Page 141 of Imogen

The others step through the sliding door to stand near us as I reply. “The storm is messing with our signal. Has something happened?”

“Kind of. Evan’s been trying to call to check in with Imogen.”

“Why? Has something happened? They only spoke this morning,” Hayden replies.

I hold my breath and step closer to my sister. Ciara links her arm though mine as Connor’s gaze glances around. “Where is Imogen? Where’s Ben?”

“Um…” I begin, but can’t form the right words.

Imogen wants to tell her dad about her relationship with Ben herself. If he finds out this way, she may never forgive us. She’s loved him for so long, so I get them wanting to keep it to themselves. Plus, it will prove to Evan that their relationship isn’t just a fling, that it’s real. And I know it’s real because I’ve watched them together. He’s just as much into her as she is with him.

“Look, her dad got a call from Zach’s parents. He left a concerning note and they think he might be coming here. He took their car,” he announces. “Evan is two and a half hours out. He got worried when he couldn’t get a hold of Imogen or any of you.”

I briefly glance at Hayden and see a mask of indifference cross over her expression, and I know she’s thinking the same as me.

Zach is here. He’s the reason Imogen and Ben haven’t come back. No one says it but it’s what we are all thinking.

“They aren’t here,” I whisper.

“What do you mean they aren’t here?” Connor asks. “What are you lot not telling me?”

“Your girlfriend, she, um, she mentioned a bluff,” I begin.

“I know the one. The hill over there,” he points out, and his eyes widen. “They are up there in this weather?”

“They were meant to be back hours ago,” Ciara blurts out.

“So why are you all acting like there’s a dead body in the house and you are waiting for me to leave so you can bury it?” he grits out.

“Because Ben and Imogen are an item,” Maddox admits.

“Madz,” Hayden hisses.

Maddox throws his hands up. “It’s true. And I don’t know about you, but I’m worried. Woods are a bad omen in this family. Shit happens in the woods. And he needs to know everything. Something has clearly happened. We’ve all been thinking it. Is their secret really worth their lives?”

“You can’t say anything to Evan,” Ciara pleads. “They want to be the ones to tell him.”

“I won’t say shit,” Connor promises, brushing his fingers through his dark locks. “I’m going to go look for them.”

“I’m coming,” I offer.

“I’ll be quicker on my own,” he tells me.

“Yeah, we’re coming. There are two paths on the mountain; you can’t cover both,” Hayden argues.

“We were just about to go and look anyway,” I assure him.

He pinches the bridge of his crooked nose, letting out a weary sigh. “No fucking around. It’s not safe during the rain. The dirt can cause mud slides.”

“We’ll come too,” Maddox announces.

“It’s not a picnic,” Connor barks.

As they continue to argue, I pull Ciara to the side. She’s my little sister, and I don’t want her being in danger. “Can you wait here with the others?”

“No, I’m coming,” she declares, gripping my hand. “We stick together.”

“Yeah, but someone needs to be here. We can’t all go. Evan is on his way, and someone might slip up about them being together.”

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