Trevor Brown throws the picture frame on the floor.For hours, he's been searching the basement of their home for clues. He knows he's seen the girl who works for the Kellers somewhere. Her face, he wouldn't forget it. He's pretty sure he's seen her somewhere, though he has no idea where.There are boxes everywhere from when they packed everything away to make 'space'. They emptied out all the backrooms where their other employees used to stay, and some of the rooms upstairs. Danny's idea. Their home became some kind of military base, and they needed all the room they could get.Malcolm appears at the doorway and starts descending the rickety stairs with a cackle. Trevor grits his teeth. For days, no one's been giving him a break. Everyone's busting his balls about the 'mystery girl' as they dubbed her."Was she your girlfriend?""Who knows? She might be your soul mate, Trevy.""He's psychic now, our boy.""Maybe you saw her in your wildest dreams."Dreams? He never dreams. Besides, h
After hearing me utter the name of the man who killed Rodrigo Santos, they placed their tumblers on top of Damien's desk and filed out of the office. Ethan glanced at Damien before following after them, no doubt to accompany them outside.Now, Damien and I are alone in his office.He crushes his cigarette against his crystal ashtray. He looks up at me briefly, and it makes me nervous. I don't know what else he could possibly want from me."If that's all, Mr. Keller—""Are you sure the man who killed Rodrigo and Thomas is named Trevor?"I frown. This again? He's starting to make me question my hearing abilities. Yes, the shorter bald man called him Trevor. "Yes, I'm sure.""You didn't hear a surname, perhaps?""They only mentioned the Browns."Damien nods, but it doesn't feel like he's listening to me. I don't know what's wrong with him. He lights another cigarette. "I should've killed that fuck when I had the chance. Ethan was right, he's always right."I don't think he's talking to m
Malcolm glances at the picture. He raises his brows. Trevor is pleased with himself. He's managed to stun everyone in the room. Now, they'll think twice before they laugh at him again. "You were right, who would've guessed?"Danny takes the photograph from Malcolm. They discarded the frame long ago. Her picture has been passing around for the last half hour. "Are you sure it's her, Trevor?"Trevor crosses his arms. "So I'm blind now?""It's her," Malcolm confirms. "I saw her with my own eyes. Trevy asked me if I recognized her, but hell. I said no. I never saw that photograph before, and how would I have guessed?""And you found this in the basement?""Yes."Nate says, "This is too fucked up to be real. There's been a mistake, there has to.""No, no," Malcolm wags his finger. "Trevor is good with faces, we all know that. And I'm telling you it's her. Besides, this was amongst the old shit in the basement.""How is that possible?" Danny wonders aloud.Trevor doesn't care about the hows
We've been in this car for too long.The sun is starting to set and every part of my body is numb. These men are literally squeezing the light out of me. We got here about four hours ago. It's a large single-storey building, painted white. When we first got here, there were no cars around. But slowly, it's starting to get packed and a lot of cars park beside ours. So this is a parking lot, but what are they all doing here? Everyone keeps going inside, but I have no idea what this place could be.I manage to spy a woman wearing sparkly lingerie walk by the car. So, this must be some kind of club, but what are we doing here exactly and why are we waiting in the car? Why did he bring me along? This feels a lot like waiting. Damien is calm, though, and he hasn't said a word since we got here.My phone vibrates occasionally, but I ignore it. It could either be my mother or Sam, and there's no way I can talk to either one of them in here. The air conditioning is on, but I'm sweating. It's p
Yara leaves his office.He's confident that he made the right decision. She hasn't been around that long, but she's proving to be as loyal and useful as her cousin. There aren't a lot of people like her in his employ; no one is unquestionably loyal anymore. Everyone comes with a price tag. He rarely trusts employees; in fact, the only one he trusts is Nora, who worked for his father for years, but she isn't as efficient anymore and for weeks she's been complaining about needing 'a damn break'. The Huxley girl—Yara—is the only suitable candidate at the moment. Besides, he's done his research on her, some background check, and everything he saw pleased him immensely.He knows Ethan and Theo will be against his decision.Neither of them like her, for some reason, but like and trust are two completely different things. He doesn't need likeable people on his side, he needs people he can rely on. She's been through enough and has never thought of quitting.She's never left the small town sh
Sam called earlier. I have to meet Devon today. He's out of the hospital and has moved to a new apartment. Someone will pick me up and take me there later today. That's all I was told.I've already informed Sam about my promotion and he was more than pleased, but there's something else he isn't telling me. I could hear it in his voice when he told me that there's something we have to talk about tonight. Something urgent, I suppose.I start working as a secretary today. I don't have to wear the uniform, I can wear whatever I like. I don't know the first thing about filing or even what I'm actually going to do, but I guess I'll find out. The good thing is, Nora gave me a few tips last week. I even spent an hour with her, just watching her make calls and type letters. Yes, she types the letters. Ethan hands it to her on a piece of paper and she types the symbols down. Which means I'll be doing it from here on out.It's a perfect opportunity to decipher them.Maybe looking at them every d
The next day, there's another letter waiting for me. I make a copy and type it up. I can't stop thinking about my conversation with Devon last night. I wasn't lying when I said I'd do whatever it takes, though I am a little afraid. I know how bad things can get, and I don't want to be caught in another crossfire. Luck runs out, Aaron told me that when he was arrested."Luck runs out, little sis," he leaned closer to the glass. "That's what happened to me. Wrong place, wrong time. You can't score all the time without the universe conspiring against you. It will eventually. It's a downright envious bitch."I'll never forget his words. In fact, every life lesson he's ever taught me is permanently engraved in my mind. I print out the letter, fold it, put it into an envelope and seal it. Someone will come to pick it up. Yesterday, it was a man in his late thirties. I've never seen him around here before, and he was clearly expecting to see Nora instead of me. He grabbed the letter withou
I frown. His question catches me off-guard, I wasn't expecting this to be the first words out of his mouth. "Mr. Keller invited me.""Which Keller? I don't remember inviting you."I feign confusion. No, scratch that. I am confused. "I wouldn't be here without an invitation.""I'm not so sure about that." He looks a my dress, really looks at it. I gulp the pit forming in my throat down and try to look elsewhere. Elizabeth is still glaring at me from across the room. Her hair is slightly disheveled, and her gown is lopsided. She really has to take care of those, she's making it obvious that she was with someone. "Were you in the staff room just now?"My heart sinks, but I raise a brow. "In the staff room? No, not at all.""You sure? Because I'm certain I saw a flash of green just now." He touches the hem of my dress and I'm now covered in goosebumps. "Were you on your phone, perhaps?"I turn sharply in the other direction so that he takes his hands off me. I fix a gaze at him. "I alread