Page 37 of Where Daisies Breathe (Star Meadows #2)

AVA

M editation doesn’t help Clara remember more details about the night at the bar. I didn’t really expect it to, though. Whoever carved this on my flesh didn’t want anyone to know who did it. They drugged my drink and could’ve done the same thing to Clara.

Once I show Clara my response to the thread, she suggests we turn on that movie. She’s freaked out. So am I. And I can’t shake the feeling that we’re being watched, even with all of the curtains drawn closed.

We’re about halfway through the movie when Bailey starts growling. At first, it’s just a few low rumbles, but then he hops off the sofa and walks over to the front door with his hair standing on end.

“Ava,” Clara whispers as she pulls her blanket tighter around her. “What is he doing?”

“Something’s scaring him.” I pause the movie and scoot to the edge of the sofa, looking at Bailey. “It could be an animal outside.”

It’s not a lie. Star Meadows has an array of wildlife, ranging from bears to mountain lions, to moose, elk, and deer.

“How do we find out?” Clara asks worriedly. “Because I sure as hell don’t think we should open that door.”

I start to get up. “I’ll peek out the window.”

She grabs my arm. “You can’t peek out the window. If it’s a person, they’ll see you.”

“If it’s a person, they probably already know we’re in here,” I tell her. “We need to see who or what it is, because if someone is out there…” I trail off.

If someone is out there, I can’t call the police, not after what I witnessed today, how they covered up a crime. I could call Ellis, but I’d wake him up. He did tell me before I left that if something bad happens, to call him even if it’s in the middle of the night.

I pick up my phone from off the table. “If someone’s out there, I’ll call Ellis. But I need to check.”

She gives an uncertain nod then releases my arm. “Just… Please be careful.”

I nod, then with my phone clutched in my hand, I pad over to the window beside the door where Bailey is growling and snarling.

“Easy, boy.” I pet his head, but it does nothing to calm him.

I sidestep to the side of the window and wrap my fingers around the edge of the curtain.

But I hesitate. My blood is rushing through me at such a violent force that it sounds like thunder is booming in my eardrums. My fingers tremble as I pull the curtain back a few inches, then I peer out the window.

The porch light is on and shines against the darkness seeping through every bone and fiber of the land that encompasses the property, and the stars and moonlight add to the brightness.

From what I can see, nothing appears to be around, but bushes and trees are scattered all over the property, offering plenty of places to hide.

I skim the darkness for a while before letting the curtain fall closed.

I turn around. “There’s no one out there?—”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Clara lets out a scream while I run forward, away from the door where the knocks came from. Bailey totally loses his shit, barking and growling.

“Call Ellis,” Clara pleads as she presses against the sofa with her eyes trained on the door.

I dial Ellis’ number. He picks up after three rings, his voice laced with sleepiness.

“Hello?” he murmurs.

“Hey, it’s me. Ava. Can you come over to the place we’re staying? Someone’s banging on the door—” I jolt and squeal as they bang on the door again.

“I’m on my way right now.” He sounds wide-awake now. “Are all the doors and windows locked?”

“Yes… I think anyway.”

“Double check them. I’ll be there in ten minutes tops.” A crash echoes in the background, and he curses. “Call me if anything else happens.”

“Okay.” I hang up and hurry to check all the doors and windows.

Clara helps. The knocking briefly stops, but then starts up again, growing louder and louder. I want to peek outside again, but I’m too scared.

“It feels like someone is trying to scare us,” Clara whispers as we hunker down on the floor in between the sofa and the coffee table.

I’ve turned the interior lights off to avoid anyone being able to see inside, and Bailey is growling at the front door.

“They might be,” I whisper. “With what happened with Camilla today…” I shudder at the thought of going to jail again. “I’m worried someone is trying to scare us?—”

The knocking morphs into full-on banging. “Help me.” A woman’s voice pleads through the front door. “Please… They’re going to kill me.”

Clara’s fingernails pierce into my arm as she freaks out. “Should we let her in? What if she’s really being attacked?”

“Who is she, though?” I ask in a hushed tone. “We don’t know… What if she’s Camilla or someone like Camilla?” Someone who works for this group—cult—whatever the hell this group of evil people is in this town.

“But what if it’s not?” she asks, her voice trembling.

“Ava, please help me,” the woman begs. “Don’t let me die again.”

I go rigid, my attention fastening on the front door. While it’s dark inside, a sliver of light from the front porch slips through the side of the curtain. Bailey starts to whine.

“How does she know your name?” Clara asks, her grip on my arm tightening, her fingernails delving into my flesh.

“I don’t know.” I swallow thickly, barely able to breathe. “But whoever it is… I think they want me to believe they’re Clover.”

“Did you get the flowers I left you?” the woman asks as she knocks again. “Did you see me at that party?”

That’s it.

I have to know who it is.

I begin to push to my feet, but Clara latches on to me.

“What’re you doing?” she whispers shakily.

“I need to see who it is.”

“You’re going to open the door?”

“No, I’m going to peek out the window.” I wait for her to let me go.

It takes a few moments before she reluctantly does. Then I tiptoe over to the window beside the door again. The woman has gone eerily quiet. So has Bailey.

Carefully, I pull back the curtain a sliver of an inch just in time to see headlights illuminating, and a figure sprinting across the street. They’re wearing a white dress, and their flowing hair matches it, making it easier to keep an eye on them even when they get further away.

As the vehicle pulls into the driveway, I realize it’s Ellis’ SUV. I rush to the door and throw it open. I start to run out, but slam to a halt at the sight of at least a hundred daisies scattered across the front porch. And lying in the center of it is a note with my name scribbled on it.

“Where’d they go?” Ellis calls out as he jumps out of his SUV.

“They ran across the street!” I shout back as I point in the direction the woman ran. “But I don’t think?—”

He takes off, running across the street. At the same time, Bailey shoves me aside, causing me to trip and nearly fall off the porch. I grip onto the railing to stop that from happening, but Bailey slips by and chases after Ellis.

“Shit,” I curse, then hurry back inside, turn the lights on, and slip my shoes on.

“What’re you doing?” Clara watches me in horror as I grab Bailey’s leash off the table near the door.

“I need to get Bailey.” I stuff my phone into my pocket. “Lock the door behind me, and if anything bad happens, get to the car and drive to town.”

“Ava,” she starts, but I close the door and run into the night.

Run toward the woods.