Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“I understand that, but this situation is delicate. See, the whole reason I booked your beautiful cottage”—gotta stroke the ego—“is because my friend stayed here. Her name is Eve Castillo.”
Just like Damian, Alex’s eyes held a flicker of panic. And just like Damian, he recovered quickly. “Yeah, I can’t say that I really saw her.” He scratched the back of his head. “We try not to bother the tenants unless they need us for emergencies. Makes people feel like they’re at home and all that. I’m sure you get it.”
“Of course.” I nodded, but what I really wanted to do was grab his shirt, yank him forward, and slap him until he gave me answers.
Alex and Damian were hiding something. That much was clear. Eddie wasn’t wrong about Damian either. He was a bit off-putting. I had the urge to ask about the scream Selma mentioned, but something told me to hold off on that nugget of information for now.
“Well, if you remember anything at all, will you contact me? I can leave you my number.”
“Nah, that’s alright.” Alex raised a hand that was stained with black smudges similar to his shirt. “I can find it on your application.”
“Oh.” I huffed a humorless laugh, walking toward the steps. “Right. Well, thanks for your time.”
“Sure thing.”
I walked away, making sure not to look too suspicious or panicked. When I finally rounded a thick-trunked tree, I released the trapped breath in my lungs. With one last glance at the blue house, I saw Alex storm inside and slam the main door behind him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Back at the rental, I closed the door behind me and locked it. This house was so quiet compared to my apartment. I always heard the people walking upstairs, neighbors shutting their doors, or dogs barking. The quietness here was deafening. Removing my gun, I checked to make sure the safety was still on, then placed it on the dining table.
Eve’s purse was where I’d left it, the contents laid out on the table as well. The iPhone and camera were what I was interested in most. Eve used both to record her content. Sometimes she used them to take pictures and record random events happening in her life.
I picked up the phone first. It was dead. “Of course,” I grumbled.
I searched for my charger in the bedroom and plugged it in. While it was soaking up juice, I returned to the table and grabbed the camera. After powering it on, I noticed right away that there wasn’t much battery left. I didn’t have the proper USB to charge it, nor was there one in Eve’s purse. I sat at the table, going to the camera’s gallery and hoping it wouldn’t die on me.
Images of the lake appeared. Some during the daytime and others when the sun was setting. The last photo she’d uploaded to her Instagram was there as well, followed by a slew of about ten more. Each had her striking a different pose. Forever the girl needing the perfect picture. I clicked and a video was next.
After hitting the Play button, Eve’s voice filled the room. “So, I swore I wasn’t going to make any content during this trip,” she said in a cheerful voice, “but you guys know me. Even when I need time to myself, I want to share my experiences with you. And even if I’m feeling kinda blah and—oh, crap!”
Eve’s laughter filled the room. It made me stir in my seat hearing it. She had a contagious laugh—one you’d never expect to come out of her. Almost like a hyena, but on steroids.
“Oh, my goodness. Did you just see that? I almost busted my ass tripping over my umbrella. Good grief.” She bent down to pick the umbrella up and chucked it someplace else. “Anyway, let me show you around. This is the living room. It gives pretty views of the trees and the front of the property. Over there is the dining area and I opened the curtains so you can see some of the lake. The kitchen is over there. That’s where the best view is. Kind of backwards though. You’d think the living room would have the better view but that’s what I like about this place. Things are switched up here. Those are the patio doors,” she said, pointing ahead. When she approached the door, she slid it open and let out a dramatic gasp. “Guys. Oh, my Godfrey. Look at that view.”
I huffed a laugh at the name Godfrey. It was a thing we made up because my dad would get upset about us using God’s name in vain.
The footage revealed Eve walking farther outside and stepping onto a familiar grassy hill. “Here, let me just . . .” She removed the camera from what I assumed was a tripod and held it up so only the lake was in sight. From where she stood, you could see the top of the stairs leading to the dock, as well as the massive body of water.