Rain falls steadily as they leave Rose Cottage. Their neighborhood streets are cluttered with little ghosts and goblins carrying jack-o’-lanterns, treat bags, and flashlights. Carved pumpkins flicker and glow in windows. As Jon drives, Daisy keeps glancing at him. He’s distant, definitely preoccupied.
“I’m sorry about the clients,” she says.
He nods. A muscle twitches at the base of his jaw.
“There will be others,” she offers. “Other investors. The new resort is such an—”
“It’s okay, Daize. Don’t worry about it.”
She bites her tongue and stares out the window. She wants to ask him more about how things are progressing with the decision on a new COO, but she doesn’t dare. Not tonight. She wants things to go perfectly tonight in front of her friends.
When they enter the seaside lane on the North Shore and turn into the Glass House driveway, Daisy sees a car parked there already. It’s yellow. A Subaru Crosstrek. On the side door is the logo for Holly’s Help. Her heart flips and starts to hammer. Vanessa has the maid here? Her mind spins back to the conversation she had with Vanessa.
I was just wondering if we might have the same maid.
You mean Kit?
Yes—yes, I think that must be the same one. Kit Darling?
Daisy thinks of Charley Waters and the Chucky doll.
This is about Kit, isn’t it?
Her mouth turns dry. Anxiety rushes into her veins. She glances at her husband.
Jon is peering at the Subaru, then his gaze goes to the large, modern mansion of glass and steel and concrete. It’s all lit up inside. A glowing glass box in the bleak Halloween darkness.
“Nice place,” he says quietly.
“I know, right?” Daisy says. But her mind is on the Subaru and the maid. Her pulse is galloping. Maybe it’s another maid from Holly’s Help.
“What is it?” Jon asks. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I—it’s nothing. I’m just thinking that Vanessa and I—we probably have the same maid.”
They exit the car. Daisy carries the pie and the bouquet because Jon is checking something on his phone.
Daisy steps up onto the paved entryway. She can see straight through the glass door and side panel into the home. Candles have been placed everywhere. Jon lingers just behind her, still busy with his phone.
“Jon, can you ring the bell, please? My hands are full.”
He puts his phone away and steps forward to ring the bell.
It clangs inside.
Daisy watches the candles flicker.
Jon rings again.
Vanessa hurries into Daisy’s view. She wears glittery red devil’s horns on her head, and she’s carrying a trident. Daisy begins to smile. Her friend is dressed for Halloween—tiny black skirt, a devil’s tail with an arrow at the end, striped witchy stockings, black shoes with high, square heels. Frilly little white maid’s apron. A velvet choker around her neck. Daisy’s smile suddenly begins to fade as Vanessa nears. It strikes her in slow motion. Vanessa-the-devil is wearing a cropped black T-shirt imprinted with a Chucky doll holding a knife.
Die die die die Baby Bean die...
Daisy’s brain folds in on herself.
Her friend has no baby bump.
Her heart begins to thump.
