Chapter 12
Lucy
My lips pressed together tightly as I glared at Jeff. It took all my strength to walk through the broken door of the cabin. I was afraid. Terrified at what I’d see. But I hadn’t expected this. Or maybe I had. Perhaps that was why I was so mad. When the cabin first came into view, I almost believed him. But it was all lies.
“What now?”
His head shook as he shone the flashlight around the empty bedroom for the millionth time. We had searched the entire place up and down. Nothing. No blood. No torture devices or a single knife. “I don’t understand. This place was packed with things. Furniture. Pictures. Equipment and shit. It’s gone. Everything is gone.”
“Probably because it never existed! Jeff, it didn’t happen! None of it. None!”
My entire body shook from the fury and cold. I was drenched from the rain, and it was freezing. We’d walked so far, for what? Nothing. Jeff was still in denial, and my legs ached so bad, they were barely able to support me. Exhaustion became crippling, and all I wanted to do was to get back to Boston. He was probably worried sick.
“I want to go home, right now. If I ever hear you mention anything about this again, I’ll never speak to you again.”
Without waiting for him to follow, I stomped to the front door, not even worried about the dark. A hand gripped onto my shoulder, spinning me as rain pattered back over my head. Thunder boomed in the distance, and I swatted his hand off me.
“Lucy, don’t be mad. There’s a cabin. See, I told you there was. I’m telling the truth.”
“No, you’re not. There’s a fucking cabin. So what? Have you seen Boston’s house? I’m not surprised. They have money. Maybe it’s his dad’s hunting cabin. You both used to go hunting when you were younger. It means nothing.”
I kept walking as Jeff jogged to make it to my side. “Dammit, Lucy. I swear—”
“What did I tell you? Not another word, Jeff, or you and I are done. You need help. Mom has enough on her plate. She doesn’t need this. She’s barely keeping it together as it is. First Dad, then your accident with Boston, then the drinking episodes, and now…you’re turning into a raving maniac. People are talking. Sarah asks about you all the time. When was the last time you talked to her? When’s the last time you went to work? Have you even been helping Mom out with the bills?”
“You’re one to talk. You left.”
“I could barely contribute with what I made. Besides, I was on my way to work tonight, but you convinced me to come on this stupid trip. So stupid. No more. I’m finished worrying about you. I just want to be with Boston, and I want to be happy.”
Again, I was grabbed. I screamed, swinging at him as I fought to break loose.
“You can’t go back to him, Lucy. Don’t you see how dangerous he is? We need to get Mom and leave. Or…I’ll kill him this time. Then we’ll never have to worry about him getting to you.”
“Do you hear yourself? You’re the dangerous one! Let go!”
I clawed at his face, kicking out and hitting against him the best I could. When I managed to break free, I took off running into the darkness. Branches scraped my face, tearing into my skin worse than before. The flashlight swayed within the higher branches before me, and I cut between trees, putting my hands out as I pushed myself impossibly faster. The jarring impact of a tree had air exploding from my lungs. I crumbled, crying out from the pain.
Light.
“Lucy! Are you okay?”
“Stay away from me, Jeff!”
Warmth ran from my nose and I wiped the blood with my sleeve as I hobbled to stand. My ankle would barely support my weight. Jeff was breathing hard. Staring at my brother, I didn’t feel safe. The look he held—betrayal, something courting psychotic—I didn’t even recognize this person. He watched me like a predator. My mind scrambled over what to do. Staying quiet, he waited until there was distance between us before following. I was limping along, but I couldn’t go fast. It made me even more nervous.
I glanced over my shoulder, trying my best to stay alert of his location. Tears broke free as the weight of the entire situation settled in at once. For the last few months, I couldn’t remember the last time I could just breathe without worrying about something.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe…I do need help.”
“You do.”
“Especially for what I’m about to do.”
A whimper left me, and I reached out to a nearby tree. “What?”
Footsteps approached, and I glared, looking back, but the expression quickly vanished as movement blurred toward me. Pain exploded on the side of my head and my legs buckled. I was falling, but not. Sound wavered, bringing Jeff’s voice in and out.
“I’m sorry, Luce. This is the only way. I have to keep you safe.”
****
Deep breaths.
My body was bouncing and jolting this way and that. Opening my eyes was torture, but the jarring was worse. I cried out, vomit burning my throat as I fought the urge to be sick.
“Jeff! Lucy!”
Shouts in the distance broke through and I realized Jeff was running…running away from them. The awareness brought my body to life and I tried to fly up. My legs and arms thrashed, and Jeff stumbled as he tried to gain control of me.
“Stop,” he growled out. “They can’t find us. You have to be quiet.”
“Help! Hel—”
My face was slammed into his shoulder as he tried to silence me. I fought harder, letting out a piercing scream while I began to swing. Dogs barked, growing closer. I let their deep sound drive me to wrestle harder. He was slowing, trying to block my hits.
“Enough, Lucy! You’re going to get us caught. Then we will never be safe.”
“We are safe. Let me down! If you want to run, run, but not with me.”
Jeff’s face was barely visible in the dark. The rain had finally stopped and the moon was the only thing casting a glow. He slowed to a stop, looking around panicked. “They’re going to catch us like this. I’ll come back for you.”
“No, you won’t. I’m not leaving anywhere. I never want to see you again. I can’t believe what you’ve done.”
The sob hurt worse than every word I forced out. My head felt like it was splitting in two. I was on the verge of throwing up and I was still so cold.
“You don’t mean that. You’re my sister.”
“Not anymore. Look at me, Jeff. Look what you’re doing right now.”
Multiple beams of light cut through the trees and Jeff shifted on his feet, nearly dropping me to the ground.
“I’m sorry for your head, but you wouldn’t have left otherwise. I’m coming back for you, Lucy. I hope it won’t be too late by then.”
Jeff took off racing into the darkness. The men were getting closer, and I was crying so hard, I could barely call out to them. The night didn’t seem real. As Boston raced for me, it turned even more surreal.
“Lucy. God. Shit. Lucy, are you okay? What happened?”
People crowded around, and dogs howled and barked not far from me. Boston winced as he pushed back my hair, looking angrier than ever.
“Jeff…he’s lost it.” I sobbed, letting him pull me into his arms. “There was nothing in the cabin. Nothing, and he flipped out. He said we should kill you. He kept grabbing me and I tried to fight him and run away, but he hit me with the flashlight.”
“Which way did he go?”
Raising my shaky hand, I pointed for the cop. “That way.”
“Is he armed, ma’am?”
“What? No. I don’t think so.”
“Men!’ The officer motioned, and a group gathered.
The trip back came in a blur of voices and more trees. Boston carried me the entire way, moving in next to me after they put me in the ambulance. It hadn’t registered at first, but once it did, I began to try to climb out.
“I’m fine. I don’t want to go. It’s just a concussion and sprained ankle. Really, I just want to go home.”
“Ma’am, we really think you should at least get checked out.”
“No. I don’t want to go. I’m okay.”
Boston looked between the us, nodding to them. “I’ll keep a close eye on her.”
“Where’s my mom? I need to see my mom. Is she here?”
He paused in helping me out. “Lucy, we need to talk.”
“Later. My mom needs to know what’s happened. God, she going to freak out about Jeff. I think he’s gotten worse. He’s lost his mind over this.”
My palm pushed between my eyes at the throbbing. Voices were everywhere, increasing the excruciating sensation. Crunching from footsteps approached and two officers came into view.
“Lucy.”
At my name, I nodded. “Officer…Jenson, right? We’ve met before.”
“That’s right.” He paused, appearing grim as he shifted. “I’m afraid I have some bad news concerning your mother.”
“My mom?”
“Can we do this later?” Boston asked quietly.
“Do what? What’s wrong with my mom? Is she okay?”
From their expression, my mind wouldn’t process what it could mean. Boston quickly turned me to him.
“When you didn’t come home, I went to your mom’s. I wasn’t sure where else to go or what to do to find you and Jeff. I immediately noticed she was pretty upset, but…” Boston paused. “We called for help so we could search, and we were searching. She said she wasn’t feeling well and went back to sit in my car while I did the walking.”
My head whipped around, trying to find Boston’s car.
“I don’t see it. Where did you park?”
“Lucy,” the officer said, moving in. “I’m sorry. Your mom…she didn’t make it.”
“Didn’t make it? Didn’t make what? Make it here?”
“She passed, Lucy.”
The hard shake of my head left my brain rattling. It didn’t make sense.
“I’m so sorry.”
“No. No,” I yelled at the officer as they backed away. My fingers clawed toward Boston and I was crying again, falling down some endless hole where nothing would process. “He’s mistaken. He—”
“No. I’m sorry, baby. I saw her myself. Me and the officers went to check on her…and she was gone.” Moments turned hazy as he practically held me up. “They think maybe she took too many pills or something before I got there. She looked like she had been crying. They could be right.”
“W-What? No. My mom wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m sorry. I really am.”
Boston hugged me tighter, leading us toward more people. I wanted to fight, to go crazy at the news, but I didn’t have the strength. They talked, but I heard nothing. The ride from an officer consisted of me sobbing the entire way home. Even through Boston bathing me, I drifted in a fog of severe disbelief and guilt. When he finally put me in our bed and held me, I decided I’d be okay with never leaving this spot again. I didn’t want to see how this part of my life was going to play out. Would they lock Jeff up for good in some mental hospital, or would he go to jail? Would I really have to plan a funeral for my mom? Nothing came, and I didn’t push it. I held Boston tighter, wishing I’d wake up and this would just be another nightmare.