“Oh, God. I’m sorry. Must’ve been me ghosting around.”
His eyes narrowed, suspicious.
“I couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d grab a quick snack.”
His gaze dropped to my feet. I followed it.
Shit. My bare feet were filthy, smeared with grime and dust from the basement.
“I went for a walk to get some fresh air,” I said quickly. “Then I stopped in here to grab a snack. I’m so sorry if I woke anyone.”
I scanned the shelf in a panic, then grabbed the nearest bag of chips and held it up like it was proof. A snack alibi.
“I’ve been craving these,” I said.
His whole demeanor shifted. He smiled, instantly friendly.
“Oh, no, I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you. Here—” Hudson stepped beside me and bent down to pick up the cans. He straightened just as I bent down to help him. “I got it,” he said. “Go hit those pillows.”
But I helped anyway, scooping up the last few tins with shaky hands.
“Well, I’ll try to get some sleep,” I said.
“Good idea,” Hudson replied with a warm nod.
“Good night, Hudson.”
“Night.”
Chips and phone hugged against my chest, I hurried out of the kitchen and back to the stairs. No way in hell was I telling Hudson what I’d just recorded—or that I’d crawled through a secret tunnel from the basement.
He was probably the one keeping her down there.
But then again, was she really trapped? She knew how to get out, which kind of contradicted the whole prisoner narrative. Her space didn’t look like a dungeon, either. It had luxury appliances, custom furniture—it looked more like a secret apartment than a cell. She could leave anytime. She just...didn’t.
Still, Daniel needed to know. We had to do something. Cynthia hurt Rascal, and the whole monster talk was spooky as hell.
I’d wash my feet, then wake Daniel. I’d play the recording. He’d freak out. He’d probably be outraged.
But at least we could finally start making sense of all this.
And maybe, just maybe, clear my name.
No more psychotic episodes.
No more shadows in the walls.
Just the truth.
Chapter 21
I sat in a chair next to the bed, staring at Daniel as he slept.
I didn’t move. Didn’t blink. I hadn’t looked away since I’d washed my feet and come in here, ready to wake him. Ready to hit play on the recording that might finally clarify things.
Then it struck me.
All of it.
