Page 105 of The Lost Bones
“It won’t survive if this place goes up in flames,” she said in a small voice, refusing to accept what was going to happen.
“There’s a breaker box behind you.” He tipped his chin. “It’s our best shot. Just in case…”
A feeling of doom came over Mackenzie. She grabbed a pen and paper. Andrew sat away from her, turning his back as he scribbled ardently.
She was at a loss. She couldn’t breathe. Her throat was closing. Her breaths were sporadic. She shut her eyes and thought about what she’d want to do on her last day. What she would have wanted if she was given one day. It came to her with blinding clarity.
When she opened her eyes again, there were fresh tears. Despair filled her to the brim. It was too late now. For the first time in her life, she poured her heart out.
Dear Nick…
When they were done, Mackenzie placed the letters inside the box. Closing the door, she pressed her head into the cold metal. It was surreal, but it made sense, if she thought about it, for her to have had that strange dream about Melody speaking in riddles she understood only now, for her to end up at this house again where it had all started, and for her last case to be what it was.
A chance to relive her life. A chance to revisit old memories. To be an observer rather than a participant.
Andrew sobbed into his shirt behind her. She touched Robert’s watch on her wrist—her talisman—and a memory materialized before her eyes.
“Come on, Mackenzie!” Robert hovered in front of her encouragingly. “You can do this.”
It was a hot, sunny day. Her skin was sticky. She was an adamant four-year-old on a tiny bike trying to maintain her balance.
As soon as Robert let go of the handles, she fell down. Again.
“I can’t! I can’t!” she cried.
But he picked her up and readjusted her helmet. He wiped her tears, his lips pulling into a smile.
“Never give up, Mackenzie. If you can promise me anything, promise me that.”
A fire surged through her veins, hot and heavy. “We’re not giving up.”
“There’s no way out of here!” Andrew cried.
“But there must be a way to lure her back,” she whispered. “What would do that?” She searched his eyes desperately. “Think, Andrew. Think. You know her. You were mistaken before, but now you know her.”
Andrew’s gaze bounced around, his face crimson under the pressure. “She won’t respond to cries of help. She won’t be fooled by you wanting to negotiate with her or pretending to understand her…” Then his eyes enlarged like he had an idea. “She’ll protect you.”
“She’s trying to kill all of us! Including me.”
“Yeah, but onlysheis allowed to kill you. If anyone else tries, she won’t take it. To her, she’s setting both of you free. But if I’m killing you, I’m doing it to hurt you.”
Mackenzie nodded understanding.
They set the stage. She prayed that this would work. There was a rusty pipe heavy enough to knock someone out. She grabbed it and placed it next to the bottom of the staircase, out of sight of anyone coming down the stairs. Then she lay next to it, so that her hand could easily reach it.
“Ready?” she asked. “Make it look convincing.”
Andrew licked his lips and nodded. He straddled her and wrapped his hands around her neck, and she began to scream until she thought her lungs would tear. Seconds later, they heard footsteps approaching.
Andrew took the cue to growl angrily, “This is all your fault! Your fucking fault!” He squeezed her neck hard to make it look more authentic.
The door opened an inch. Then Kai whipped it wide and hurried down the stairs. “Get away from her!”
In her panic, she lost her footing and fell on top of Andrew, almost crushing Mackenzie. She pushed Andrew away, baring her teeth like an animal protecting its child. Mackenzie wormed her hand to grab the pipe, but at the last minute, Kai spotted it.
For a brief second, her eyes flashed with betrayal. Then Mackenzie swung the pipe. Kai ducked just in time. The pipe grazed her, and she stumbled back from the impact. But it wasn’t enough to injure her. They were both on their feet now, circling each other.
“Why would you do that, Mackenzie?” A tear slipped down from her eye.
