Page 104 of The Banned Books Club

“How?”

“The only solution I can come up with is to push Sheldon just a little further...”

“What?”

“I need to bring him out in the open, make sure other people know how dangerous he is. Then Margot would be safe to come home, or at least visit. I want my mother to be able to see her again before she dies.”

“What will you do?”

“What I’d do with any other bully.”

“Now I’mreallyscared,” Cormac said. “What’s that?”

“Stand up to him.”

“Gia, no! This guy’s liable to come afteryou.”

“Exactly,” she said. “Let him try.”

27

Gia sent a message to Sheldon almost as soon as she hung up with Cormac.

Hey, nice job on the vandalism at my parents’ house. The spray-painting was an especially nice touch. I didn’t know you knew how to spell.

She knew him well enough to believe he wouldn’t be able to resist gloating over what he’d done, and he didn’t disappoint. While he didn’t take ownership of the damage—then she could’ve taken that as proof to the police—he wrote back with a winking emoji.

“You’re so predictable,” she murmured, but she considered that to be a good thing. She was relying on how predictable he was—hoped it might make all the difference.

Heard from Margot, by the way. She’s met someone who’s actually attractive, and they’re having a blast spending all your money.

Gia nibbled on her bottom lip as she awaited his response. She was willing to bet he wouldn’t come off quite so smug.

Do you have a death wish or something?

Yep. She was right. Not so smug.

I’m not afraid of you.

Her door opened, and she quickly set her phone aside as her father stuck his head into the room. “Are you going over to Cormac’s tonight?”

“No, I’m not leaving you and Mom.”

“If Sheldon comes back, there’s nothing you can do.”

“I can keep an eye out so you two can sleep.”

He jerked his head toward her computer, which was sitting to one side of her. “So...what have you been working on?”

“Just some social media stuff for Backcountry Tours.” That was a while ago, but there was no way she was going to tell him she was giving Sheldon the fight he’d been asking for. Leo wouldn’t like the risk. But she couldn’t sit back and let her brother-in-law continue to torment them. Someone could get hurt even if she tried to lay low. So why not stand up and throw a few punches herself? Her mother deserved peace in her final days. And Margot deserved better than to live in fear that Sheldon would eventually find her.

The more she thought about it, the more Gia realized that doing nothing was probably the worst option. Since Sheldon held every advantage—he was bigger, stronger, more comfortable with weapons and was willing to take things further—and the police and his parents weren’t making much of an effort to rein him in, her only option was to prove just how dangerous he really was. Otherwise, he could make their lives miserable indefinitely, or at least long enough that Ida would die without even knowing where her daughter was.

She was fairly certain he’d take the bait. The only thing that remained to be seen was whether she’d be able to get away once he sprung the trap.

Cormac had left a message for Johnny Maine, but it wasn’t until after eight that he received a call back.

“Hey, hate to trouble you,” Cormac said. “But I’m wondering if there’s something you can help me with.”

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