Page 375 of Dark Love

Too long.

I stop the SUV well before the house. It’s always good to walk in quietly to check for any surprises.

With this guy, I expect a few. He’s just too confident not to have prepared for any eventuality. On the other hand, if we die, he’ll die in the room.

Payne heads to the right, and I head to the left.

The first welcome comes in the form of a tripwire just a few feet ahead of us. It doesn’t seem to be attached to any explosives. Must be an early warning system.

Payne’s route takes him through the woods a bit.

Payne: Trail cameras scattered throughout. They face towards the farmhouse.

We both have SAT phones, but surprisingly, there’s also regular phone service. That’s interesting. Did he arrange that? Or is it rigged somehow to work?

All of this is to keep the women in. He isn’t concerned about strangers wandering in.

Vex: Keep your eyes open. There are going to be traps.

Payne: Found two already. Took care of them.

I trained him well. The area around the house is clear. You don’t want to accidentally hurt yourself walking around your home.

But just in case, I tread carefully up the porch steps.

The faded tattered curtains are tied back giving a clear view inside. The space is eerily normal, complete with lace doilies on the end tables and dried flowers in the vases.

That garbage lives here.

Why?

There doesn’t seem to be any electricity or monitoring technology visible. I move to the next window that overlooks the dining room.

More doilies and vases full of dried flowers cover the table.

WHAT?

I blink twice, hoping that what I thought I just saw isn’t really there. Three birthing stools surround the table, each with shackles attached.

Death would be too kind…

Payne doesn’t need to see anything in here. My friend has too much gentleness in his soul.

My soul… It was destroyed too long ago.

The kitchen is empty except for shelves of canned goods and old cooking equipment. It tells me nothing except the guy doesn’t cook much.

The last room in the back corner must be the bedroom.

Will it be the same or…

I step back as all feeling drains from my body. The sight in front of me was staged for maximum impact. Yet so neatly done that it won’t leave a single shred of evidence.

Death is too kind for the man who did this.

There’s no one living left in the house.

Me: You done?

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