Now, seeing the old two-story, Rose felt true fear grip at her heart.
Not only because of the unknown but because there had been a detail about the property she had forgotten.
There was a small pond behind the abandoned house.
Was that why she had been told to come there? For another attempt at a drowning scene?
Or was this just part of Damon’s revenge for Lloyd?
Rose shook her head to herself and slammed on brakes, skidding to a stop on the overgrown grass next to the house. Her phone started to vibrate again.
She ignored it.
If she was wrong, it was only her life in danger.
If she was right and coming could save someone? Could keep James safe?
Those odds she could make peace with.
Rose didn’t waste any more time. She ran up to the porch and took the steps two at a time. She went for the door handle, but the door was already cracked open. She pushed it open with her foot and on reflex went for her gun.
It wasn’t there.
Neither was anyone in the foyer.
Rose listened but heard nothing but her heartbeat thundering in her chest.
Was this part of the movie scene? Was this part of a game?HadLloyd told this bizarre lie simply to separate her from James?
No sooner did she start to doubt everything than she finally heard something in the distance. She walked in its direction, going from the old foyer to the kitchen that was at the back of the house. In its prime, it was probably the most beautiful of rooms with big, open windows running along almost every wall, facing out toward the dock and pond. Great for watching sunrises and sunsets and making the job of groundskeeper all the more relaxing.
Now some of the windows had long since been broken. Others had molded. Some had vines that had come through. One had plastic poorly taped across it.
Yet, despite the dilapidated state of them, Rose could see what she realized was just for her.
She also understood the noise she was hearing.
A man was standing on the dock, clapping. There was something next to him but she couldn’t make it out completely.
Not that it mattered much.
Something had been set in motion, and it was time for her to find out what and why.
So she took a quick breath and pushed open the back door. Once upon a time it had led to a patio that had housed many a party back in her day. House bands and wannabe DJs, kegs and constant chatter. She’d had fun here then. Dancing, talking, playing around. A teenager without too much to worry about, thinking only about how to kill boredom.
Twenty or so years later, Rose walked across the same concrete with a heaviness that only grew with each new step.
Because the man clapping was none other than Damon Tillman.
And now she could clearly see what he was standing next to.
It was two cinder blocks. If that wasn’t terrifying enough, the rope hanging around his arm sure did the trick.
Chapter Fifteen
No one had yet askedwhyRose hesitated to reach out to Derrick Tillman. She suspected that the few who knew she felt responsible for his death thought she did so because the situation had been chaotic. There was a tornado coming, a flood already raging, and eleven ducks she had been tasked with single-handedly getting in a row.
It had been a lot, so hesitating might have just been a problem with the environment.
