Page 139 of Corpse Roads
In the kitchen, the mess from Theo’s drunken brawl last week still remains. None of us have stopped to shower or sleep, let alone clean up. I feel like I’ve been living on a razor’s edge.
As I’m putting the finishing touches on a tray of sandwiches for everyone to eat, footsteps join me in the kitchen. Enzo silently steals one and retreats to inhale his food at the breakfast bar.
“Food?” I ask Hunter.
He shakes his head, hitting the kettle to make another extra-large batch of tea. Pulling out a fresh mug, he leans against the countertop and lets his head fall into his hands.
“What is it?”
Enzo drops his sandwich, seeming to lose his appetite. “Another letter was delivered to HQ while we were away.”
Stepping into the room, Theo lingers awkwardly. It’s only the second time I’ve seen him in this house since I’ve been home.
“It was a warning note,” he supplies, his glasses tucked into his ringlets. “Delivered along with three dismembered fingers.”
“What the fuck?” I exclaim.
Hunter slams the fridge door as he retrieves the milk. “DNA analysis got a match. Felicity Tate. No known address and not reported missing. She’s been admitted into the hospital for several drug overdoses over the years.”
“What the hell is this sicko thinking?” Enzo scrubs his face. “This doesn’t fit his MO. Serial killers don’t break their patterns.”
“What did the note say?” I glance between them.
Pulling out his phone, Theo hands it over for me to inspect. I feel like I’m going to puke as I scan over the scrawled writing.
The longer you keep her from me, the more death there will be.
Harlow belongs with her family.
Patience is a gift from God.
Mine is running very short.
“What are these?” I frown at the lines of random numbers. “Coordinates?”
“We’ve sent Hudson and Kade to check it out.” Hunter adjusts his new hearing aid. “They left a few hours ago.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Enzo complains as he retrieves some headache pills. “This bastard is taunting us.”
“Let him play his stupid games. Harlow is staying right here, and we’re going to hang him from a damn noose when we find him.”
Grabbing some bottled water, I inch out of the kitchen. All of them are staring into space while eating the sandwiches I made. It’s a start. They’re not giving me death glares anymore, at least.
“Harlow’s awake,” I declare.
Their eyes snap to me, filtering between excitement and trepidation.
“Did she say anything?” Hunter demands.
Pushing aside the memory of her sweet lips on mine, I shrug. “Not much. She’s gone back to sleep for now.”
He strides from the room without another word. Theo watches him go while Enzo hesitates. If he chews his lip any harder, it’ll bleed.
“She’ll want to see you.”
Enzo looks stricken. “I don’t… I can’t. We did this to her.”
“Just get up there, Enz. Worry about everything else tomorrow. I feel the same, but she needs us more than she needs our guilt right now.”