I chewed my bottom lip, suppressing a smile. “Okay, then we’ll have to make a plan.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
AINSLEY
“Okay, listen, you just have to breathe,” Mom was saying. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s probably just here to see his friends.”
“He’s not old enough to just…do that, Mom. Not without permission or anyone knowing where he is. He stole from Glennon. He’s run away. This isn’t just sneaking out to see his friends.”
I dialed his number, pressing the phone to my ear.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
“Hey, it’s Dylan. Leave me a message.”
“Dylan, sweetheart, it’s Mom. I need you to call me back, okay? I know you’re home and…and I’m not mad, okay? I’m just really worried. We’re all worried. So, please, just call me and let me know what’s going on.” I ended the call and crossed the room. “Do you have pictures of him anywhere?”
“There’s one on the shelf in the corner,” Mom said, pointing across the living room. “Why do you need one?”
“To show the police,” I said, picking up the photo. “Mom, this was from ten years ago. Don’t you have anything more recent?” I stared down at the photo of the five of us. Maisy was still just a baby. We looked so happy then.
“I don’t, um, I don’t know.” She scrolled through her phone.
“You don’t have anything on your phone?” Matt asked, eyeing the picture suspiciously.
“I don’t have my phone. My ex-husband took it. That’s why I had to use Mom’s.”
“Ex-husband?” he asked, obviously shocked. I’d left out that minor detail, I realized, but I had no time to care.
“Forget it. This will have to do,” I said, still holding the picture.
“I think I saw a more recent photo upstairs, didn’t I, Adele?” Matt asked suddenly. “In the hall.”
“You did?” she asked, glancing toward the stairs.
“Can you go check? I’ll stay with Ainsley. I’m worried she’s going to send herself into shock.” He placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I’m fine.” I searched for my shoes and purse, realizing I had neither.
“You’re not fine,” he said as Mom hastened up the stairs. I was still looking for shoes to slip on, pacing the room as I tried to put together a plan.
“Peter must’ve called him on my phone. It’s the only thing that makes sense. He has my phone, and now suddenly, Dylan’s missing.”
“Peter is your husband?” Matt asked. “The man in that photograph?”
“Yes. He’s dangerous. I know I sound terrible, but I had his number blocked, so he couldn’t call Dylan from his own, and there’s no way he managed to figure out that it was blocked, let alone how to unblock it— Hey, what are you doing?”
Matt grabbed my arm, shoving me into the laundry room with a hand over my mouth. I struggled to get away from him, so sick of being manhandled by men, as my body screamed in agony. Everything hurt. Inside and out.
“Let me go!” I shouted, my words suppressed by the weight of his palm.
“Shut up!” he whispered, closing the door behind us gently. He flicked the light on. “There’s something you should know, and there’s not much time.”
“There’s no time, Matt. I’ve got to go to the police, my son is missing, and—”
“I’ve seen your husband before,” he blurted out, hands at his sides.
“You-you’ve what?”
“I’ve seen him. I didn’t realize it until I saw that picture.” He gestured to the frame still in my hand. “But it’s him.”
“What are you talking about? Where have you seen him?”
He closed his eyes, bracing for the bomb he was about to drop. “Here. He’s…I think he’s been working with your mother.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
PETER
I placed the gun in my son’s hands. It would be the easiest way to kill him. From a distance. There was no need to get his hands dirty just yet.
I never wanted this life for my children, but now, I had no choice. Ainsley had taken my choices away, and I had to deal with that. This was the only way.
“Okay, safety’s here.” I pointed. “Keep it on until you’re ready to shoot. Do you hear me?”
He nodded, eyes trained on the gun.
“Go in the front door. They’ll be so happy to see you, no one will notice it. I’ll sneak in through the laundry room. Keep it in your belt until you’re behind him. Now, if he tries to hurt you, you have the weapon, but I don’t think he will. Get behind him, point the gun, and shoot. Don’t second-guess. Don’t overthink. It’s the only way. I’ll be right there to protect you.”