Page 9 of The Weekend Getaway

They had dinner on the terrace, grilled salmon with roasted vegetables, a decent meal, but nothing special.

Phil ate but hardly tasted the food, his mind elsewhere even as he conversed with the six people he planned to destroy. Through the meal, he found himself stunned at his ability to joke and laugh and look each of them in the face—except for Sarah, for some reason, he couldn’t face Sarah—as they shared anecdotes and past memories.

But as the sun went down, an orange smear fading into the lavender horizon, Phil grew increasingly irritated by the frivolity and camaraderie. He lost the ability to smile and tease and pretend that he didn’t want the six of them dead and buried. Struggling to control his rage, he rose from his chair.

“Don’t tell us you’re going to bed,” Alex said, with a hint ofdisappointment that Phil recognized as an attempt to control the situation. Alex had never been above using emotional blackmail to get what he wanted. If Alex was disappointed, then you were supposed to change your behavior so that he would no longer be upset.

“It’s not even midnight,” Mia said.

Chris checked his watch. “Eleven-sixteen.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Phil said.

“Then why are you standing?” Grace asked, her voice slightly slurred.

Phil exhaled. “I have something to say …”

“A toast?” Chris asked.

“Not exactly,” Phil said.

“Seems like something serious,” Chris said, with a slight grin that quickly faded as he glanced around, his gaze furtive, and seemed to notice that no one else was amused.

“Dead serious …” Phil said, surveying the table. Everyone was on high alert, no longer relaxed and tipsy. They’d sobered instantly. Easy smiles were gone. Mouths were tight, grim lines.

“What do you have to say?” Alex asked, his gaze hard, but curious.

Slipping a hand into the pocket of his trousers, Phil grabbed the note, maneuvering the small slip of cheap paper between his fingers.

“Several months ago,” he began. “I started receiving notes from someone … I don’t know who … but the messages on these notes were pretty disturbing.”

“Disturbing how?” Mia asked.

“What do the notes say?” Alex stared at him.

Phil removed the note from his pocket, then dropped it on Alex’s plate. “This is the most recent one I received. Take a look.”

Glaring at Phil, Alex read the note. He frowned. “What does this mean?”

“You tell me,” Phil said.

Alex scoffed. “You think I sent this?”

“What does it say?” Grace asked.

“One of you at this table did,” Phil said.

“Let me see it,” Mia said, grabbing the note from Alex. She read it, her brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”

“What does it say?” Grace asked again, her voice rising an octave.

“Let us see,” Chris said.

Mia flicked the note toward Grace.

Alex asked, “What makes you think one of us sent them?”

“Considering what the notes say,” said Phil. “I think it’s obvious that the messages are about what happened at the party.”

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