Enough to understand why we need to be careful, but I can protect her without scaring her. Let’s keep our plans simple. I haven’t received another message nor has anyone else.”

“I don’t like this.”

“I don’t like it either, but I’m not going to live my life in fear. We’ll find out who’s doing this and we’ll shut them down. We’re not in this alone. Whoever this is has no idea who they’re messing with.”

Steven said, “I agree with you there. Between your parents, the Rehoboths, and the Bellerwoods, I’d be shitting myself watching you begin to work together. What bothers me about this is the messages are beginning to sound more desperate. I’d feel more comfortable if there was an overt threat.”

“Me too, but we’ve faced some crazy people over the years. I survived being left for dead by the mob. We’ve got this. If I didn’t think they were so freaky looking, I’d suggest we get some of those sentry robo dogs.”

“Hell no,” Steven said. “If I’m going down, it’d better be by a human and not some malfunctioning, armed toaster rebellion.”

I chuckled at that. “Understood.” Then I looked around and sighed. “I want to move Jennifer back here by tomorrow. My parents wanted us with them until I was fully healed and honestly, it’s been nice to reconnect with them, but it’s time for Jennifer and me to be on our own again.”

“I’m sure it’s difficult to get freaky at your parents’ house.”

“It’s a big house,” I tossed back with a smile.

We returned to negotiating which security systems Steven should install, when my thoughts turned to something that had been bothering me. “A few days ago, Lanie said something about Mark going to Haverwick as me—implying Mark and I switched places. I have no memory of that. Did he do that?”

Steven coughed on what might have been a laugh. “He sure did.”

“Why?”

“When you met Mark at your resort, you didn’t know you were twins, but you did get drunk with him and apparently you swapped stories about lost loves.

I don’t know the exact details. All I know is that the next morning you had me find out where Jennifer lived and asked me to drive you there.

I don’t know how you thought I wouldn’t realize you’d sent Mark in your place. He never shuts up.”

Steven wasn’t wrong.

“Why would I do that?”

“From what I’ve surmised since, you wanted to know why Jennifer found it so easy to leave you. He was supposed to get intel for you about her while you went to see Lanie and got the dirt on why she friend-zoned him so hard.”

“Jennifer couldn’t tell the difference between Mark and me?”

Steven grinned. “Mark was so damn nice. She was probably hoping that’s who you’d become. I mean, seven years can change a person. You should thank him, though, because Jennifer came running to you, no hesitation, when I told her you were hurt. Mark played you better than you would have, honestly.”

That hurt. “And me? How’d I do?”

Steven cackled. “You were such a dick. Broke Mark’s heart by telling him Lanie was never interested in him. And then, told her you went there as a joke. Mark had a hell of a time getting Lanie to trust him after that. She thought you were the real him too. He had to pour on extra charm to fix it.”

I laughed without humor, because that did sound like the old me. “Now I see why I didn’t want to remember that. I probably should talk to Jennifer about this.”