Page 74 of Free to Fall

That’s because when I was home alone, a dark-haired doll, dressed in scrubs, meticulous down to the tiny hole in the upper left shoulder, was lowered down to my window.

It had a noose around its neck.

My stalker hasn’t gone anywhere. They’ve just been quiet.

Waiting.

Uncle Keene glares at my father. “What the fuck is going on?”

My father stubbornly remains silent.

“Speak. Now,” Uncle Keene orders.

Reluctantly, my father does, starting with the incident at the house before I returned home. My uncle glares at him. “You’re now just telling me about this?”

“Colby knew.”

That enrages Uncle Keene more. “And you didn’t bother to tell me? Are you crazy, Caleb?”

“I’m trying to keep my daughter safe, and you damn well know you’d do the same thing.”

That freezes Uncle Keene’s fury for the moment. His eyes narrow on my father before he hisses, “Do you have any leads?”

But my father is too busy comforting me to answer. As for me, I’m too busy being terrified to do more than beg my father to make them go away.

He swears it’s almost over.

I hope, for both our sakes, it’s the truth.

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

“Daddy, what are you doing?” Bailey wonders.

Drinking a mug of coffee, I lift it in her direction.

She giggles. “It looks like you’re waiting for Laura.”

Busted. Placing the mug on the counter, I assume a serious expression. “Maybe I just want to know what you two are doing today?”

“No!” Bailey shrieks.

“Hmm, now, isn’t this interesting. Are you two planning on letting monkeys into our house?”

Bailey giggles. “Nope.”

“What about building a swimming pool?” Pretending to be affronted, I jab my hands on my hips. “Are you tearing down the house today?”

Bailey is outright belly laughing when I spy Laura coming up the walk. Pretending a nonchalance I don’t feel, I say, “Well, if I can’t get it out of you, I’ll get it from your partner in crime.”

Instead of waiting for her to use her key, I fling open my front door before Laura can open it. She’s carrying an enormous backpack. I frown even as she sidesteps me. Hurt and confusion drip into my blood until I see her wink at Bailey, who giggles. I drawl, “That’s a mighty large bag, Dr. Lockwood. Going somewhere after work?”

She swings it off her shoulder. It almost floats to the floor like a bundle of feathers. My frown snaps into place. It didn’t make as much noise as I thought it should.

Laura replies, “Actually, it’s holding the key element of today’s Summer of Fun activity. I just needed a bag large enough to get it here.”

I give the backpack a once over. “You know I’m dying to see what’s in there.”

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