Page 189 of The Silent Note

In the silence, I feel a stinging pain against my leg. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I emerge with the arrow head and the note. I must have put them there during my daze.

I look at the note and then at the door.

She’s safe.

The evidence is gone.

I try to find the joy in that.

Impossible.

Saving the woman I love just cost me everything.

Chapter Fifty

GREY

I gather all the broken pieces to myself, pulling them toward me like a mother hen with her chicks.

“That looks bad,”a familiar voice says.

I look up and find Sloane on her haunches, her pale arms wrapped around her knees. Blue eyes train on the destroyed flash drive.

“Sloane,” I gasp.

“I don’t think you can find someone good enough to repair this one, Grey.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? You tried your best.”Sloane unwinds her hands and I shriek, falling back and crawling away from her.

Her hands aregushingblood.

“This isn’t your fault,”Sloane says, stepping toward me.“None of this is your fault.”

“No.” I wrench my head back and forth.

Sloane stops abruptly. Her voice trembles as she lifts her hands.“Grey… what is this?”

“I don’t know.” My chest heaves. “Just… just stay over there while I figure this out.”

“Grey, help me.”Sloane stretches her hands out.

“S-stay over there.”

“Grey…”

My back hits the wall.

I can’t crawl any further.

Fear claws its way up my throat and I squeeze my eyes shut, rocking myself. “I’ll fix it. I’ll fix it. I’ll fix it.”

“Grey. Grey!”

I feel someone shaking me and open my eyes to find Cadence stooping over me. Her expression is filled with concern.

“Cadence?” I breathe out. Glancing over her shoulder, I see that Sloane is gone.

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