Page 181 of Dare To Fall

Chapter 119

Eli

“The school is locked up. How do you know he’s in there?”

We’re parked outside the gates, the lights on my car brightening the entire area.

“I just do.” We’ve had this same conversation over and over during the entire drive here.

“We need to wait for the police.”

I slant a glare at him and throw open the door. “Fuck that. You shouldn’t have fucking called them.”

He follows me slowly toward the gates. “Miles was right. Eli, slow down. You’re not thinking.”

“If I slow down, he’s going to kill her.”

“You don’t know that.”

I swing to face him, anger burning through my veins. “Don’t I? Why the fuck are you so convinced? Are you working with him, Garrett?”

“What? No! I’m just saying we need to think this through before we go rushing in there.”

“I think you either need to shut the fuck up or get back in the car and stay there.” I eye the gates, then jump up to grab the top bar and pull myself over the top.

Garrett mutters something behind me, but I don’t listen, too focused on climbing over the gates and landing on the other side. There’s a soft thump as Garrett lands beside me.

“The police are going to be here soon. They said they’d send someone from the local station.”

“Don’t care.” I set off toward the school.

“Eli.” He grabs my arm. “Fucking slow down. He killed your friend. He’s not going to think twice about trying to kill you or Arabella. Slow down and think. Stop rushing. That’s going to get one of you killed for sure.”

“What do you suggest?” I shake off his hand.

“Security is going to be on the grounds somewhere. We go and find them. They’re armed. At the very least, it gives us protection.”

I want to dismiss his suggestion, but I know he’s right. If we’re going to succeed in getting Ari back, we need to take all the help we can get. I just don’t want to hang around waiting for the police to show up. Not now we’re here.

“Fine. You go and find them. Meet me at the cemetery.”

“That wasn’t … You should come with me.”

“No.” I stride away, not waiting to see if he follows me.

“Okay,” he calls after me. “But don’t do anything until we get there.”

I lift a hand, but don’t turn around, my eyes focused on the tree line ahead of me.

“Clever, Eli. I knew you’d figure it out.” The voice floats to me in the darkness.

“Hiding, Evan?” I stop near the cemetery gates.

“From you? You’re nothing to be afraid of. A pathetic scared little boy hiding behind the mask of a monster.”

I shrug. “You christened me with the name.”

“And you wasted it.” A shadow detaches from the trees and coalesces into the shape of Evan. He cants his head as he stares at me. “What do they see in you, Eli? I don’t get it.”

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