Page 80 of Hide Me Darling

The puzzle is being filled in, and there’s just a few more pieces to go before the picture is clear in front of me.

As I step back to review my work, a sense of accomplishment washes over me. I’m far from done, but I feel like I’m on the right track. And for the first time in days, I feel a glimmer of hope that I might actually crack this case.

Checking the time, I realize the carnival is already well underway and I missed the grand opening. I think after working all day I deserve a night out to just enjoy myself.

I quickly clean up, changing into a flowy black skirt and a bright blue sleeveless top. After locking the house, I walk down the darkened street toward the beachfront.

As I approach the carnival, the atmosphere envelops me. The air is filled with the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the sounds of laughter, and the distant roar of rides. The bright lights reflect off the ocean, creating a magical scene.

Wandering through the array of people and flurry of excitement, I take in the night and all it has to offer. Children run past me squealing in excitement and I find myself smiling, the stress of the investigation momentarily forgotten.

As I walk, I notice familiar faces in the crowd. Near the house of mirrors, I pause, feeling a rush of memories from my encounter with Cain. Shaking my head, I push the thoughts aside and move on. This is a night for fun, for escaping the heaviness of my current reality.

I see Maddie and Allegra walking toward me, both of them grinning and waving enthusiastically.

“Hey, you made it!” Maddie calls out as they reach me.

“Of course,” I reply, smiling. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

We spend the next hour wandering the carnival together, laughing and enjoying the various attractions. And it’s the first time in years, besides the moments with Cain and Abel, that I have felt truly alive in my own skin. I have my own friends and I’m actually enjoying my life.

At one point, I see Dr Lachlan Hughes in the distance and he grins and waves at me. My face flames at the memory of what I saw the previous night so I turn away from him quickly. When I do, I’m met with the curious faces of Allegra and Maddie.

“Ummm, I may have stumbled across a secret kink party last night,” I confess to them.

They both laugh so hard that tears start streaming down their faces and my cheeks are on fire.

“Oh, babe, that is not secret at all. Lachlan has been the host since he arrived on the island, we’re a bunch of kinky fuckers here,” Maddie says between giggles.

“I believe we did try to tell you, this island is fucking twisted. Well, the locals are anyway. Now I’m sad I missed it last night, I could have given you a show,” Allegra points out with a smile.

I stare at them both wide eyed. Jesus fucking Christ, is everyone here as dark and twisted as I am on the inside?

“Are you about to tell me you kill people in your spare time?” I jokingly say, and then almost stumble with the look they give each other. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Ummm, we kinda thought that was why you moved here to be honest. I mean you and your family aren’t exactly unknown in certain circles of our community. But when you introduced yourself as Taylor, we figured you just wanted to hide for a bit, no pun intended,” Maddie says with a grimace as we edge away from the crowds and toward a quieter area of the carnival.

My heart is officially racing in my chest. They have known who I am since the start? “Does everyone know?” I ask in astonishment.

They glance at each other again and I’m already dreading the answer. “Well, no, only some of us. And also just to clarify, Maddie hasn’t killed anyone at all, her hands are totally clean, well murder clean anyway,” Allegra responds quickly.

I slump against a wall at the edge of the carnival. Does this mean my investigation is tainted? Does the serial killer already know who I am? No, I think Cain and Abel would have told me if my cover was completely blown, right?

“But you have?” I ask Allegra, and a look crosses her face. I see it instantly, the darkness lurking beneath the face of the pretty baker.

“Let’s call it self defense,” she says with a shrug. “My ex-boyfriend chose the wrong woman to try to rape. The fact that I found out I wasn’t the first one may have also had something to do with it too.”

The revelation hits me like a freight train. Allegra's admission is both shocking and oddly comforting. In a twisted way, knowing that the people I’ve come to trust and care about have their own dark pasts makes me feel less alone in mine.

“Right, self-defense,” I repeat, more to myself than to her. “That’s... understandable. Even encouraged in those circumstances.”

Allegra nods, her eyes softening as she looks at me. “We all have our skeletons. The island just seems to attract people with... complicated histories.”

Maddie steps closer, her usual light-hearted demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. “We may have our secrets, but we’re here for you. Whatever you need, we’ve got your back.”

I feel a warmth spreading through me, despite the chill in the evening air. This island, with all its quirks and secrets, is starting to feel like a place where I can belong and be accepted for who I really am. Hydessa, and not the mask of Taylor that I hide behind.

“Thanks,” I say, my voice a little shaky. “I appreciate that. More than you know.”

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