Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Damiano reaches for his shirt. “I’ll walk you.”
“No.” I stand up. “I’ll take her. You stay here and keep an eye out for any search parties getting too close to the maze. I don’t want you to accidentally meet up with Viktor alone.”
Something passes between Damiano and me—an old tension, a new understanding. He nods once.
Briar looks between us, clearly sensing something’s up but not quite understanding it. “I can find my way back alone.”
“With search parties all over the grounds? Not a chance.” I grab a flashlight from Damiano’s workbench. “Let’s go.”
Outside, the fog has gotten thicker, coating everything in a layer of damp. We walk in silence for the first minute, Briar hugging herself against the cold despite the flannel shirt.
“About what you saw...” she finally says, her voice uncertain. “Damiano and I... that wasn’t planned.”
“You don’t need to explain anything to me.” I keep my eyes on the path ahead.
“I just don’t want things to be weird between us.”
I almost laugh. Like burying a body together wasn’t weird enough.
“It’s not weird,” I lie. “You’re both adults.”
“Right.” She steps over a fallen branch, still not looking at me. “I just thought, given your history with him...”
“Ancient history.” Another lie.
“It felt like more than that, the way you two looked at each other.”
I shrug, trying to play it cool. “We’ve known each other a long time. That’s all.”
“And I’m complicating things.”
“Everything about this situation is complicated. You and Damiano is the least of my concerns right now.”
She nods slowly, clearly not believing me. Smart girl.
We’ve reached the back patio of the main house. All the windows are still dark.
“You should go in through the kitchen,” I tell her. “In case anyone’s watching the front.”
“Right.” She hesitates, then adds, “Be careful out there tonight.”
“Always am.”
“Lock the doors behind you,” I remind her. “And don’t answer if anyone comes knocking before morning.”
Once she’s safely inside, I stand in the shadows for a few minutes, watching for any movement around the property. Nothing but fog and darkness. The search parties must have moved to a different area.
I head back toward the greenhouse, my mind racing with everything at once. The search. Viktor. The body in the maze. Damiano and Briar together on that narrow cot…
Yeah, complicated doesn’t even fucking begin to cover it.
Chapter 16
Briar
“I had a party. It got bigger than I expected. I went to bed early. I don’t know everyone who was there.”
I repeat the lines in my head for the twentieth time, trying not to sound too rehearsed while Viktor Bastian stares me down from across the kitchen table. His eyes haven’t left my face since he sat down ten minutes ago.
“And what time would that have been, Ms. Waters? When you went to bed?”
“Around midnight, I think.” I fidget with my teacup. “I was tired. My condition—”
“Yes, your condition.” He glances at the medication bottles lined up on the counter. “Must be difficult.”
Something about the way he says it makes my skin crawl. Like he doesn’t quite believe me.
Two other men stand near the back door—ex-military types with hard eyes and crew cuts. One of them keeps checking his watch. They brought dogs, currently sniffing around the perimeter of the house with handlers. I’m trying not to think about what would happen if they decided to explore the maze.
“Liam was here, at your party.” Viktor leans forward slightly.
“I invited a lot of people. I honestly don’t remember everyone who came.” I take a sip of tea to hide my face. “The party got bigger than expected. Word spread.”
“As you keep saying. That happens with parties.” His statement is too calm. “People you don’t know showing up. Causing trouble sometimes.”
I’m saved from answering by the sound of the front door opening and bags dropping in the hall.
“Miss Briar? I’m back early. The ferry schedule was—” Mrs. Fletcher stops in the kitchen doorway, narrowing her eyes at the sight of Viktor. “What’s going on here?”
“Mrs. Fletcher.” I try to mask my relief. “This is Viktor Bastian. He’s looking for his brother, who unfortunately turned up missing the other night.”
Mrs. Fletcher takes in the scene—three strangers in her kitchen, me looking uncomfortable, the men by the door. Her expression hardens.
“In Miss Waters’s kitchen? Without calling ahead?” She moves into the room like she owns it, which in many ways, she does. “I wasn’t aware we were entertaining visitors today.”
“We’re not staying long.” Viktor’s tone remains pleasant but his eyes are cold. “Just asking a few questions about Ms. Waters’s party.”
“And that requires three men?” Mrs. Fletcher sniffs. She turns to me. “Have you offered these gentlemen tea, Miss Briar? Or were they just leaving?”
Her meaning is clear. I hide a smile behind my cup.
“Actually, Mrs. Fletcher, they were wondering if they could search the grounds.”
“Search for what?” She raises an eyebrow. “You think he’s here?”