Him?Him who? I think about every person in this house. Lewis. Conrad. Benji. But no one could have done such a perfect impression of my mom, could they? I think about the two Taylors—the one at Mom’s house and the one here in town—my mind racing. What is happening right now?
“It was EJ.” His name smacks me in the face. “He was…” She winces again, inhaling through her clenched teeth as I help her sit up. “He was doing it on his computer.”
“The voices?”
“He can make it sound like anyone. Me. Taylor. Greta. He can even copy phone numbers, make it look like anyone is calling you. Honey, we haven’t spoken in months. Not since you told me about the divorce. And not because I was mad at you—because he wouldn’t let me. I’ve tried to send you messages, to warn you about his plan, but he always caught me. Stopped me.”
“What does he want, Mom?” None of this feels possible, and yet, it’s the closest I’ve felt to answers all night.
“This cabin. He was going to sell it—it and the land—for millions. He’d been coming by here, bringing clients and showing it. He didn’t tell me anything except that he was working, but…” Her face is rigid, furious. “It’s why he wanted to marry me.”
Her voice cracks when she says the sentence, and it’s only then I think about how much that truth must sting. “He had a buyer lined up, and after the wedding it would’ve been half his. He thought he could convince me to sell it. But when you told me about the divorce, he heard us on the phone. Heard me telling you to stay at Foxglove. He tried to change my mind, but I wouldn’t. He was furious.I was furious.I would’ve never…never okayed selling Foxglove.”
I’m relieved to hear her say it, and glad we agree. Selling this cabin, this piece of our family and our roots, would be akin to selling a child. An appendage.
“But why would he do this? What was the point of pretending to be you? Why did he tie you up?”
“At first, he just wanted you to get back together with Lewis. If you moved out, he thought he—or, rather,I—could convince you to give it back to us. Or sell it. He hoped having Taylor leave tonight would give you and Lewis time together. That it would make you realize how badly your divorce has affected her.”
She pauses. “He wanted you to move home, to leave Foxglove, but knew it wouldn’t happen if Taylor was happy. So, he started chatting with her on some app. Complained about her not having internet. Teased her about how awful this place was. He wanted her to hate it here, and I think he succeeded. He was supposed to be a college kid. They made plans to meet in town tonight. He told her he drove here, that he could get them a room somewhere close. I tried to stop him. Please believe me, I did everything I could.”
I don’t doubt that. The evidence is all over her body. My muscles ache with fury. “I check her apps,” I whisper, but I know it’s a lie. I haven’t checked anything recently. “Where is Taylor now? Is she with EJ?”
She starts to answer, but before she can say a word, everything goes dark.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CORINNE WILDE - PRESENT DAY
“What was that? What happened?” Conrad’s worried voice echoes from upstairs, talking to Benji.
“Mom?”
“Shhh…” She shushes me, her voice low and shaky. Terrified. This woman who has forever seemed like a pillar of strength to me sounds scared. “You need to leave me. Leave me here, and you need to get out. Go find Taylor. Make sure she’s safe.”
“I’m not leaving you.” I try to help her stand, but she protests, pulling away.
“I’ll only slow you down. You need to get Lewis, find Greta, and get out of here. He’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants.”
Foxglove. The money.
She goes on, “As soon as you’re out of here, call the police. I’ll be okay.”
“Hang on. How did you know Greta’s here?”
“She’shere?” Mom’s hand grasps my arm. “She was with me. From the moment she left Foxglove, he kept the two of us in a passage that leads to the meadow. He kept her asleep. Unconscious. She escaped earlier. I told her to get to her car, call the police. I was hoping she made it.”
“Has anyone seen Corinne? Did she go out with Lewis?” Above, I hear Conrad’s voice.
Lewis.
The man in the raincoat.
“EJ is outside.” My throat is full of concrete. I can’t breathe.
“He cut the power,” Mom whispers. “You need to go now.”
“Taylor?” I ask. “Where is she?”
