Page 67 of Collect the Pieces

“And!?” Ravage shouts.

“The coffin was closed.” Margo’s gaze scans the crowd. “But the doll?—”

“Noooo,” Lilly moans. “Don’t say it.”

“Yup,” Margot confirms. “This time she was sittingon topof the casket.”

“Bitch really wanted some attention,” Birch quips.

Nervous laughter rolls through the group.

“Help meeee!” A high-pitched voice echoes from the woods.

“Fuck!” Rav jumps off the log and comes closer to the fire. “What the fuck was that?”

Shelby’s muffled giggles follow Rooster’s fading cries for help.

“It’s Rooster, dipshit.” Rock laughs and jerks his thumb over his shoulder. “Story gettin’ to you?”

“No.” Rav runs his hands through his hair a few times, then glances around the circle.

Bonnie and Lala motion for Rav to join them on their blanket and he happily plants his ass between them.

“Aww, look at Rav gettin’ protection from two sweet lil’ bunnies,” Birch heckles.

“Ignore them, Margot.” Z waves his hand in the air, like a conductor instructing her to continue.

Margot flicks her gaze to the sky for a second. “So, now I’m looking at this doll and thoroughly spooked. Questioning my sanity.”

“Did you tie the bag shut the first time?” Swan asks.

“The first time, no. I just placed her in the casket,” Margot says. “But you bet your ass I tied it shut the second time.”

Lilly winces.

“Was the first bang from the window closing?” Charlotte asks.

Margot points at Charlotte and nods. “Yup. I didn’t realize that until the next morning, though.”

“Had it rained that night?” Teller asks.

Margot claps her hands together. “Yes!”

Z slides his gaze to Teller. “Okay, that might explain the puddle, but not the doll.”

“There’s a logical explanation for that too,” Teller says.

“The fuck there is!” Rav shouts. “That’s creepy shit.”

“After that, everything was calm for the rest of the night.” Margot slides her hand through the air in front of her like she’s smoothing out a bedsheet. “When I told April the next morning, she didn’t believe me.”

“I hope you made her stay over the next night,” Wrath says.

“Oh, I didn’t have to make her.” Margot nods at Wrath, then Teller. “She wanted to stay to prove to me it was just somethinglogicalthat happened.”

Teller chuckles “And?”

“Same thing. Just as we were falling asleep?—”

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