Page 66 of Not A Whisper

Grant watches as my smile fades.

“You’re right, I hadn’t considered all of that.” Determination stiffens his shoulders and tension brackets his mouth. “But Jason’s right—you’re taken by all three of us. Tell everyone you know because we’re not going anywhere.”

I hold his gaze. “I’m taken, but I’m not sure I’d go as far to say bythreemen.”

“Ah, c’mon, dollie, he’s going to make it right. Grant said he’ll call it off and he will.”

“Until then, I said what I said.”

Grant grimaces. He opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted. Grant’s phone in his hand, Jason’s phone in his pocket, and my phone in my purse by the door, all go off at once. Grant glances down, unlocking his phone to check whatever came to all three of us.

“Fuck!” Both Jason and I flinch. Jason digs into his pocket just as Grant snaps, “We’re getting your family away from my dadtonight, Jay.”

Jason unlocks his phone, and something pops up on his screen. I lean forward to see a text from Trip and a picture. Jason stiffens as I gasp.

Trip: Stopped by to help my dad finish up a job at G’s place. Went by your parent’s place to say hi and found this waiting on the doorsteps.

Trip: Note attached says do some digging.

Trip: Your parents haven’t seen it yet. I’m gonna get rid of it before they do.

Beneath Trip’s text is a picture of a large, decorative navy-blue box. Thick, silky gold ribbon loosely falls on either side of it. But while the box is nice, that’s not what my eyes land on. It’s what’s inside of the box.

Blood pools on the bottom of the box, dripping from the severed neck of a mutilated horse head.

“Oh my god!” I stumble backward. Around me, the room spins. My stomach lurches and I lose feeling in my legs. “Is that a… is that…? W-why? What the hell?!”

I have to close my eyes to keep the room from spinning, but it helps. With several deep breaths, I’m settled. When I open my eyes, I find Jason staring grimly down at his phone. His face is ashen, almost green. His phone and hand shake violently. Whenhebegins to sway, it snaps me out of my shock.

“Jason!” I catch his elbow as he stumbles to the left.

Grant’s steps forward. “You good?”

Jason’s head bobs, but I’m not even sure if he heard the question. I tug on his arm.

“Come sit down.” Swallowing down bile, I reach forward and plunk Jason’s phone out of his hand, then steer him toward the kitchen table.

He staggers over and flops down in the chair that I pull out. I toss his phone onto the table then squat down between his legs as he stares off in a daze.

“Jason? Hey, are you still with us?”

“H-he killed Shortbread…” Jason mutters, his brows furrowing upward in pain. “The poor guy was just about ready to retire.”

I glance at Grant who stands there looking a little lost. He looks at me, and I ask, “Shortbread?”

“The horse. One of my dad’s first purchases,” he answers, shooting Jason a worried look. “Kai and Jason’s favorite horse.”

Oh man. I thought this was just a soon-to-be veterinarian breaking down over the loss of an animal, but this was apet. A close one at that. I reach up and squeeze Jason’s thighs.

“I’m sorry, Jason. This is horrible. I’m sure there’s a way to figure out who would do such a thing.”

Grant scoffs. “We already know.”

“We do?”

Jason’s face hardens as his stunning hazel eyes come back into focus. They lock onto my face as he growls between clenched teeth, “Garry Gipson.”

My whole body recoils, denial sharp and bitter on my tongue. “Garrydid this!? To his own horse?”

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