Chapter 23
Found You
WES
“Ilike it better when we get to use pie,” I say calmly. I feel like I always have to remind him that my way is the better way.
“You’re obsessed with your pies.”
“Yeah, and?”
Noah looks at me and shakes his head. “You’re fucked up. Let’s go.” We cautiously make our way out of the alley, keeping our balaclavas on and ensuring no one is around.
“I’m sorry,I’mfucked up? You just stabbed a guy twenty times in the gut without blinking an eye.”
“We can’t use poisoned pie very often.” Noah ignores my observation. “Otherwise we’ll be known as the Mince Pie Killers or something stupid.”
“I like the sound of that.” My thoughts have already returned to Callie, waiting for me at the apartment. I need to decide what I’m going to say to her. Not the truth, obviously, but it can’t be nothing or she’ll never trust me.
“You would.” Noah shakes his head, likethatis the thing that makes me messed up.
“But it’s been ages.” We only use pie when we’re positive the body will never be found. We shoved Chad Smith behind the dumpster, so he’ll be discovered eventually. Otherwise, it’s too unique of a way to die. I pull out my phone and stop short. There’s a ton of missed notifications from the security system at the apartment.
“Oh, fuck.” Adrenaline spikes in my veins. I urgently click and skim the video until I’m sure that no one got in.
Confirmed.
But she got out.
“What?” Noah says with a sharp edge. “Let me guess. Callie.”
“Yes.”
Callie left the apartment, and when I pull up the map, I swear. She’s only a few blocks from here. I curse and start to jog, and Noah growls and follows. We’re close to the blue dot. Is she running? Riding in a car? Trying to escape me?
But the dot isn’t moving.
“She must’ve followed us.” Fuck me. Did she see us take out Chad Smith? Callie’s been okay with me stalking her, tracking her, obsessing over her, but I’m not sure she’ll be okay with me killing people.
“Obviously.” Noah’s voice is exasperated and sharp. “But the question is, did she see what happened?”
“What if she did?” I challenge. Noah follows as I jog across the street and down another alley that’ll cut through to where Callie is.
“I don’t know, Wes, then what?”
“Then nothing. I’ll talk to her.” I focus on my breathing. “We don’t murder innocent people. Especially women. Especially Callie.”
I glance over at Noah, and he returns my look and nods.
“Obviously.” Then he swears under his breath. “We’d never hurt her, Wes.”
I dip my chin. But I’m terrified for what this all means. Callie’s seen a lot of things in her lifetime, so I don’t think she’d turn us in, but I don’t know. And I’m dreading the way she’ll look at me when we find her.
“She’s down here.” I point up to a better-lit road. Noah and I pull off our balaclavas in case we run into people.
I see Callie from half a block away. She’s sitting on the stoop of a dark row house, shivering. Not even trying to run.
“Calliope.” My stomach twists as I stop in front of the stoop and take her in. She’s been crying. Her eyes are red, her hair mussed as if she’s been running her hands through it.
