“You!” I yell at Kraig. “It was you!”
Lulu barks so furiously all four of her legs jump into the air. Connor grabs her before she falls right back into the pit. My prison.
I’m furious.
“You kidnapped me from the office, and then you threw me into a pit! What the hell is wrong with you, Kraig?” I kick snowy pine needles at him.
“I didn’t kidnap her,” Kraig tries to explain.
“Of course you didn’t kidnap her.” Frank looks wounded. “I mean, he left her phones there at the top of pit. She could have climbed out and called for help.” Frank sounds desperate.
“She was never in any danger.” Kraig nods.
“Fuck you!”
Spencer grabs Graham before he can punch his stepbrother.
“There was a centipede. It touched my foot!” I shriek at Kraig.
“Centipedes are actually good for the environment—They eat—”
“Finn, shut up.”
“I wasn’t kidnapping her.” Kraig struggles against Grayson and Aaron.
I point to the pit. “Then what the hell was that?”
“I was just…” Kraig licks his lips. “Look, I wasn’t actually going to hurt her.”
“Really? Because I’m going to kill you,” Graham growls.
Kraig looks concerned. “I wanted to stage a kidnapping.”
“It didn’t feel staged!” I shriek.
“I wanted to make it look like Graham did it, okay?” Kraig admits.
“What?” Frank looks confused. “Kraig, why?”
“Because he’s a monster,” Kraig sneers at Graham. “You always said so, Dad, ever since we were kids. He’s a bad person. Evil. Just like his father. All of them are. I know you think he kidnapped that girl off the street. And I wanted to make sure there was proof.”
So. Kraig doesn’t know about the video Claire has. That’s one small thing to be thankful for on this, the night of my second kidnapping.
“I was helping you, Dad,” Kraig pleads with Frank. “We all know what he is. I was helping you trap Graham. When peoplelooked for Dani, they’d find her on that monster’s property, and he’d be put in prison. Where he belongs.”
“Dani, I…” Frank looks heartbroken. “I need to…” He looks like he’s going to pass out. “I guess I need to call the police.”
“The police?!” Kraig hollers and struggles. “It was just a joke—it was just a joke!”
“Some joke!” I scream and slap him in the face. “You tried to frame Graham. You were going to send him to prison.”
“That’s where he belongs… Right, Dad?” Kraig looks to his father. “I was doing this for you.”
“I…” Frank shakes his head. “Dani, I…” He turns to me and clasps his hands together. “Please… can we… Can we work something out?” Frank’s voice is almost a whisper. “He’s my son. I can’t… I don’t know what I’ll do.” His voice cracks.
I shrug. “Kill that video you have of Graham, and we’re even,” I tell him.
“What video?” Kraig asks.
