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“He’s here, and it is happening. Cave already has him in the cornfield. He’s hunting him while wielding his sword.”

“Jesus Christ, get him out of there. He’s Valli’s brother. What do you mean Cave has taken Rowan to the cornfield?!”

I end the call because there’s nothing else to say, and I can now hear Rowan clearly.

“Okay, I don’t want any trouble. I just want my sister, just let me see her. And I’ll . . .”

I stroll into the clearing in the middle of the cornfield to see Rowan backing away from Cave with his hands up.

“You’ll what?” I hear myself say. Shit, I thought I was just going to watch. “Huh? You’ll convince her to leave? You’ll take her back to Steedy, so he can finish what Tommy started with her?”

Rowan’s eyes snap to mine. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Someone who has been there for Valli. Someone who knows everything about you.”

I step forward and Rowan steps back. He is panicking now, glancing around while trying to figure out how he can get out of here.

“Listen,” Rowan says. “Whatever she’s told you about me is a lie. She’s my sister and I love her, I would never⁠—”

“You would never what?” I interrupt him. “Let her pay back a debt you owe? Something I think you have done too many times. You always let her deal with the consequences of your debts. Why, just today you called and tried to guilt her into coming home to save your ass.”

“I’m getting out of here. You freaks are fucking crazy.”

Cave has moved, but Rowan doesn’t notice, so when he turns to run, Cave is now behind him with a huge smile on his face.

“Fuck! What do you want from me? Just let me leave!” Rowan yells.

I laugh. “We want to know why you’re really here. What deal did Steedy make with you?”

“I can’t fucking tell you, he’ll kill me.”

That makes me laugh again. “So you would rather he kill your sister? You don’t fucking deserve to have a sister like her. She shouldn’t have to pick up the pieces because you’re a scumbag. And FYI, Steedy is the least of your worries right now.”

Cave moves, and that’s when the air shifts. The thing with Cave is his violence is not about theatrics; he doesn’t give you time to prepare. I can see it coming, the way his body morphs into his Scarecrow persona. It is terrifying the way Cave exits his body momentarily.

I don’t see the blow, just Rowan hitting the ground, blood pouring from his mouth. Then, as Rowan looks up, I see his smirk.

“Stop!” Valli screams, running through the clearing like her ass is on fire. “Please, everyone just stop!”

Cave pauses mid-swing and turns to look at her. For a moment, I almost see the true Cave behind his eyes. Valli reaches him and lays her hand on his arm, while Noa stops on the outer edge of the cornfield to assess what is happening.

“He’s not worth it,” she says. “Please, Cave, don’t do this.”

Cave morphs back into himself, and Rowan scrambles backward. I watch his hand slide into his waistband, and my brain registers what is about to happen. The smile on Rowan’s face tells me that whatever plan he has hatched is ready to unfold.

“Back up now!” Rowan shouts and draws a gun, his hands shaking. “All of you back the fuck up.”

Valli freezes and stands in front of Cave.

I slowly creep forward while Rowan’s attention is on Cave and his sister, and I see Noa doing the same.

“All I need to know is where Steedy’s guy is. You will tell me, or she pays for it.”

Noa steps in beside Valli and holds his hands up. “Valli had nothing to do with it. The man kidnapped her, and she got away. Unfortunately, he did not. We don’t hurt women on the island, and neither does anyone else. He was buried at the back of the island. I can show you.”

For a second, I think Rowan may agree, then he laughs. “No, that’s not how this works. You hand her over, and I leave—that’s the deal.”

“That’s not a deal we can agree to.”