Page 45 of Beyond Oblivion

“She also had zip ties, duct tape, a mallet, a taser, and the address of an abandoned farm seven miles outside of town.”

My stomach dropped. “What the fuck?”

“You need to sort yourself out, mate. She’s not just some harmless sorority chick. She’s a bloody unstable woman who’s fixated on you. Her journal? Chock-full of plans to get Camille out of the picture. She’s convinced Cami’s the one standing between you and the baby Maddie reckons she’s meant to give ya.”

I ran a hand down my face, trying to make sense of the clusterfuck unfolding in real time. “Wow,” I muttered. It was all I could manage.

Kostas chuckled. “You Maddox lads, I tell ya someone’s cooked up some elaborate scheme to nab you or your missus—or both—and all you can come up with iswow.”

“I’m processing,” I grumbled, standing. I began to pace, rubbing the back of my neck. “So, what now?”

“We find out who rang the facility and what they’re up to, and then make a plan for when she’s released. Even then, it might not be a problem. Heard her parents are thinking of selling up soon.”

“They’re moving?”

Kostas shrugged. “Dunno. It’s possible.”

I let out a long, frustrated sigh. “I can’t stand this waiting bullshit.”

Kostas clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Either way... we’ll sort it.”

“Thanks for this,” I muttered. “Glad you’ve got all these contacts. Otherwise, I’d be standing around with my dick in my hand, trying to figure out what the hell to do next.”

“Between me, Trav, your dad… nothing will happen to you.”

“I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about my wife.”

“It’s the same thing, mate. If one gets hurt, the other suffers. That’s just how it works,” Kostas said.

I followed him to the hall and watched him walk toward the back door, fading into the darkness.

I sat back down in the chair, rubbing my face with my hands.

The entrance door chimed, and a few minutes later, Hazel barged through, dumping her bag and everything else in her hands onto Calvin’s desk. Her hair was in two thick braids, blue sunglasses perched just above her hairline.

“No way!” she said, falling into the chair Kostas had been sitting in moments before. She flattened her hands on the desk, her long, navy blue nails extended toward me. “So, get this—my sister Wendy was at the restaurant last night. Saw thewholething. But don’t stress, okay? She told everyone around her that Maddie is bat shit crazy and there was no way she’s pregnant, or that you’d ever cheat on your wife. Anyone remotely invested agreed, so don’t think for a second people believe it.”

“You have a sister named Wendy?” I asked, racking my brain to remember any times she’d mentioned her.

“Yeah, she was one of the first ones on the roster. So, how is Cami? Is she okay? Wendy mentioned Maddie said somehorribleshit. But then Raegan came back in with you all, so… did you take care of it or did she?”

“Mostly Ray.”

Hazel sat back, crossing her arms against her middle, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. “Atta girl. I miss that bitch. How is she? Is she staying for a while?”

“She’s good... I think. Maybe for a week? She doesn’t visit as often now that she’s married.”

“I saw the pics. Rich, hot, retired pro baseball guy? Go Raegan.” She let the silence hang for a moment before cranking up the volume. “Do you copy, Captain Mopey Pants?”

I snapped back to reality, realizing I was staring off into space. “Yeah! It’s all good.”

“It’snotall good. What else happened?”

I exhaled slowly. “Maddie’s not… well. Her parents took her to a facility to get her some help.”

“Oh.” Hazel tapped her nails against the desk, her other hand cupping her jaw, pushing up her cheek. “I almost feel bad.”

“Yeah, maybe cool it with the crazy talk,” I grumbled, standing and stretching my back.

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