That’s when Johnny ran back upstairs to get us.
The boys chased him, but they lost him somewhere on the property. The police haven’t been able to track him down either. No one says it aloud, but we’re all thinking the same thing: if he managed to evade the FBI for all these months, he could very well disappear again. And if he does, we may never get justice for Maryanne. I think that’s the worst part.
But what’s concerning, is no one can tell mehowhe managed to find me. There wasn’t supposed to be any trail tyingme to Tennessee. No records, no connections. But somehow, Joe knew. He didn’t just stumble across us. He came here for me.
The police found a note while they processed the scene.
Little Lina,
Have you missed me the way I’ve missed you? It hurt me deeply when you ran away. With yourwhoremother out of the picture, we could’ve finally been together. Keep running from me, andI’ll kill youI’ll find you.
Come back to me soon, and I promise I will never hurt you. I want things to go back to the way they were between us. I love you, and I know you love me, too.
I dream about your smell, your taste, your touch…
I’m never letting you go.
-Your Joe
The first time I read it, I threw up.
The second time, I got angry.
Thanks to that disgusting letter, I had to tell the police everything. The full, sickening truth. I had to relive every vile thing he did to me. Every time he touched me. Every word he whispered in the dark.
I wish Johnny had killed him. But more than anything, I wish Maryanne were still here. Her death has left a hollow, gaping wound none of us know how to close. Axel’s shut down completely. He barely speaks, barely eats. Johnny lashes out at anything that moves. And Ben... Ben has stopped taking care of himself completely.
Meanwhile, my guilt is eating me alive. Joe came here looking for me.
And Maryanne died because of it.
I’ve been hiding in my room, avoiding everyone, because I can’t look them in the eye. Which is why I’m surprised, andcurious, when I get a text.
Ben:Come down to my office. Please.
I slip out quietly, praying I don’t run into either of the boys, and head for the office, stomach twisted into knots.
I step inside.
“Hey,” I say quietly, announcing my presence.
Ben doesn’t look up right away. “Hey. Can you shut the door?”
His voice is hollow. Robotic. It scrapes across the room like gravel, and I feel it settle in my chest. He’s broken. Shattered. And I wish more than anything that I could fix him.
I close the door and slip into the seat he gestures to in front of his desk.
He just looks at me for a long moment. His hair is a mess, his eyes are vacant, and he’s got the look of a man who’s lost everything. And I guess, in a way, he has.
“I don’t know how to ease into this,” he says finally. “So, I’m just going to say it. Your alias has been compromised. Now that Joe knows where you are, DHS considers you an active threat case. They want to move you. Have you start fresh. Somewhere new. New name. New life.”
My heart drops. I knew this was coming, but I’ve been in denial.
“I’ve spent all day trying to find a way to keep you here,” he adds. “But I don’t think it’s possible. At least, not right now.”
My stomach sinks.
“Because of my position, I have some say in your placement. If there’s somewhere you’d like to go—a specific college, maybe—you need to tell me tonight. Think about your future, Lina. Even if it feels impossible right now.”
