26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Melanie
Over an elaborate spread of delivered Italian takeout, which I'm sure she ordered so I would have excessive leftovers, we continue dissecting everything I've learned about Michael, and the extreme precautions I've taken to avoid him. Each detail seems to horrify Evelyn more.
“Melanie,” she says finally, pushing her barely touched pasta aside, “there's still something I don't understand. Why risk everything by going to the New Year's Eve party? After all your careful planning, all your precautions - that move seems completely opposite to what you've been trying to do.”
I stare down at my hands, twisting my napkin. “The truth? I wanted to see Cameron. I'd been toying with the decision to leave Whispering Pines entirely. Start fresh somewhere else until I could gather enough evidence against Michael. But...” My voice catches. “I needed to see Cameron. Just to know he was okay. I thought I could hide in a corner, get one glimpse, then slip away.”
“But that's not what happened.”
“No. I was afraid standing alone in a corner would draw attention. So, I ordered a drink to blend in.” A bitter laugh escapes me. “If either of us had been just a few minutes earlier or later at that bar... but when I saw him start searching the crowd and saw the bartender point my way, I knew he'd ordered our drink and made the connection. Next thing I knew, he was coming toward me and I knew where Cameron was Michael would be. So, I ran.”
“Into the maintenance hallway.”
“How did you know?”
“The video surveillance. Cameron has it all. He went straight to his office afterward and watched you on the security footage.”
“The cameras. God, I never even thought about them.” My chest tightens. “He must be so confused.” I close my eyes. “I bet he hates me.”
“Angry is more accurate. Confused and angry.” She studies my face. “Do you still love him?”
“I've never stopped. He was my partner, my best friend, my everything. The whole family is. But, I don't know, maybe I should just disappear.” I gesture at the damning evidence spread across the table. “When he learns the truth, he's going to be so hurt.”
Evelyn's fist slams the table so hard our coffee cups rattle. I jump, startled by her vehemence.
“Like hell you will! Damn it, I absolutely forbid it!”
“You swore,” I whisper, shocked.
“Well, I know how. Do you expect me to just allow you to walk out of here? Never see you again? Now that I know all of this, how can you even suggest leaving?” Her eyes blaze with determination. “Do you want more women to be hurt? We know of two, only two. I highly doubt Michael stopped at two. How many more are there that we don't know of? How many before you? YOU will NOT let Michael win. WE will NOT let him win. He must be exposed!! And when it's over, we'll sit Cameron down and explain all of it. He'll understand, we'll make him.”
“But how can I prove any of it? Who would believe me?”
“I believe you. And the truth is on our side.”
I manage a weak smile at her unwavering faith in justice.
“I don't know how to fight him,” my head drops in defeat.
“They didn't either.” She holds up the pictures of the missing women. “The thing is, they weren't given a chance to fight. Both scenes have evidence of struggles. These women were forcibly taken.”
Immediately my mind zooms me back to the hallway at the Inn. Mr. Daggers and I had just emerged from the hidden passage. I'd asked him to let me go. The sinister way he looked at me when he said, “If I were in charge, I'd do worse. Be glad it's not me.” I wrap my arms around myself.
“What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.” Evelyn asks, her face full of concern. I explain what I'd just remembered. “Well, that's not comforting at all. You he talked to, them he took.”
The weight of responsibility settles over me. How many women didn't get the chance to run and hide like I did? How could I live with myself if I don't try to stop him? This is a nightmare and I just want to wake up from it.
A soft padding sound draws my attention as Moses re-emerges from the bedroom. He hustles back over to Evelyn.
“Did you need more loving?” She scoops him up, nuzzling his fur. “We were worried whoever had you had Moses.”
“He's why I went back to that first motel. Until today, he's been my only friend,” Moses purrs, rubbing his face against her cheek. “Moses, enough! Don't be rude.”
“Let him be. He's missed his family.” She strokes his back as he settles in her lap. “I remember when Cameron found him. All fluff and paws. He was so excited he'd found this little cutie.”
I laugh. “I couldn't figure out why he was so excited.” The memory fills me with happiness. “That Sunday dinner when he made me sit on the footstool with my eyes closed... then he held Moses so close to my face I couldn't even focus. Poor Cameron thought I didn't like his gift when I had to back away.”
“And now look at you.” She scratches under Moses' chin as he arches in delight. “I'm so glad you had him with you. And don't worry, Cameron will come around. Once he sees this and it's explained to him.”
“I hope so. I honestly hope so. I miss him so much.”
Her face grows serious again. “So, Melanie. Are you ready to take the next step? Ready to take back your life and stop Michael from hurting anyone else?”
Put that way, there's really only one answer. “Yes. But where do we start? No offense, but neither of us has the computer skills Michael does. And if we want to bust him, that's where we have to get the proof.”
She straightens in her chair, that familiar determined gleam in her eye. “Do you trust me?”