Page 220 of Midnights
A dark chuckle escapes me. “They already tried. Now it’s my turn.”
He wipes the sweat off his face, rolling his eyes. “Fair enough. I’ll keep digging. But whatever’s going on here, we're going to find out."
My mind races with too many of the same thoughts. “Keep me posted.”
“Alright, but don’t lose your head over it. Raven’s clearly more capable than you think. She’s not a damsel in distress.”
The corner of my mouth lifts, “You think I don’t know that?”
He laughs, stepping back with a loose, easy confidence. “Just checking, mate. Hate to see you lose your charm.”
We move again, circling each other. The fight’s winding down, but neither of us is ready to back off just yet. I throw another jab, landing a clean hit on his shoulder that forces him to step back, but his expression doesn’t falter.
“Have you found anything more on Raven?”
He rolls his eyes deflecting my jab. “Everything’s been scrubbed. I didn't find any babies named Raven Taylor born in any hospital on her supposed birth date. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly.” He easily dodges my next swing. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing. That kind of thing doesn’t happen by accident.”
I exhale and turn to dodge him and barely make it out of the way. “But why?”
He raises a brow, and I can see his expression darkening. “Could be a number of reasons.” He sidesteps me again, which is starting to piss me off. “... someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure no one could dig into her past. That or they thoughtshewould never look into it.”
The thought twists in my gut, and I clench my fists at my sides. “What the fuck would hiding something like this even cover up, though?”
He tilts his head, unfazed by the tension radiating off me. “Look, I’ve got some leads I need to check on.” He grabs a towel, wiping off his face. “Give me a couple of hours, and I’ll see what else I can dig up. And try not to burn the whole place down before I get back, yeah?”
Chapter 37
Call it What You Want…
Raven
The next few days pass in a blur, and for once, without incident. No strange dreams, no whispers brushing against the edges of my mind, and no one trying to knife me or elbow me in the face. Honestly, it’s unsettling how normal everything feels.
The weather’s been unusually perfect too, and Rachel’s insisted on dragging me outside at every possible opportunity, not that I'm complaining. She’s convinced this is what vacations are supposed to feel like, and I almost believe her.
She left for the airport this morning, and the emptiness hit me harder than I expected. Sleep has been a joke lately. Every night, I wake up restless and edgy, like there’s something just beyond my reach. I’ve been awake since she left, watching the faint glow of sunrise creep over the horizon.
But sitting here now, with the morning sun spilling over the hills, it makes sense in a way I can’t explain. This place feels like it knows me. Like it’s pulling me in and refusing to let me go. The second Rachel mentioned going home, I knew, deep in my gut, that leaving wasn’t an option for me. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
With Rachel gone, I decided to make some new friends. Or at least try. I’ve left food for the dog that’s been hanging around the property, hoping to coax it closer.
The snap of a twig pulls me out of my thoughts. My eyes lock onto the edge of the woods, and there it is. The dog stands at the tree line, half-hidden in shadows. Its head tilts slightly, and I can see its ears are forward, watching me with cautious curiosity.
There’s something about it that makes me want it to come closer. Maybe it’s the way we’re both a little out of place, alone, and circling something we don’t understand.
“Just in case you were hungry.” I motion to the food I left with a shrug,feeling more than a little ridiculous talking to an animal that’s clearly not ready to trust me. “It’s not poisoned, promise.”
The dog doesn’t move, it just keeps watching. “I'm Raven, by the way.” I add, like the dog actually gives two shits about who I am. “And, I think we should be friends.”
The dog’s ears twitch, and for a second, it steps closer to the light. I feel my pulse quicken, though I couldn’t say why. “I won’t bite,” I whisper. “Can’t say the same for you, though.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Alright, fine. Be that way.”
With one last glance over my shoulder, I head back inside, leaning against the door as it shuts behind me. “I need a hobby,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face.
