Page 33 of Sin

The others suited up and met me at the front door, handing me a small earpiece like theirs. London, in a suit of dark blue with gold tipped gloves and boots, sidled up next to me with a smirk and rang the doorbell. We waited, listening for any sound or hint of someone’s presence inside. But there was none.

London knocked and rang the doorbell one more time to make sure before glancing around at the team and nodding in silent command.

Time for plan B… the other plan B.

Mare and Blade separated from us and quietly snuck away. Lewis placed his palm against the security system and closed his eyes. After mere moments, the door’s lock turned.

London’s gaze collided once more with mine, worry—whether for me or the team or maybe both—struggling to stay hidden from view. I tried to grin reassuringly, but I didn’t know how sincere it came off, considering I was trying really fucking hard not to have a mental break down.

If he’s stronger, then we’re as good as dead.

Lewis and London led the way inside, leaving me with the rhinoceros currently stomping into the house to follow behind.

Okay, maybe he wasn’t actually stomping, but he could have used a lesson in stealth.

All the lights were off in the house, and the air tasted somehow both muggy and stale, like the air conditioning hadn’t been switched on in some time. With the sweltering heat outside, I normally would have been suffering by this point. But thanks to the suit’s temperature adjusting system, the stifling heat only irritated my exposed face and neck.

A staircase built to the right of the front door ascended toward the upper floor, and a hallway straight ahead from the door led toward what appeared to be the kitchen, based on the hint of countertops I could see.

While London and Lewis moved for the stairs, Jinx and I cautiously padded down the hallway.

The house was a little outdated, with soft pink and green paisley wallpaper and puke green, shaggy carpet. We passed a small half bath on the way to the kitchen, but the only crime in there was the fact that the ugly carpet extended inside. I never understood how someone had thought carpet in the bathroom was a good idea.

Continuing on, I noted how there weren’t any personal pictures hanging on the walls. Just bland art pieces here and there with very little personality. Almost like the cousin bought picture frames and left the sample image of flowers or trees inside. The only hint of personality I spotted were the few creepy porcelain dolls perched on a narrow table just before the kitchen.

In the kitchen, countertops the same shade as lemon peels contrasted against dark-stained cabinets. The floor was a yellow linoleum colored to match the counters, but it was dulled and browned with age.

Off to the side of the kitchen was a sunken living room I almost tripped into, not seeing the steps at first. Only Jinx’s grip on the back of my neck kept me from falling face first into more of that green carpet.

“Thanks,” I muttered, rubbing my neck since it wasn’t the best feeling place to be grabbed.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Anything?” London’s voice crackled through the comms connecting the group, startling me.

Jinx pressed something on the comm in his ear and said quietly, “Nothing on the main floor yet.”

“Same out here,” Blade’s voice said. “There’s a shed in the backyard we still need to check out.”

“Okay, let us kn—” There was a curse on London’s end before he said, “Found the cousin. She’s dead.”

“Did you find Jessica too?” Jinx asked.

Rustling sounded through the comm before London responded, sounding nasally, as if he was plugging his nose. “Not yet.”

Jinx and I met each other’s gazes and nodded once, as if to say, let’s keep going.

Renewing our search with more determination, we scoured what seemed to be an office, the master bedroom, and the master ensuite. When we didn’t find anything, Jinx and I moved to the last area on the main floor. The garage.

I knew before I even opened the door that something was off.

The stench hit me before I even saw the body. Entering the garage was like walking into a room filled with raw meat forgotten for weeks on the counter.

Jinx and I gagged in unison, and I plugged my nose as he flipped on the garage light to display the horrific sight before us.

Well, Jessica was most definitely dead. Like super dead. Her lifeless eyes were open and staring up at the garage ceiling, and her hair was matted around her head. She wore no clothes, revealing every gory wound along her body.

“Fuck,” Jinx muttered, tapping his comm. “Garage. We found her.”

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