Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 541(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
And thief? What the hell?
This must go back to the OptiSynth disaster. Nothing else I’ve done would leave anyone so irate, so willing to follow me here and raise hell.
But the kids, shit.
Margot.
I don’t know how I’m going to break the news and shatter a perfect morning.
Still, now there’s no choice. I need to get them out of here.
Back to my mother.
Away from Sully Bay.
Whoever this creepy fuckroach is, they’re not going to stop without good reason. I can’t risk putting my family in their crosshairs.
I promised we’d stay as long as I was sure they’d be safe.
Now, I’m not certain of anything.
And Margot, fuck—how do I tell her?
How do I drag her off her own property when she’s just at risk?
Every breath sears my nostrils.
I take a few tortured seconds to calm down before grabbing lunch from the trunk, raiding the cooler like an angry grizzly.
No, cool it. Let them have the lake for a couple more hours.
When we get home, I’ll break the bad news.
The second we’re back at the house and settled, I drop the bomb on the kids.
Things have changed and they’re going off to Grandma.
I’ve texted my mother, explaining the situation and why I’m sending them home. She was already on standby since Daria turned us down.
“No way!” Dan whines, folding his arms defiantly. “Dad, you said we could stay.”
“I said for now, Bud. We’re way past ‘wait and see,’” I tell him. “You know better. I don’t play around with safety.”
He opens his mouth again and closes it, twisting his lips.
“I don’t wanna go.” Sophie’s stubbornness surprises me today.
She’s normally the skittish one who shows up at my bedroom door for comfort during thunderstorms.
“I know, Soph. It’s rotten luck, but we don’t have much choice. I’m not budging on this, guys. Hate me for now. I’ll live, as long as you’re okay.” I start upstairs after slipping Margot that stalker’s note plus one of my own so she understands the severity. “Let’s get your stuff packed. You’ve got a flight to catch.”
“If it’s so dangerous, why don’t you come with? Why are you dropping us off?” Dan demands.
“Because I need to sort this out once and for all. Last thing I’ll do is let this problem follow us home,” I say, heading to his room first.
I look in and shake my head. Clothes everywhere in a messy explosion. Typical preteen boy.
Also, I need to look after Margot. If she won’t leave, neither will I.
That’s the part I don’t say.
Sophie hovers in the doorway like she can feel it. “Is Margot coming too, Daddy?”
“You’ll see her again,” I promise, walking over to hug her. “Maybe this old house someday, too. This isn’t the end. I just need to make sure no one’s being targeted.”
“But who? Won’t you tell us anything?” Dan flings his clothes on the bed, and I fold them.
“Don’t know. Still working on that part,” I say.
“Sophie? Want some help packing?” Margot offers from the hallway.
“I just… I don’t want to go!” Her little face wilts. “Tell Dad you want us to stay.”
Margot throws me a wry look. Judging by the anguish in her face, I know she understands how serious this is.
“I wish I could, honey,” she says gently. “But this time, you’d better listen to your dad. He’s doing the right thing, even if it sucks a lot right now. Come on, let me help…”
Thank you. That’s the only thing I can mouth.
Then Margot takes my daughter and leads her off to help get her stuff sorted.
The entire time I’m packing up Dan’s belongings, my phone is out, lying on top of the bed. I keep my ears peeled for any notification dings from the camera app.
With this fucker decloaking with his direct threat, I can’t afford to let my guard down.
Not for a split second.
Dan stares at his packed luggage with a frown that cuts across his face.
“I still don’t get why you’re not coming if it’s sooo dangerous,” he whines.
“Because it’s my problem. This person, they’re angry at me, and that means I need to make sure there’s nobody else in the way if this guy wants to meet and the cops can’t find him first.”
He sighs, closing his eyes.
“Well… when you’re done, can we come back?”
“We’ll see. Probably not for now, but next year? It’s possible.” I ruffle his hair. “I’m proud of you for taking it in stride. Look after your sister and grandma, okay?”
He nods glumly.
Then there’s a knock at the door, and Sophie pokes her head around the corner, a packed suitcase trailing behind her and her pink backpack slung over her shoulder.
“Where’s Margot?” I ask.
“She said she had to grab something from her room,” she says. “But she told me to tell you she’s ready.”
I scroll through my travel app for available flights.
The airport in Bar Harbor is small, just puddle jumpers and a few private planes, but I know there’s a flight out to Portland later tonight. I’ll have my mother waiting to pick them up after she flies up to Maine.