Chapter 3 #2
We enter the pool house. It’s practically a shed, small and packed with pool tools and floaties used for parties.
It’s big enough to walk a few feet inside the place without bumping into each other, and that helps me concentrate, because the last thing I want is to be in a tight space with him.
The more time I spend with Danny, the more vulnerable I become. My attraction to him is a weakness.
While Danny peeks out the door to check that we’re completely alone, I allow myself to truly take in how much he’s changed in the past year.
Danny has always been tall and lean. He has put on a little bit of weight, but it looks great on him.
His chest and arms look fuller under his gray shirt.
I don’t let my eyes go below the waist. I’m afraid the sight of his thighs will trigger more dangerous memories, so I stay at eye level. His face has always been a safe place.
Or maybe not, because when his eyes focus on me, warmth spreads through my insides.
I blink rapidly to fight off the effect he has on me and try to focus on the new things I catch about him, like the slight shadow growing on his jaw.
Is he growing a beard or did he forget to shave?
In contrast, his dark brown hair is shorter, buzzed on the sides and slightly longer on top.
It’s a clean cut, showing off his slightly pointy ears that I’ve always found adorable.
His appearance fits well for law school.
“I’m sorry I’m taking up so much of your time,” he starts off. “And for being so sketchy about everything. I just . . . I don’t know what to do.”
The seriousness of his tone sends a shock of worry through my skin.
“What’s wrong?”
He pulls out a pink envelope from his back pocket.
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach, dragging me down with it.
I haven’t seen the contents, but I’m sure it holds another threatening photo.
Slowly, Danny takes out a picture, unfolds it and reveals it to me.
It’s similar to the one my sister got: a candid shot of me, but this time, Cerys is in it too.
It wasn’t taken the same day as the one Carmen received.
No, this was from the night Cerys’ nightmare began.
I recognize her blue crop top because it’s what I stared at while she got her rape kit done.
Nausea almost overpowers me, and I press the back of my hand against my mouth. Goosebumps erupt over my skin. I inhale deeply, willing the bile to settle in my stomach.
Finally, when the memories of that night stop invading my brain, I read the threat.
Come back or they’re next.
“I’m sorry if this is too much, Mabel,” he says, placing a hand on my shoulder.
Comfort coils in me under the warmth of his palm.
“But I don’t know what to do. I showed it to the police, but they brushed it off.
They didn’t take it seriously. Seems like these types of letters are way too common.
They dusted it for prints but found nothing. ”
My stomach twists painfully, anxiety stabbing me.
“I got one, too. It’s why I came back,” I reveal as I grab it from the backpack and hand it to him along with Carmen’s. “My sister got the other one.”
Danny takes his time to evaluate both photos, alternating between them. He frowns with concern and his mouth twists.
“Do you have any theories?” he asks. “They seem to be from the same person.”
I wrinkle my nose and pace around the pool house to find the right words. Unsure of what to say after my conversation with my sister.
“Carmen thinks it’s far-fetched, but I think it might be the killer.”
“The killer?” he arches a brow.
“Brian’s killer.”
His expression dims. “I hate to say this, but I’m with you on that one.”
For the first time, I wish he had told me the opposite.
Maybe I wanted Carmen to be right. Somehow, it seems easier to think I’m being paranoid than to believe we might have a killer threatening the lives of the people I care about.
I don’t want to carry this worry with me.
I’ve already carried guilt with me throughout the last year.
Confusion swells in my brain.
“Why do you think so?” I ask, turning to face him. “That it’s the same killer, I mean.”
He glances around like the answer is obvious. “I’m not the horror fan here, but I’m pretty sure only one person we know got murdered last year, and it’s one we were all close to, one way or another.”
“No, I get that, but why send us the photos? We have nothing to do with what happened to Brian.”
This is what doesn’t make sense to me. The only photograph with a link to Brian is the one of Cerys, but she hasn’t been around.
If they wanted her . . . why threaten Carmen or me?
Why send Danny a threat too? There’s a big blur; a gap I can’t fill no matter how hard I try.
I wrack my brains for the one vital detail that could help us solve this before it turns into a nightmare.
For some reason, the killer has dragged us back to this place.
Me by putting a target on my sister’s back.
Danny by threatening two of his old friends.
Why?
We haven’t done anything.
There are more things I didn’t do than things I did.
“I don’t know, Mabel. I wish I did, but I don’t.”
I groan in frustration.
“If the killer got rid of Brian, why go after any of us? Including Cerys. It doesn’t make sense. I’m missing something important here and I don’t know what.”
“You’ll figure it out. You always do.” His eyes soften as he says the words. The curves of his mouth tilt into a light smile, like he hasn’t been surer about anything else in the world. “Stop beating yourself up for it.”
I snort. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll figure it out like every final girl does: after the killer manages to kill almost everyone and does the big reveal with a villainous speech,” I mutter bitterly.
Running my fingers through the dark strands of my ponytail, I bite my inner cheek.
This is the part of the movie where people yell at the screen because the characters are making dumb choices.
“There’s just one big chunk missing. I refuse to let this bastard harm the people I care about. ”
Yet . . .
What if, after everything, it’s just one big prank that the Deltas are pulling to mess with Cerys and me? It’s possible. It could be a ploy to make me waste money for nothing.
“What if we’re wrong?”
Danny presses his lips into a thin line.
“If we’re wrong, then it would be the best possible outcome. But I don’t think we are.”
Deep down, I agree, and I can’t ease the bundle of anxiety and fear creating havoc in my stomach.
“Mabel,” he calls softly. His hand delicately wraps around my wrist, the tips of his fingers caress my skin.
He’s not forcefully grabbing me. No, his touch grounds me, allowing my brain to calm the panic coursing through my body.
I lift my gaze to meet his caramel eyes, comforting and supportive.
Damn him. “I don’t think we’re wrong either. ”
Nervousness, both from uncertainty and Danny’s warm touch, drags a pattern along my spine.
A shaky sigh sneaks past my lips as I focus on the tingles spreading through my skin as Danny continues to caress me.
There’s something in the gentle way he touches me that makes me wonder, for the tiniest second, if I wasn’t imagining things when I kissed him.
It’s the sense of familiarity in his touch, the comfort it brings, that leaves me trying to figure out if it means something more.
“What are we going to do?” I ask, once my heart no longer feels like it wants to jump out of my mouth.
Danny’s fingers graze the length of my jaw as he cups my chin delicately.
And, shit, my heart lumps in my throat again. I lose my ability to breathe and my mouth goes dry. The lines of our former friendship blur the more he touches my skin.
“Focus on what we can control.”
“That sounds a lot like waiting around for something to happen.”
“Sometimes it’s all we can do,” he acknowledges, keeping his calm throughout this.
I envy him. I wish I could sit around and take one thing at a time, but my brain won’t let me.
Knowing everything I know about horror and slashers, I fear the worst. It’s not in my nature to be laidback and collected.
“You should keep an eye on Carmen while I focus on keeping Cerys safe at the party.”
“Cerys? She’s here?!” My voice raises in pitch, the panic returning.
“I called her after I got the letter. She told me she got one too.”
My blood feels like it’s stopped flowing and my knees seem to get heavier as reality sets in. Knowing what it means, I feel the dread begin to form in my body, stabbing every inch of my skin. Everything is in place for horror to ensue.
A gory introductory murder? Check.
Compelling group of friends? Check.
A stalker threatening their lives? Check.
A party where things can get out of control? Double check.
And just like that, the recipe for a slasher plot is complete.
It’s about to become a bloody valentine.