CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
CORINNE WILDE - PRESENT DAY
We run.
Oh, do we run. I’ve never moved so fast in my life. Never moved so quickly that I feel as if I’m ripping my muscles as I go, tearing my lungs straight out of my chest.
She must’ve been forced to stop near the patch of flooded road Conrad and Benji mentioned and decided to walk the rest of the way, walk home to us.
If he hurts her—if EJ hurts my baby—it will be my fault. My fault for asking for the divorce. My fault for moving us here. My fault for not asking enough questions when Mom ignored me. My fault for not checking Taylor’s phone more often. My fault for not saving her.
We reach the door, and I turn the handle.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
I’m falling, falling, falling.
I crash to the ground. “It’s locked. He locked us out.”
Lewis pulls out his keys, but reality is already setting in for me. “You don’t have the new key.” I curse, stepping back. “You don’t have the new key.”
My fault.
My fault.
My fault.
“Taylor!” I pound on the door, shouting. Begging. “Taylor! It’s Mom! Let us in!”
Nothing.
There is no response.
“The tunnels,” Mom whispers in my ear, pulling me back.
“There’s no time. We have to go through the window,” I cry.
“I’ll do it.” Lewis takes off his rain jacket, wrapping it around his arm as he walks around the house to the kitchen window.
“Be careful,” I call after him. Once he’s gone, I turn, looking at Conrad and Benji. At Greta. “You guys should go back to the road. I couldn’t live with myself if anything…” I stop, looking down to compose myself as panic claws at my chest.
“What are you talking about?” Greta asks.
I take both of her hands in mine, my voice tight with emotion. “I need you to do this for me, okay? I need you to go back to the woods and wait for the police. Find them and bring them here.”
“What?” Conrad asks.
“No.” Greta’s face is fierce, haunted. “Stop it. I’m not leaving you. Not now.No.”
“Please. Please go and get help.” I’m crying then as I hug her. “We need someone to help them find us. To tell them what happened.” I squeeze her tighter. “I need to know that you’re safe.”
