Page 134 of Muted

“We don’t know,” he says without hesitation. “She hasn’t said anything.”

“She only woke up for a minute in the woods, but that’s it,” Chaz fills me in, his voice monotonous. He’s still swaying slightly and I’m becoming concerned about my friend.

“Why don’t you sit down, Chaz? You look like you’re about to fall over,” I tell him, looking around for a chair, but the snarl he lets out stops me.

The fury with which he whips his eyes up to mine shocks the fuck out of me. “I’m not fucking moving,” he bites out. My eyes hit my hairline and I look to Cooper for answers.

He’s watching Chaz from under hooded eyes. “Arthur was shot. He pulled his gun on Chester when he ran for Susanna, but he’s alive. They’re treating him here before he’ll be taken into custody and booked for false imprisonment and attempted murder regarding Susanna. He’ll also be charged for murder with respect to Laura Evans.”

“Where’s Vance?” Chaz asks, no reaction to what Cooper just told me.

“On his way. Wait, he fucking killed Laura Evans? How do you know?” I’m so goddamn confused right now.

“Who is Laura Evans?” Miriam asks, looking between us, but no one answers her question.

Lifting his chin in acknowledgement, Cooper’s next words shock me so badly that I fall back onto my ass. “We found her buried in the same grave Arthur had planned to bury Susanna.”

Miriam tries again. “Who is Laura Evans?”

“Her mother,” Cooper clips out, giving her nothing else.

Dropping my head between my knees, they all give me a few minutes to collect my thoughts, processing what I’ve just been hit with. Finally, lifting my head, I look to my friend for something that’ll make this nightmare a little better, but he’s not there.

I mean, his body is there, but his eyes are vacant as he continues to stare down at her. The only sign he’s still mentally with us is a tear that falls free from his lid onto the blanket.

“Has she said anything?” I whisper my question to both of them.

“No,” Cooper says, answering for Chaz. His response is to the point and definitive, leaving no room for questions.

Fuck.

“I need to let her family and Vance know what’s going on. I’m going to step out and call them, then I’ll be right back. Do any of you need anything?” I eye Chaz carefully, but he doesn’t react or seem to care about anything I’m saying.

What the fuck did he see?

Grabbing the door for me, Cooper jerks his chin to the hallway for me to follow. After telling Chaz and Miriam I’ll be back in a few minutes, I follow Cooper out.

“What haven’t you told me?” I ask him the moment the door shuts behind us.

“Your friend is the one that pulled her from the grave. Arthur had her half buried, and we all thought she was dead for a moment when Chester pulled her free. I think he’s afraid if he leaves, she’ll disappear again. It’s a common reaction to seeing someone you care about in a traumatic situation.”

The way he explains it sounds so cold, but I appreciate his honesty. It’s the way we had to approach difficult situations when I was in the military, so I hold no ill-will toward him.

“I appreciate what you did today,” I tell him, meaning every word.

He finally lets the mask fall for a moment when he glances at the door leading into Susu’s room. “She was a sweet girl when I met her. It’s a shame that her life hasn’t been easy.” Blinking away whatever memory he was reliving, he slips his mask back into place. “I’ll let you make your call.”

Leaving me alone in the hallway, I take a moment before dialing Vance. His phone goes directly to voicemail, so I hope that means they’re landing soon. I leave a brief message giving clipped details before ending the call and heading back into the room.

Cooper is leaning against his spot on the wall once more, his eyes flicking to me briefly before they fall back on the pair on the bed.

Chaz is now on the same side of the bed I was a few moments before, on his knees, whispering words to Susu with her hand clamped between his. Miriam is still in her corner, crying softly, but doing her best to keep it together.

“What—” I start to ask, but our guard answers for me.

“She’s awake.”

My body flies forward, moving to stand behind Chaz. “Susu…” I say, my voice trailing off when she looks up at me, her eyes devoid of all emotion. Her vacant eyes only stop me momentarily before what I’m seeing registers. “Baby, your eyes are green.”

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