Page 144 of Two Guys, a Girl, and a Tripod

“Let’s keep it between us for now.”

A week passes with no new notes. Brody told me he’d keep an eye out and tell me if he saw Caleb or his brother on any footage, but there’s been nothing. I’m not sure if I should be terrified or relieved.

“Yoohoo! Earth to Soph!”

Natalie waves a hand in front of my face, startling me out of my spiraling thoughts. I shake my head and inhale sharply, meeting her gaze. We’ve been sitting on the couch watching a movie from our Halloween list. The closer we get to October, the more often we pick one out. The original Poltergeist holds up surprisingly well.

“Sorry,” I mutter.

“Been doing that a lot lately,” Natalie muses.

“Just a lot on my mind.”

“Juggling two men will do that.” She nudges me with her elbow and I force a smile as we watch the mother get overly excited about an invisible entity sliding her and her familyacross their kitchen floor.Idiot.It’s always fun and games until your daughter is sucked into the spirit realm.

“I think I’m doing pretty well at juggling,” I comment with a wink.

“Circus freak,” she chuckles.

“Think I should audition for Barnum and Bailey?”

“Only if they’ll let you juggle naked.”

“Probably not.”

“Better skip it, then.”

Natalie’s phone buzzes and she types out a response. She’s been going back and forth with one of her financial subs throughout the movie, draining his account and sending pictures of our television screen instead of herself.

“Lean over here,” she says, holding up the phone and taking a quick selfie.

She doesn’t need to explain that she’s posting on social media, taunting her subs because I get to spend time with her and they don’t. I’m sure there’s a command to send three hundred dollars or something obscene ‘simply for existing’. Once again, I’m reminded that she can afford this apartment four times over on her own.

“How much have you made today?” I ask, knowing she doesn’t find the question crass.

“Only six hundred and…” she trails off adding up the remainder in her head, “thirty-five dollars.”

“Only,” I repeat, rolling my eyes. There are days she makes three times that before noon, so I guess it’s appropriate. “When’s your next trip again?”

“It’s on the calendar,” Natalie groans.

“I forget to check the calendar.” I match her groan.

“I leave a week from Monday and I’ll be back Thursday.”

“Quick turnaround.” I frown. “Driving or flying?”

“Driving. No trips to the airport for you, babygirl.”

I throw my arms around her and squeeze. Natalie reaches up to pat my arm, laughing while I squeal.

“Youdolove me.”

36

Brody

“Isla, I can’t talk right now.” My phone is wedged between my ear and my shoulder while I search through footage. I’m not doing anything that Mel’s team hasn’t already done, not reviewing new footage. I’m fucking impotent.

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