But instead of anyone speaking, it simply buzzed, and the gate swung open.
Okay, then.
He followed the drive, eventually pulling up in front of the house, where he parked behind another car he suspected was a rental.
He’d barely stepped out of the car when the front door opened and a very Peyton-sized and -shaped man swooped over and picked him up, spinning him around in a hug.
Ken nearly burst into relieved tears. “Oh, thank fucking christ! It’s really you!”
Despite everything, there was still part of him worried it might be a dream, or a trap, or even an exhaustion-fueled hallucination.
“You’re okay,” Peyton said, holding him, soothing him, and then Ken realized he was crying. He didn’t even care that Peyton witnessed him crying.
Relief, exhaustion—same thing right now.
“I haven’t slept in nearly 48 hours,” Ken said. “I’m about to collapse.”
“You did great, buddy. Let’s get you inside.”
Peyton guided—nearly carried, actually—Ken into the house, where Trevor and a woman Ken assumed was Trevor’s wife greeted him.
At some point, the rental keys were taken from Ken, and he was vaguely aware of being guided to a couch in the living room, where another man occupied a comfortable chair.
Peyton settled next to Ken. “For starters, I need to introduce you to this guy.” Peyton pointed at the man. “Ken Ethelbert, meet Jake Peterson. Jake, this is my brother-in-law, Dewi’s mate.”
Jake nodded, leaning across the coffee table to shake with him. “Heard a lot of good things about you.”
Ken was almost too exhausted to lift his hand. “Hiya.” Then something tickled his brain. “That’s funny. That’s Carl’s dad’s name.”
Both men grinned.
Ken looked back and forth between the two. “Waaaiit…”
Peyton nodded. “Yep. Think you can stay awake for the abridged version of the story?”
“Only if you let me call Dewi first. She’s going batshit.”
His smile faded. “Yes. Tell her to go somewhere alone, nothing else. And that she has to promise you to stay quiet. Then hand the phone to me.”
Ken’s hands trembled as he hit the button and waited for the call to connect. She answered almost immediately. “Where the fuck are you? Are you okay? Are you safe? What the fuck is going on? You better be fucking safe and okay or I’ll fucking kill?—”
He didn’t even care he was sniffling back tears. “Dew, baby, stop. Please. I’m safe. I’m fine. Go somewhere alone, right now, so we can talk.”
“I am alone. I’m in the cabin.”
“Okay. You have to be quiet, all right?”
“What? Why?”
“Just… You’ll understand. Promise me.”
“What?”
“Promise me to stay quiet, okay?”
She gasped. “Is he dead?”
Ken pinched the bridge of his nose. “Promise me!” he snapped, all patience now gone.
