“I want you to look for a red car. I don’t care if there are a hundred of them in this town, find every last one. Write their plates down and bring them to me.”
“Got it.”
I don’t know how Rachel’s locket and the car relate back to Jade, but I’m going to figure this out.
I’m cuddled up on the couch in front of the fireplace with Pumpkin when West gets back. A storm started about an hour ago, and I’ve been watching the rain drizzle down the big window panes, thinking about what to do. I know who’s been watching me. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to remember the car. I guess it was just a part of my past I tried to forget.
I know the right thing to do is tell West. But I’m scared. I never thought this day would come. Where I would have to tell my story. I think about calling Nick. He’ll know what to do.
“Sorry I’m late.” West bends down, giving me a soft kiss.
“It’s okay.” I smile up at him.
“I brought dinner. Come on, let’s go eat.”
I get up off the couch, following West into the kitchen, where I sit down and reach for a slice of the pizza he brought.
“So, I have to ask you something, and I don’t want you to be alarmed,” West says once we’ve got settled.
My body stills, and I think this is it. He knows.
“O-Okay,” I stutter, bracing for what he’s about to ask.
“Do you remember that day you found that necklace on your porch?”
Not at all what I was expecting, I relax and nod. Of course I remember. That was the very first day he kissed me.
“Did you ever ask Harper if it belonged to her?”
I shake my head. “No, it sort of slipped my mind. How come?”
West places down his burger and looks at me intently. “You mentioned finding other jewelry too?”
“West, what’s going on?”
He scrubs his jaw and sighs. “One of our victims has been identified. Her name was Rachel Murphy.”
I chew my food, waiting for him to elaborate. Is this name supposed to be someone I recognize? I swallow my bite. “I don’t understand.”
“RM.”
“R…M?” I question, entirely lost by this conversation. And then it hits me. I feel my face drain of colour, and I gasp. “Oh God.”
West reaches out and grips my hand in his.
“Y-you don’t think that other ring could have been from another victim, do you?” I ask, afraid of what he’s going to say.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s looking that way, though.”
“What does this mean?” My voice cracks, and my mind whirls. This can’t be a coincidence. It has to be Adam.
I’m restless and unsettled for the rest of the evening. When we finally crawl into bed, I drift off with a heavy mind.
I’m snuggled into West’s chest when my hand grazes something cold and wet. Opening my eyes, I let out a terrified scream as I take in his blood-covered body and empty eyes. I scoot back from the bed, and a shadow steps out from the corner of the room.
“What did you do?!” I scream as Adam stalks closer.
An evil smile spreads across his face. “What I told you before, Hadley. If I can’t have you. No one can.”
