He sighed again. I knew he was close to losing his temper, and I reveled in the fact that I was the one doing it to him.
“She has to be with someone,” I murmured to myself, my brain sinking its claws into the idea. “Someone is helping her.”
“Could be the cop. A leave of absence can’t be a coincidence.”
Tsk tsk, Evelyn. You shouldn’t have done that.
It looks like I have to teach her a lesson.
“You’ve made quite the mess with this impromptu trip. I’ve got to work on cleaning it up. Now I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. Stay put and out of trouble. If I find a lead, I’ll let you know.
He talked, and I thought of my next move. When his voice started sounding like nails on a chalkboard, I hung up. I studied a picture I took a few weeks ago when I returned to New York. It was Evelyn standing in line at the grocery store. It was my favorite because she looked so sad.
I would give him two more weeks to find her, and then I was leaving this shit hole to get her myself. I would get that nosy cop and whoever else decided to get in my way. I didn’t care if I had to leave a trail of bodies.
She ruined my life. I was supposed to get better, get Celeste out of my head.
But then June had to go and die.
Evelyn promised we would be the family that I always wanted.
I wasted years of my life thinking I would have a place in their family, but instead, they laughed at the very idea of me. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have lost it. Everything was her fault.
She made a fool of me—and for that, she would pay.
Evelyn thought she was clever – running away with a cop. Once I found her, he wouldn’t be able to protect her.
Tonight, I would get relief, and Evelyn would know not to disobey me again. I planned to lead a trail of bodies to her. There will be blood on her hands.
Chapter 19
Evelyn
The List
Quit my job
Take a painting class
Get my hair done
Make a home-cooked meal
Go to the beach
Go back to therapy
Watch the sunrise
Read a romance novel
Learn to drive
Go on a date
After a fitful night of sleep, I woke up just as the sun was beginning to peek through the windows. I went to grab my phone, but thought better of it. After last night, I felt sick to my stomach. Charles was taunting me. Before we left the motel, I took out my SIM card, and Parker crushed itbeneath his foot. I should've done it miles ago, but I wasn't able to let go.
Danny made it explicitly clear that I had to cut ties with my old life before we left New York. For the most part, I did, or at least I tried to. Mostly because I felt terrible for leaving Marcie in the lurch. The other reason was all the photos and messages. Whenever the familiar swell of grief rose in me, I liked to look back at those times, the good days. Letting go of that was difficult. The text from the detective had been the final nail in the coffin.
