Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“That’s why you smoked—because you saw what I wrote. It upset you.”
“Maybe,” he said as he returned to his seat. “It made me realize how much of a horrible person you think I am. But I was upset at myself before I even saw what you wrote—because you’ve been acting weird toward me, even if you thought you were pretending nothing was wrong.”
So much for my acting potential. “Despite what I wrote in that journal in the heat of my embarrassment, I don’t think you’re horrible. Nor do I think you’re an evil pig. But you do have your moments. We both have them lately.” I blew out a long breath, feeling on edge. “If I smoked, I might have one right now, too.” I pulled up a chair and sat across from him. “I’ve been locked inside this house for far too long. Which reminds me, I’m going to make plans to go out one night soon with this woman I met today—for a girls’ night.”
“Look at you, getting a life.” He smirked.
“Trying to.”
He nodded. “I’m happy to watch Scottie while you go out…as soon as I get back.”
“Back?” My eyes widened. “Where are you going?”
“I was gonna tell you when you got home today. I have to go back to Chicago for a couple of days.”
My muscles tightened. “Oh…did something happen?”
“I have to meet with a brand-new client. My job is ninety-percent remote, but occasionally I’m required to go in person. It should only be for a few days. I’ll be back before next weekend. And then you can go out.”
“Okay…well, thanks for letting me know.”
It was funny to think there’d been a time when I thought I could do this all alone. Now I didn’t know how I was gonna make it through a few days without Josh. I could never admit that to him, though.
“You’ll be okay,” he said. “Worse comes to worst, if something happens, Abe is right next door.”
Waving my hand, I feigned confidence. “Yeah. I’ll be absolutely fine. No worries.”
Josh and I said nothing else about the diary entry that night. But I wasn’t going to be able to let go of that easily. It would likely come out to haunt me when Mr. Hyde decided to make an appearance again someday.
***
The following morning, Josh had already left for the airport by the time I woke up. Scottie was still sleeping, and the house was eerily quiet. Is this what it would’ve been like had Josh never showed up that first day? At one time, that’s what I’d wanted—to be left alone here to take care of Scottie, to make my mistakes without an audience. But now I absolutely hated it. He’d only just left, and I was already counting the minutes until Josh returned from Chicago.
When I went to grab a mug, I noticed a note on the counter.
A Thank You from The Trappist Monks of St. Francis:
Is it weird that one of my favorite foods is bacon? You know, considering I’m a pig and all. Does that make me a cannibal? Just kidding, Carly. (Seriously.) See you in a few days.
When I opened the drawer to get a coffee pod, there was another note.
A Thank You from The Trappist Monks of St. Francis:
You told Bubba what a dick I’ve been, didn’t you? He left me a surprise in the kitchen this morning, and I stepped in it. He’s never done that. You trained him well, Pumpkin. Just kidding again. Not about the dog crap, though. Unfortunately, that actually happened.
As I prepared my coffee, I smiled through my yawn. But when I opened the fridge for the cream, I found another note taped to the carton.
This one nearly made my heart stop.
A Thank You from The Trappist Monks of St. Francis:
Your face is beautiful. I’m sorry for ever making you doubt that.
CHAPTER 9
* * *
JOSH
AFTER ANOTHER BUSY day at the office, I headed to the Piccadilly Pub in downtown Chicago with some work friends. My mind kept wandering to Woodsboro, though, and namely what was going on back home with Carly.
The night before I flew out here, I’d heard the sound of something eerie coming from her room after she went to bed. It was Brad. His voice. At first, I’d thought I was hallucinating. But then I realized Carly was playing one of his old voicemails over and over. I’d placed my ear against her door to listen and nearly broke down. It had hit me in the gut, and I’d thought of little else since.
She and I’d had a pretty intense exchange over the diary, too. The way her breath had hitched when I’d backed her against the wall wasn’t lost on me. So, yeah, I supposed there were multiple reasons I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that night.