Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“Wait, really?” I sit up a little straighter, surprised by her insight. “Is there any way we could figure out which kid from Hope House fits that profile?”
“Honestly? Not without talking to them personally or knowing their backgrounds,” she says. “And the records are surprisingly slim. But if you’ve got a suspect in mind…hey, wait, you’re not suggesting that Damien could be involved in the murders, are you? You’re safe up there, right?”
A laugh escapes me. “Oh my God, no way! Are you kidding me? You’ve been diving into that psycho research a bit too long. I’m totally safe with my husband! I was just thinking about all those kids from Hope House. If we could dig into their pasts, we might learn something that ties into this revenge angle.”
“Okay, but if you notice anything weird, promise you’ll let me know? I can look into it on my end.”
“No weirdos here, Ames. Well, except me. But if you could look into that, it’d be super helpful.”
“Anytime, girl. You know I’m always here for you,” she says, her voice brightening up. “But seriously, Frankie, are you okay? Your voice sounds off.”
Taking a deep breath, I say, “Yeah, I’m fine, just feeling a bit out of it, being away from work with The Butcher still on the loose.” It’s mostly true, but not the whole truth. I can’t share everything with her. She jumped on Nick the second I left. Can I even trust her anymore?
“Totally get that. But for your sake, the case and your marriage, just…try, okay?” Her sincerity is a relief, and I nod, silently promising I’ll work on it, even if I keep my real struggles to myself.
“I promise I’ll try,” I reply, though my mind is already spiraling again. “Thanks, Ames. I really appreciate your help. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
“Of course! Be safe, Frankie,” she says.
I silence my phone, tuck it into my pocket, and step out of the cabin for the first time in days, ready to clear my head.
As I walk onto the narrow trail behind the cabin, the crunch of dirt and pine needles under my boots is the only sound that breaks the stillness. The air is a little crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and dirt. It’s peaceful, almost too peaceful, like the trees are holding their breath.
As I walk, the trees begin to thin out a little, giving way to glimpses of the lake between the trunks. It’s surprisingly still, almost like glass, reflecting the sky and trees perfectly. Not a ripple in sight. The colors out here are sharper, deeper—the blues of the lake, the greens of the towering pines. It’s beautiful. God’s country.
Standing here alone, it feels like I’m the only person in the world right now. There’s something about this view, about being here, that makes everything else feel far away. Almost like I could just disappear into it and leave everything behind.
Without the distraction of city life, I’m able to think clearly about, well, everything. Being here at the cabin has been great because I’ve put a lot of pieces of the puzzle together both in terms of The Butcher and in my own life.
The first few days with Damien were amazing and so incredibly romantic, full of delicious meals and lots of laughter as we settled into married life. The sex, of course, is off the charts and only seems to have gotten more intense since we got here.
But there’s a downside. Damien’s been leaving for the past few days for hours at a time, leaving me alone. I feel trapped, which I hate because it sounds dramatic and as if I don’t trust Damien. I do, of course, but something has to change.
Everything has changed. Before the wedding, when Damien and I were getting to know each other, life was different. It was full of fun and unexpected adventures. But now things feel strange and strained. And seriously, where the fuck is he going for hours when he’s supposed to be here with me?
I stop and look around, finding that I’ve wandered so far from the cabin that I can only see the top floor. It takes me close to an hour to make my way back, but I use the time to sort out my thoughts and feelings. It’s also enough time to get a good head of steam going and when I step inside to find my handsome husband smiling at me, I snap.
“Francesca! Did you have a pleasant walk?” His smile is irresistible, but right now it’s easy to resist, at least as long as I suppress my body’s reaction to him.
“Where have you been?” My tone is sharper than I mean it to be, and Damien notices immediately.
“What do you mean? I told you I had some business to take care of. Don’t you remember?” His brows dip, and he takes a few steps forward to comfort me.