CHAPTER NINETEEN

“We don’t have to go in there,” Gabby said for the third time. She shifted in her seat in the back row of Z’s Range Rover, the chill of the night air slipping through the partially open windows. For the last hour, the five of them had been huddled together in the car, parked on the outskirts of Falcon Rock, watching the second-floor corner window of an apartment building down the block. “What if that’s not even the right place?”

“I’m positive that’s it,” Andrew replied from his seat next to her. “I didn’t even have to hack anything to find this out. All I needed to do was go on Spokeo. It’s the only address for a Devon Warner in this area.”

Devon Warner’s apartment building was in an even more bleak area than the motel and restaurant had been, on a run-down street that boasted three liquor stores, but no working streetlights.

When the group began their drive here tonight, Gabby had gotten swept up in their nervous excitement. It felt liberating to be out at night, doing something totally unexpected. But now that she was there, she was just plain nervous. Anything could happen on this dark, desolate street. It was so different from the last time they were all crammed in Z’s car on the way to Falcon Rock. That was for an actual assignment from Patricia and Nash with a clear-cut goal. Now that the five of them had decided to take matters into their own hands, they had to come up with their own plan of attack.

“I say we go into the apartment now. He could come back any second. We’re just wasting time,” Sabrina said. Gabby wasn’t surprised that Sabrina was pushing them to go in. Sabrina had told them about the ghost and what she’d said to her. You can’t trust them. Now Sabrina was just like Z, aggressive and suspicious. Maybe even more so.

Sabrina had volunteered to enter the building as soon as they’d arrived, just for some early reconnaissance.

“He’s not home,” she reported when she came back to the car. She’d knocked on the door, received no answer and heard no sounds from inside. Since then, the window had remained dark.

“We’ll be quick,” she urged them all now. “Let’s go in, see what we can find out about this guy. Who is he? How did he know about the serum?”

Gabby shook her head nervously. “We don’t even know if Devon Warner did know about the serum.”

“Gabby, he took Sadie’s gun and bracelet. The bracelet that ended up with Lily’s blood all over it,” Sabrina reminded her. “He was at the scene of the crime. Chances are he knew about the serum.”

“But didn’t you say he could’ve been a middleman? I think we should wait. Just scope out the place from out here. Nash said he’d let us know when they needed us.”

Z gave Gabby a pitying look.

Gabby’s eyes flitted to the dark window again. “Don’t you think that if it’s as easy to find this place as Andrew said, then Nash and Patricia have probably already been here —”

“Which makes me wonder why we haven’t,” Z broke in. “We can find out things they can’t. Remember what happened at Lily’s cabin?”

“It’s just … something doesn’t feel right here,” Gabby countered. She wished she could articulate it better.

“Of course something isn’t right here. There’s three guys doing crack fifty yards away and Devon Warner could come back at any second to find us all,” Z replied.

“I know it’s a little risky, Gabby,” Sabrina admitted.

The understatement of the year, Gabby thought. At best Devon Warner was a guy who knocked out women for fun and a few dollars. At worst he was a murderer.

“But you know what could happen if the serum gets into the wrong hands. This is worth the risk. We need some answers.” Her eyes locked with Z’s, and Gabby realized they were totally on the same page.

“Maybe you could stay in the car,” Justin told Gabby quietly, his eyes focused on the car console. Since they’d arrived, he’d been testing his ability to move the heating dial psychokinetically, with limited success.

“No, she can’t,” Andrew piped up from the other side. “Gabby needs to be up there. She’s the one who has visions. If she sees the right thing, she could solve the whole case.”

“Answers could be only a few minutes away,” Z reminded her.

Despite the danger, Gabby could admit that this part was tempting.

“I don’t want to force you to go, though, Gabby,” Sabrina said, softening. “If you feel that strongly, then we’ll respect it. Going into Devon’s apartment should be a unanimous decision.”

The others nodded, which Gabby appreciated. But Z had touched a nerve. Gabby did want answers. She shouldn’t let her personal fear get in the way.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll do it.” A look of relief spread across their faces.

“I’ll go with you,” Justin told her. “Nothing will happen to you, I promise.” He sounded so sure that Gabby almost believed him.

*    *    *

A few moments later, she was following Justin up the graffiti-covered stairwell. The rest of the group would stay in the car a bit longer to avoid being too conspicuous.

Gabby reached the second-story hall, which had a thin, stained carpet. Before she knew what she was doing, she reached down to touch a large brown mark on the carpet and was instantly transported.

Blood. Fresh blood splattering everywhere, the sounds of someone in pain suddenly in Gabby’s ears. Then she could see two girls with stringy hair and wiry frames but almost superhuman strength kicking a third one who lay on the floor, clutching her ribs. Again and again and again, they kicked her head and body, the girl on the floor begging them to stop, while the perpetrators laughed.

“You okay?” Justin asked, bringing her out of the vision.

“Yeah,” she lied, keeping her eyes firmly forward, avoiding the other telltale stains. Don’t look, don’t touch. She didn’t want to know what other sordid secrets were hidden in this filthy place.

A light flickered at the end of the corridor, above the door to apartment 204.

“I’m going to knock one more time,” Justin whispered. “Just in case.”

Gabby wondered if he was even scared.

The knocking was met by silence. Justin looked at her. “Should I …?”

“I guess so,” she replied, though every bone in her body was telling her to turn back.

“I honestly don’t know how much control I have. I don’t want to rip the whole door out,” he said in a low voice.

“Maybe you could just focus on sliding the lock over. See this part here …” Gabby slipped her hand on the brass knob, then found it turned easily under her hand. “Wait — it’s not even locked.”

She allowed the door to open, revealing the small, dark apartment. Her heart was beating at triple speed.

“Let me double-check he’s not here,” Justin whispered, taking the lead as they quickly shut the door behind them. The place was tiny, with a hallway leading to just one bedroom and bathroom off a main living and kitchen area. Justin was able to check it out within a few moments.

“I think we’re clear. No one’s here.”

Gabby should’ve been relieved, but the feeling in her gut just intensified. Something isn’t right.

“Do you want to look around in the other rooms? See if you get a vibe off anything? I’ll stand by the door, just in case.”

Gabby wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of going through the apartment alone, but it was smarter to have Justin standing guard.

She entered the small beige bathroom and nudged open the vanity drawer to reveal a mess of soaps and shaving creams. She sorted through it, her palms clammy as she looked for anything that could contain the serum. Then she took a deep breath and opened the medicine cabinet.

It was empty except for a dozen orange prescription bottles lined up on the top shelf. Gabby pulled one down, reading the label. Valium. She was about to put it back when she caught sight of the name on the prescription label. Her hands started to shake.

Lily Carpenter.