Page 54 of Haven't Killed in Years
“Where is she?” I asked, no need to pretend we both didn’t know who I was looking for.
He shrugged. “I was hoping you knew. She’s ignoring my calls and texts. I think she’s mad at me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. She’s been acting kind of odd.”
I wasn’t sure whatacting oddmeant to someone like him. Over his shoulder I watched a guy pour hot wax from a candle onto his friend’s forehead.
“Well, she hasn’t said anything to me.” I wasn’t particularlyinterested in talking about their relationship for multiple reasons. “Sorry,” I offered, using it as an excuse to take a few steps back.
“You don’t have to go. You can stay even though she isn’t here. We all consider you one of the gang. Right, guys?” He yelled out the question as if anyone had heard what he wanted them to agree with. No one responded.
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll grab a drink.”
He seemed content with that, so I walked away. Once I was back in the kitchen, I went right for the door and headed out.Where was Elyse?
I heard the door open again behind me, but I tried to ignore it.
“Gwen!” Jake shouted down the stairs.
I turned, a little embarrassed to be caught running away.
“If you talk to her, tell her to call me? Tell her I’m sorry, okay? Please?”
I nodded with a reassuring smile. I wasn’t sure what was going on between them, but I was probably a little to blame and definitely biased. Of course, none of that would matter very much if Elyse was already dead.
- - - - -
I knocked on Elyse’sapartment door a half hour later and experienced an enormous sense of relief when she cracked it open. I could only see half her face, but I could tell she was upset; she needed to invest in some waterproof mascara.
“Why are you crying?” I asked as she allowed me inside. It must have been Jake and whatever fight they’d had. What an ass, hosting a party while she was at home crying. I hoped whatever was going on meant she was finally going to leave him and all of those supposed friends who were obsessed with her trauma.
She ignored my question at first, leaving me by the door.
“Elyse…” I said, stepping after her.
She turned to look at me and inhaled a ragged breath before speaking. “Marin Haggerty…” She paused. No verbs, no context, just the name.
I froze. Possibly I lurched forward first. She knew. Dominic must have told her. Or she already knew? But she was crying. Why would she be crying if this was the crescendo to her ultimate plan? What was she going to say next? How was I going to react?
Her lip quivered. “She’s come out of hiding.”
“Excuse me?” I said.
Elyse reached for her phone. She hit play on a video she already had queued up. The caption beneath it read,I AM MARIN HAGGERTY. Sitting in front of a blank wall, a blonde woman in a polka-dot blouse and white blazer read from a prepared statement. I knew those eyes. I knew that nose. I knew that jawline, and not from looking in the mirror. I had watched that face form during her prepubescent years. It was Natalie Shea—my old roommate, confidante, and accomplice.
Twenty-Eight
Natalie Shea was thefirst friend I ever made as Gwen Tanner. That was probably her biggest mistake…and mine. I had warned her not to mess with me, but she hadn’t heeded my warning then, and she certainly wasn’t heeding it now. What was being thrown right back in my face, though, was how I never should have messed with her either.
Seeing her on that screen, looking like me—well, looking like how she would assume thirteen-year-old me would end up looking—it made me rethink everything. She was only supposed to know me as Gwen, but she must have discovered my true identity somehow, and that had set her off. She killed those men from my past, chopped off their arms, left them on my doorstep, to what? Taunt me? Drive me crazy? I had to admit it was working. Not to play Monday-morning quarterback, but if I had to name one person I knew other than my father who was capable of it, it was Natalie.
Natalie was an absolute wild card. I’d really liked her, but we hadn’t parted on the best of terms. I always assumed it was someoneout to get Marin and never stopped to consider it could be someone who had it out for Gwen. What the hell was I supposed to do with that?
- - - - -
Elyse stared at thescreen, clutching the phone in an unhealthy way. I gravitated closer to her as we watched together. Everything that had been taken from Elyse, it was my fault. All of it. It was my fault her family was dead and it was my fault it was all being thrown back in her face.
