Page 17 of Perfect Liar
But first I studied his eyes, taking a minute before answering him.
“Umm, she turned seven in April.”
Will looked away and cursed under his breath. When he turned back to me, he used his thumb to wipe away the new tear rolling down my cheek. His touch unleashed more, and as the watery pain streaked down my face, something even more crushing struck me.
I’m responsible for Lissie now, for her life.
But I didn’t know how to be that person for her. I had to learn to be stronger for Lissie.
“What’s going to happen to my family, Will?” I asked.
He thumbed away my tears again.
“The medical examiner’s office will hold them while police search for you. Ben will go back and make certain authorities find them right away.”
Leaning in closer, he lifted my chin with his finger.
“I won’t leave you alone.”
Relief washed over me but quickly vanished.
Then we pulled up to my beach house, to what had always been my safe place, the place I went when something in my world failed, when I needed time alone to heal.
But this time, I wouldn’t be safe…and I wasn’t alone.
“Get down,” Will snapped.
He pushed me and Lissie to the floor, drew his gun, and jumped out of the car.
CHAPTER 5
LORDS POINT
Will refused to let me out of his sight or his arm’s reach even after he had cleared the property.
We stood at the water’s edge, the sea soothing me, the waves washing blood off my knees.
Two hundred feet behind us, at the foot of the hill, weatherworn fencing and wild sea oats marked the beach’s entrance. Perched higher with generous space between them, four houses shared the same white cedar shake siding, but each had varied patterns of gray and brown from the coastal winter beatings.
I stretched out my arms, shut my eyes, and inhaled.
Wind gusts whipped my hair around.
Breaking waves rushed in and pushed me back, as if to save me. I whispered back.
“Tell me how to get through this. Tell me how to go on.”
Will came even closer, using his hand on my lower back to guide me away from the water. His touch was warm and strong and filled with energy, like the summer storm soon to hit the beach. His powerful presence tugged at me, drawing me to him.
“Back inside now. We need to talk while Lissie is sleeping.”
Once in the house, we settled in the living room. I pulled my legs under me on the sofa and rested my face against the back cushion. Will sat on the edge and leaned forward. He cocked his head to the side to stare at me while raking his fingers through his hair.
“Ellie, you saw the cross on the floor.”
I closed my eyes, seeing it again, and nodded. They’d made it with my sister’s blood.
“It’s a signature…a calling card.”