What did that make Gage and his dad? If they killed other monsters, the same monsters that, instead of being locked in a prison to continue living, breathing, eating, reading, learning, fighting, loving, fucking…
A sob tore from my chest as I picked up the notebook that I’d added several more pages of handwritten notes to. It was a testament to Gage’s life, his family. If someone, anyone from my team found it, their lives would be over. I stared at it, the cover growing blurred as my vision swam with tears.
Leaving my cabin, I walked barefoot, having forgotten to put on my shoes before leaving. I walked the short distance to the main house ahead, ignoring the pain as gravel bit into the soles of my feet. I climbed the stairs, my knees feeling as weak as my heart. I waited after I knocked, knowing someone would come eventually.
Ruby was the one who answered the door. As soon as she took in my appearance, her smile faltered.
“Oh, honey. Come in.” She didn’t ask me what was wrong, likely knowing that I was seconds from breaking. “Gage is in his office, let me show you where.”
She opened the door wider, and as I passed through, I caught my reflection in the decorative glass that made up their fancy entrance. A part of me was shocked at my appearance. My hair was stringy, hanging in dried clumps, while my face was paler than I could remember seeing it. It occurred to me that I’d forgotten to brush my hair out after my shower. I had gotten so engrossed in my research that it had completely slipped my mind. But what really made me pause was the haunted look in my eyes.
I turned away from my reflection and followed Ruby as she led me further into the large house until we reached a room I hadn’t been in before. She glanced at me as she gave the door a quick knock. After a brief pause, I could hear Gage’s deep voice call out for Ruby to enter. Just like always, I wasn’t unaffected as a shiver ran up my spine. Unlike what I normally felt, there was a small part of me that was uneasy.
Ruby opened the door and stuck her head in. “Hey, Gage. You have a visitor.” She eyed me again, the concern clear. “Is it okay if Parker comes in?”
I heard movement coming from inside the room, and I could picture Gage standing from his chair.
“Parker is here?” His tone didn’t sound surprised. He sounded just as concerned as Ruby looked, probably picking up on her demeanor. “Of course, she never has to ask.”
Ruby turned and gave me a smile before reaching out to squeeze my shoulder gently. Without saying another word, she walked away, heading down the hallway to finish whatever tasks she had to do to keep the huge house running. I took a deep breath to center myself.
“Parker?” Gage called out. Letting my breath out slowly, I glanced down at the purple cover of the notebook. It was plain. Boring. A simple notebook that could be found anywhere in the country at any store that sold school supplies. Yet it held so much information that could hurt so many people.
I turned the corner and stepped through the door, my eyes immediately finding Gage, who looked as if he were about ready to storm into the hall to find me. As soon as I appeared, the stiffness in his frame relaxed. But then he saw the condition I was in. The rumpled clothing I had tossed on without care. My bare feet. My hair hanging limply after drying from the shower, tangled and unbrushed.
As he visibly grew concerned, I stepped forward, not allowing him time to question what was wrong. I wouldn’t know how to answer him. There were too many feelings inside me. I could barely make sense of my emotions. When I reached him, I looked up into his face, meeting his blue eyes and seeing the worry there. Underneath the worry, there was also the smallest hint of fear.
Instead of speaking, I held out the notebook. Gage took it from my hands without looking away from my eyes, then, finally, he broke eye contact. Flipping open the first page, he saw the list of names. Dozens of them. His brows furrowed as he looked them over, not yet understanding their significance.
Turning the page, he saw where I began to fill in the blanks. Reason for disappearance. The different accusations made against them. Dates. Names of family members or girlfriends who had been hurt. Pages upon pages.
I watched as he scanned each page, taking his time. The confusion left his expression, replaced by anger. Not against me, I could sense. Rather, anger against the men who had done unspeakable crimes against innocent women and children.
Then the final name. Mark Shumar. Two days ago. An alcoholic abuser who’d hurt his fiancée and murdered his child. Died by a fall down the stairs in a freak accident. Gage paused, and his jaw clenched as his eyes roamed over the information. Then he continued, flipping to the next page.
His mother’s name was next, followed by information about the Castle Killer. His dad, Brent, and his experience as a young teenager. The aunt he’d never met because she chose to end her suffering rather than continue living with the unfathomable abuse that her own parents dealt.
Still, Gage never looked up to meet my eyes.
When he turned the final page to see where I had pieced together the role the ranch played in his and his father’s game of justice, he closed the cover and held the notebook in his hands. He finally looked at me.
Everything about the Gage I had come to know, the one that I had so easily fallen in love with, was gone, locked behind an impenetrable mask of indifference. He was cold, unfeeling Gage again. He held the notebook out to me with steady hands.
“What’s next, Parker?”
Sounds of footsteps reached my ears as I took the notes I’d written from him. I turned to face the door as both Dante and Ry appeared together, both of them with worry filling their expressions. They looked back and forth between Gage and me, taking in the scene as we stood a mere foot apart, though at the moment it felt as if an entire world of space was between us.
Ry’s gaze landed on my notebook, the same one he’d seen me working on over the last several days. He knew what was inside, though he didn’t know the contents. He only knew that I had been researching the town. His mouth opened and closed before his panicked eyes flew up to Gage’s face. Then he turned to me.
“Parker…”
Chapter 27
Gage
The woman with whom I’d fallen irrevocably in love held my future in her hands. Not only mine, but my entire family. Every member had supported my dad over the years, and in turn, they supported me. Every single family member would willingly sacrifice themselves on the burning ship if Parker decided to turn in the evidence that I had just handed back to her.
Ry’s panic had my chest tightening in fear, not for myself, but for him. I could stop Parker, put an end to what she knew right at that moment. I could take her life as easily as blowing out a candle. I could do it to save Ry. But I wouldn’t. Ry knew that as well.
