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CHAPTER

FORTY-EIGHT

AIDEN

I look back at Sarah in the rearview mirror and grin, drinking in the sight.

She’s fast asleep, her head leans against Eli’s shoulder as he strokes her freshly dyed red hair.

The color suits her. He inhales a strand of her hair, getting high on her scent, while Lex lights matches and throws them out the truck window, letting them catch the wind and leave a trail behind us.

She looks at home with us. At home with the monsters. I guess that’s what she’s been used to.

We cruise past the sheriff’s station. It’s not on our way, but I can’t resist. When I was a kid, I drove old cars around the trailer park as soon as my feet could reach the pedals.

Although I’m rusty, I’m good enough to get by.

The truck was a parting gift from Doctor Warner—a small price to pay to get rid of us for good.

We watch the mayhem from across the street.

Journalists and local news crews have already flocked to the scene to hear the sheriff make an announcement.

Someone must have tipped them off. I notice Officer Blackwell standing outside the station.

The tip-off we gave him will cement his career.

All he had to do was provide me with a list of addresses in exchange.

Cameras flash as Sheriff Brady comes outside to stand on the station steps. I crack open the window to hear him speak into a microphone.

“Earlier today, we charged Magnus Acacia, the lead psychiatrist of Sunnycrest Asylum, with the murder of his two daughters: Sarah and Erin,” Sheriff Brady starts. “We recovered the remains of, who we believe to be, Sarah Acacia on the asylum grounds. Acacia has confessed to his crimes.”

I glance at Sarah—serene, but very much alive.

A few cop cars speed past us with blaring sirens. They’ll be heading to search the Acacia house, where we’ve moved his records and some of the tapes—the full collection was too large to relocate. His office safe will be the first place they look.

It won’t be long until the true horrors of Acacia’s crimes come to light. We, and all the others, will finally get justice. How will he like being locked in a cage?

When they find out about everything he did at the asylum, no one will question whether he could kill his daughters, even without finding a second body.

The case will be airtight, coupled with his confession.

We’ve compelled him to tell the truth. Ironically, this is the first time I’ve been grateful for his experiments.

“What’re you waiting for?” Lex says impatiently. “We’ve got everything we need.”

He’s right. There’s nothing left in Pasturesville but bad memories and lost years. What we’ve been through will never leave us, but at least now we might have a chance.

“I’ll never let you go,” Eli murmurs, stroking Sarah’s cheek tenderly. “All ours.”

Eli’s often underestimated, but he’s the most dangerous of the three of us. I see the possessive look in his eyes when he watches her. A look that says he’ll do anything to keep her.

No, he wouldn’t…

I push the nagging doubt from my mind. Nothing will ruin this. I won’t let it. This is what we deserve and what we wanted from the moment we met Sarah.

The four of us. Together. Forever…

Finally free?