Page 44 of See How They Hide

“He was tortured.”

“How—how can you tell?”

Andrew looked at her. His eyes were bright, as if he was about to cry. “They cut off several of his fingers.”

Riley’s eyes went to the dog bed in the corner. “The dog... They didn’t—”

“They took Banjo.”

“How do you know?”

Riley followed Andrew to the kitchen. “His leash is gone—it always hung on that hook. One of his dog bowls.” He opened a large cabinet, nodded. “The dog food.”

“They killed him and took his dog?”

“Banjo is a Saint Bernard. Not really guard dogs, but he would have defended Jesse if he could. Maybe they—maybe they threatened the dog. I don’t know if I could keep silent if someone threatened to kill my pet. Jesse loved that dog more than any person.”

Tears brimmed in Riley’s eyes. She would not cry.

“Everyone is in danger,” she whispered. “They found Jane and Chris because of what they found here.”

“Did you see the computer?”

She shook her head.

“Someone shot it. My money is on Jesse, thinking that would save him, or to protect us. Maybe he gave up only who he could remember. Or he had physical records or notes or a backup drive. I don’t know. Dear Lord, I don’t know what they have or who’s in danger.”

Now, at the diner, they were quiet. Andrew called Donovan. He didn’t answer at first, then texted back that he was working and would call when he was free.

Riley wished she had someone to call, someone who cared about her. She’d had Jane, but her friend was dead. She’d had Chris, but he was dead, too.

Jesse Morrison had never been part of Havenwood. He’d helped them because Thalia paid him to do so. He created their identities, gave them backgrounds and documents. He walked everyone through what to say to get their social security card. He’d set up a message board for questions and promised to check it weekly.

No wonder he hadn’t responded to Riley’s thread.

Before Riley, eleven had escaped Havenwood. She didn’t know how many in the last three and a half years. Thalia preferred to take people one at a time, unless they were a couple like Andrew and Donovan. But when it was Jane’s turn, Riley had gone with her...

Thalia was furious. She told Riley to go back to Havenwood. That it wasn’t time, there was more work to be done.

“No,” Riley had insisted. “My mother thinks I’m dead.”

“You can’t deceive her. There’s no body.”

“Garrett and Anton saw me drown.”

Thalia didn’t believe her. But they didn’t have time to argue, so she took Riley with Jane. Later, Riley had explained how she’d done it.

“I told Garrett I hated myself, my mother, Havenwood itself. She wouldn’t let me leave, wouldn’t let me go to the craft fairs, but she’d never be able to stop me from killing myself. I used everything at my disposal—how Timmy was dead, how Cal had disappeared, how everything had changed since Grandmother died. Garrett told her, as I knew he would, and she locked me in my room. I broke a window to get out, knowing they’d follow. Garrett and Anton were only minutes behind me. It was dusk, hard to see, and I waited until I knew Garrett could see me jump into the lake and swim away.”

“That lake is freezing,” Thalia said.

Even in the summer, the runoff from the snow ensured that the lake was tolerable only for a few minutes at a time.

“I’ve been going to the lake every day for months. Staying in the cold longer each time, building my endurance.”

Thalia looked like she didn’t believe her, but Riley didn’t care. She said, “I made a show of it, screamed and went under again. Garrett swam out to find me, but the third time I went down, I held my breath and swam to the opposite bank. I hid in the forest all night, then crept back to Havenwood and watched.”

Thalia looked at her strangely. With surprise? Respect? Disdain? Riley didn’t think she’d ever know what her aunt really thought of her. But she didn’t care because she was finally free.

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