“Hi,” Harlyn mutters softly, giving him a flat smile. “I’m in unit nine.” I didn’t even hear her end her call, but she’s no longer holding the phone against her cheek.
The guard looks down at the paper held between my fingers, which are lifted in his direction. I wonder if he’s contemplating why she gave the code to me to hand over if she was planning on speaking to him or thinking how such a simple, trusting gesture just like this one is what gets people like her killed. Maybe he’s just wishing he could have taken the paper from her fingers instead of mine. I could probably come up with a hundred thoughts he could be thinking, but I find the simplest usually fit. People are so mundane. It’s tragic, really.
“Hello.” He leans his elbow on the little windowsill he’s stationed behind, completely ignoring me while running his greedy gaze over her. “The reservation is for one?” His comment is leading, prompting her to divulge information he has no right to ask, even if his technique is clumsy. I would never be so incompetent, but I doubt we have the same motives to glean information. He probably wants to fuck Harlyn while I want to possess her entirely.
“Yep, but someone will be joining me soon,” Harlyn answers with a nod of her head. The guard gives the side of my face one last once-over I pretend not to notice before he passes the paper he took from me to her.
“Don’t lose this, and don’t give it to anyone.” He tries to sound firm, but it’s ruined by the fact that he’s eyeing her like she’s something he wants to unwrap. Yes, he’s going to die, painfully. “If you need anything, just ask for John. Even if I’m not here, I’m close by.”
“Sure,” Harlyn says dismissively, pulling the paper from his fingers with a little tug. I’m already inching forward before the gate even rises, contemplating how I’m going to kill him and make it look like an accident so his death doesn’t raise anysuspicions. Two people dying in a short time frame would raise too many red flags in this small town, even if their association is very weak. At least I will have something to distract me from Harlyn and the reason I’m here for a little while. I will come back for him when what happened to Harlyn is just a memory, something people only whisper about for fear of it happening again.
At the stop sign twenty feet past the shack, there’s a wooden sign directing me to the left for units one thru twelve. As I’m about to turn, Harlyn leans forward and says, “To the left, I think.”
I don’t tell her I already knew that, and not just because she already told the guard what number she is renting. I don’t say anything at all. I’m too busy looking at the first group of adjoined units we pass. The condos are set up in groups of three and staggered to provide a façade of privacy. Before we even reach her unit, I know she will be at the end of a row. When I see the wide green expanse and park-like setting between her unit and the next group of condos, I take it as a sign that we are both in the right place at the right time. This isn’t the ideal location for what I have in mind, but I believe this setting provides the best opportunity for the measure of privacy I want when I’m finally alone with her. My mind is already coming up with ways to get inside without detection so we can keep playing our little game, until it’s time for it to be over.
“You don’t happen to know any good takeout places nearby, do you?” Through the rearview mirror, I note she has one hand on the locked door and the other on her duffle bag. I would never guess the thing costs a small fortune. It looks like any other leather overnight bag, but I made it my mission to know everything about her, so I know the understated bag is unattainable for most of the population. When I cut the supple suede lining open to hide one of the many tracking devicesI have attached to her, I was impressed with the quality. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. I couldn’t even see the glue residue I used to repair the seam.
“Pints and Quarts for food, and Muskegon Brewing for the view,” I reply, repeating what I read online while doing research on the area after I learned she was coming here. It would have been nice to have a little extra time to prepare and familiarize myself with this location, but I couldn’t risk being too far away from her. Now that the plan has changed, I will have to find a way to be close to her until it’s time for this to finally be over.
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, but it never does, not since I killed her sister, so I don’t take it personally. When I slow to a stop, she pulls on the door handle, but the lock doesn’t release. Our eyes meet in the reflection again, just for a moment longer than I should, I think about keeping her. She must see the madness in my eyes, because she shrinks back on herself and looks out of the window as if searching for another escape. When I eventually hit the unlock button, she actually jumps from the sound, as if I fired a bullet. It makes me smile.
“Child locks.” I shrug as if keeping her trapped was unintentional. The small precaution I take in every vehicle I drive may not have been used with her in mind, but it proves my meticulous planning is worth the effort.
As much as I don’t want to, I pull away when the door closes after she exits. It pains me to leave her alone, even if it’s just for a little while. Creeping slowly down the road, I keep an eye on her through the mirrors as she stands at the end of the driveway, looking up at the three-story luxury condo. Maybe I should have offered to help her inside with her bags. I shake my head to dislodge the thought. There’s no way I could have lefther breathing if she invited me in. Not even I possess that kind of discipline.
CHAPTER 2
Harlyn
Ignoring my phone and the many alerts I’ve gotten in the last five minutes since I hung up with Liv, I head to the front door and enter the six-digit code I preregistered for the entrance with the owner. The green light and rolling mechanical sound of the lock disengaging that accompanies it tells me I’m in the right place.
The space beyond the door is airy, with floor to ceiling windows on the rear wall, showcasing a lake view I can’t help appreciating, even while glancing around the rest of the room. To the left is a staircase. The floating treads are made of a light wood that complement the cream walls and turquoise accents.
I place my bag on the floor near my feet. I’m not used to being in unfamiliar places alone anymore. This didn’t seem quite so daunting on paper or in my thoughts, but now I feel the need to search the place from top to bottom to confirm I truly am alone.
I take a quick look behind me, noting the bright sunlight streaming in through the glass storm door, and decide to get the hard part over with. The main floor’s open plan makes it fairly easy to peruse. There are a few closets hidden behind closed doors and a small bathroom to interrupt the flow. Other than finding a vacuum and some random cleaning supplies, the place is empty. When I grasp the railing of the stairs to continue my tour, the apprehension from moments earlier returns. I know there are three large bedrooms from the listing, each with ensuites attached on the upper floors. I planned to make the third-floor loft space my room for my stay, but now I’m not so sure how I feel about that after seeing how open it is to the space below.
The stairs are silent as I ascend to the first landing. I don’t allow myself to be sucked into the view below or even the crystal blue water throwing sparkles of light my way through the glass. Instead, I check out the small but comfortable seating area. The chairs would make a great place to sit and read. On each end of the alcove is an open door. Choosing the nearest, I peer into the oversized bedroom, finding a neatly made bed and light furnishings. I’m tempted to leave it at that, but there’s no way I could relax without making sure there’s no one hiding inside, waiting for me to drop my guard. Straightening my shoulders, I take a deep breath and enter the first bedroom, and my nose wrinkles at the strong scent of artificial vanilla that overwhelms my senses. My eyes sweep around until I find a little white scent diffuser plugged into one of the outlets. I’m glad to know the place is clean, but it’s a little strong in here, which makes me wonder if they are trying to cover something up. Maybe the previous tenant smoked or something.
I start to get a little more comfortable when I find the bathroom and closet as empty as the rest of the house. I like the fact that it isn’t filled with clothes and belongings, because itmakes it easy to see into all the nooks and crannies. The second room on the same floor is just as uneventful, though it does have a view of the water from the windows. If the top floor doesn’t work out, I’ll happily take this one. I like the stormy gray colors on the walls and dark, heavy furniture.
Just as I’m about to head up to the final floor, my phone vibrates with a call. This time I answer it without even looking at the screen. There are only a handful of people who have my number, and I already know who it is. Livy must be getting desperate if she’s actually calling.
“Hello.” My voice echoes through the house as I climb up the final treads. “Oh, damn,” I mutter before Liv responds.
“What’s wrong?” she rushes out.
“Nothing.” I dismiss her concern quickly then explain, “Is it possible to fall in love with a house?”
“A condo, you mean,” she corrects.
I roll my eyes at the distinction. Livy is obsessed with owning a home by the time she is twenty-five, which is fast approaching, and she doesn’t think a condo fits that bill. She has her reasons—privacy, the monthly fees, and bylaws are the most noteworthy. I, on the other hand, tend to think the benefits outweigh the cons. Point in fact, I see a man through the window, dressed in a neat khaki uniform, cutting the grass, something I have no interest in doing myself. Not to mention I don’t relish the idea of living all by myself where your neighbors might not hear you scream for help.No one heard Hayzel’s screams.It’s unsettling how an errant thought can intrude and derail such a beautiful moment.
I shove the dark thought into the recesses of my mind where they are never truly forgotten. “Yeah, a condo, a really nice condo,” I say while walking over to the shutter style double doors to the left of the bed. Behind the doors, I find a pristine white bathroom. The shower stands out as the focal point with a wallthat looks like it could be a giant piece of sliced agate. The colors mimic those of the lower level, teal and turquoise with fine lines of gold in a rough circle.
“Is it cold?” Liv doesn’t seem distracted by my awe.
“I’m switching to FaceTime. You have to see this place.”
