Page 110 of Secrets & Lies

His eyes flew to mine, and I said, “She’s not home.”

He relayed the message and then barked, “Then where the hell is she? Your man said she hasn’t left. How is that possible? She didn’t vanish into thin air.”

“Don’t know, but I say we investigate. Are you coming in to help or what?” I asked.

I wouldn’t lie. The relief of not finding her inside alleviated my initial concern. However, now we had a bigger problem. Where the hell was she? After thoroughly combing through her house, we managed to locate a locked safe and, by fluke, a small room.

“What the fuck?” Ivan asked. There was a hatch door that led to an underground passageway.

“Only one way to find out,” I answered quietly. Pulling up the flashlights on our phones, we stepped inside. The tunnel led about half a mile out and opened to what looked like a small garage, minus a car.

“Skagit County?” Ivan asked. I nodded. We made our way back through the tunnel and locked up. “Should we tell Alek?” he asked as we got into the car.

“No. He’s been like a fucking beast since that night. You saw how he was with our last target,” I said, shuddering at the memory. “If we’re going to go, it should be now,” I added, looking at the map. It would take us almost two hours to get there.

Chapter 42

Kinsley

Home Again

Gently lapping waves rocked the boat. The sky was heavy and gray, and a storm threatened to unleash itself. By the smell, it would be soon. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and peaceful here.

The memories were bittersweet. How many days had Owen and I sat in this little boat, quietly contemplating life while we waited for our lines to jerk?

For the first time in weeks, a semblance of serenity had taken over. Here, amid the stillness of nature, there was safety. It was more than home; it was where I found my sanity and where the secrets of my past came to die.

I had some major decisions to make. Asking myself the harder questions was easy, but answering them, not so much. What kind of life did I want? How was I going to achieve that? What steps were mandatory for me to take to begin?

Maybe coming here would give me space to think it through. I knew it was impulsive to leave as I did, but I’d kept the property here in Skagit for this reason.

I knew that at any moment, I could walk through the doors of the cabin Owen and I built and feel his presence. After my freakout with Alek, I needed this more than ever.

One by one, I let the memories of my past take up space. It was a trick I’d learned. Conscientiously, I’d let them loose, only to gather them right back up. I’d mentally condense them into pieces of paper in folders.

I’d lock them up in a briefcase, tie them with heavy chains, and then chuck them overboard. As the first few drops of rain hit my face, I grabbed the rock I’d picked up from the shore.

The fish weren’t biting today, anyway, so I chucked it overboard, whispering the words, “I control you, not the other way around.”

It was symbolic, but it always worked, and tonight was no different. I watched the rock sink and the resulting ripples on the lake. The rain fell harder, and I knew I needed to get back. I was shivering by the time I finally pulled the boat ashore. With everything secured, I made my way back to the cabin.

It was rustic but charming and had a wraparound porch that, many a day and night, brought a sense of coziness and warmth for me and Owen. The cabin’s exterior was clad in weathered wood, giving it that timeless appearance that blended seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.

As I approached, I heard voices. I slowly pulled my blade out and snuck closer. Becoming annoyed at the British accents, I sheathed my blade. How the heck did they find me?

“Where could she be? It’s fucking teeming,” Ivan King bellowed.

“Your guess is as good as mine. With 250 acres at her disposal, anywhere would be my answer.” Nikolai’s soft drawl filtered through the rain.

The porch had two rocking chairs, perfect for sitting in to read or enjoy a cup of tea. It should have been empty, but instead, Nik was sitting in one of the chairs while Ivan paced the porch. I walked toward them, my boots squelching in the mud as the rain pounded down. The cold droplets seeped through my clothing and left me shivering.

“There you are. What the bloody hell? You’re soaked through. I swear, little girl, you need a nanny or something. Have you lost your mind?” Nik thundered as I casually walked up the steps.

“I can take care of myself.” The temperature had dropped, and I was cold enough that my teeth were chattering. But I’d be damned if I admitted it to them.

With a grunt of annoyance, I bent down to remove my boots. My fingers slipped, and I fumbled with the wet laces, trying to get the damned things loose. “Why are you here?” I demanded, finally managing to tug one foot free from the soggy leather.

“Checking on you. Now, how about you invite us in, shower, change, and we can talk,” Nik suggested.

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