Page 96 of Firefly Effect

“The Firefly Man.” She looks up, seemingly terrified. “He’s back, isn’t he? That’s what everyone is saying. I just heard Billy went missing.” Her whole body starts to shake. “I would have never brought the kids here today if I thought the killer would come back here to this camp.”

“Why are you so sure Billy went missing because of the Firefly Man?”

She stares at me, eyes wide. “I’m not, but that night I came back here with him and his buddies, he was drunk and making fun of the Firefly Man story. Just to prove it was all one big joke, he went out into the woods and brought back a jar of dead fireflies.” She lets out a breath. “And now he’s missing.” Her eyes snap to mine.

I glare back at her, unable to hide how delusional I think she is. “Yet there have been murders nearby recently, and you still wanted to bring the kids here?”

She flinches, and I wonder if she just realized her lies don’t add up. “But I thought he was long gone, Lincoln. I swear. I would never put our girls in danger.”

I don’t waste another breath talking to Lilith before sprinting toward the campground, heading straight for the same entrance to the woods that Evie, Carley, and I entered fourteen years ago.

“Lucy!” I yell as I slow to a walk and head down the trail, trying to keep my voice calm even though I feel anything but. “Lucy, it’s Daddy! Time to go home, sweetie.”

My feet pound the path as I continue calling for my daughter, desperate to hear her voice in return. Too many minutes go by, but I’m losing track of time as I strain to pick up any sign of my daughter.

“Wait up, Lincoln. You’re too fast.”

I grit my teeth when I hear Lilith’s voice behind me. The woman has some nerve to take my kid and lose her in the one place I would have never allowed her to go. Then to try and fail to keep up with me as I desperately search the woods?

I’ll deal with her later.

“Lincoln,” Lilith calls again. “I think I see them.”

Slowing to a walk, I spin around and sprint in her direction, just in time to see Lilith dart into the woods. I hesitate for only a moment before taking off after her, knowing I have no other choice.

“Lucy!” My voice has become a deep croak after straining for so long. “Yell if you can hear me, sweetie!”

While Lilith takes over calling for the girls, I slip my phone out of my pocket to see if anyone has tried to get ahold of me. When I tap my screen a few times, I realize my phone is completely dead. Shit.

Anger snakes its way through me as I’m forced to continue on a mission to find my daughter and nothing is sitting right with me. Everything about the trip into the woods to find two little girls, who must be scared out of their minds, seems like a flashlight illuminating a new piece of the puzzle, one I’ve been missing.

Now I’m almost too focused on Lilith and her every move, my distrust chaining me to her like a prisoner. Lilith is leading me on a wild goose chase, I just know it. But why? What’s in it for her other than to get me alone?

It’s not like she’s hidden the fact that she’s interested in me. Even Doreen has noticed the frequency of her visits to the office once I took over for Jenkins. And I’m still not sure what troubles Lilith, when all she’s doing is brag about her perfect life, her perfect daughter, and her endless charitable contributions, despite her husband’s death.

“Maybe we should try to call the park ranger or Gabe. The more people out here helping us search, the better. Can I use your phone?” I ask her.

Lilith stops and reaches for her back pocket, but she just pats around the area. “Shit. I forgot my phone. Can we use yours?”

I want to fucking scream. “It’s dead.”

Something flickers in her eyes—a hint of amusement? Again, nothing is making sense.

“Tell me the truth, Lilith,” I suddenly demand. “Did you really lose the girls? Or are we out here for a different reason?”

Her eyes go wide. “What? No, Lincoln. I told you, I don’t?—”

A loud crunch of leaves steals our attention. We both turn toward the noise just in time to see Jenkins spring out of a thick of branches. There’s no time to react before he raises a gold cane in the air then swings it, full force, into the side of Lilith’s head.

The crack reverberates through the air, and Lilith falls to the ground, her hand immediately moving to the site of impact as her face contorts in pain.

I’m stunned for a second as Jenkins looms over Lilith like a predator, staring her down like he’s daring her to make a move. When he lifts his cane over his head again, I don’t think before reacting. I rush toward him, leaping over Lilith’s body and body-slamming him to the ground.

He half yells, half moans at the impact, and I know I must have done some damage to his already brittle, aging bones. I’m too angry to care. I keep my hold on him as he tries to fight back.

Jenkins is the Firefly Man.

Jenkins, who’s been helping Dylan and me put together profiles of suspects.

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