Page 143 of Hide And Seek

“Zach felt guilty, didn’t he?”

She nodded. “He talked about turning himself in a few times, even though he didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, he did,” Rhys snapped. “He stood there and watched a child get murdered, and he did nothing to stop it. That makes him complicit. Same as the rest of you.”

“I know,” Gen said shakily. “I just meant he wasn’t one of the people physically holding Carly under.” She swallowed hard.“But he took it badly. He kept saying he was having nightmares about her.”

“And the others talked him out of confessing?”

She nodded. “Some of the guys convinced him not to say anything because of what it would do to his family. You know how close they are. After that, he apologized for freaking us out, and he stopped bringing it up.” Her breathing wavered again. “And then… over time, it got easier. Not normal, but easier. We stopped panicking every second of the day. Stopped worrying someone was about to figure it out. It even started to feel like it didn’t really happen.”

“But it did.”

“I know. I just meant… it didn’t feel real anymore. It just felt like an old nightmare I used to have, or something like that.” She let out a tiny, broken laugh that sounded close to another sob. “I was literallyjustsaying to Sutton yesterday that I thought we’d actually gotten away with it.”

“You almost did.”

Gen looked up at him through swollen, red-rimmed eyes. “How did you figure it out, anyway?”

Rhys adjusted the phone slightly. “Long story,” he said. “I’ll explain on the walk back down.”

She blinked at him. “So… you’re really taking me back to the city?”

“Yes.” His tone was calm again now. Controlled. “My dad’s friend is a defense attorney. I’ll call him on the drive and have him meet us somewhere. We’ll explain everything, and he’ll tell us what happens next. You’ll probably need to turn yourself in after that.”

“Okay.” Gen sniffled. “What about my car?”

“Yourcar?”

“I drove up here to meet you, and I figure you’ll want me riding back with you after… all this. So how will I get my car back to the city?”

For a second, Rhys didn’t respond.

“That’s really what you’re thinking about right now?” he finally said.

“I’m sorry,” Gen murmured quickly, casting her eyes downward. “My brain’s just all over the place. It’s… the stress, I guess.”

Another long silence stretched between them. When Rhys finally spoke again, something in his voice had flattened out completely.

“You’re right,” he said. “We can’t just leave your car sitting in the trail lot overnight. Someone could break into it. Or steal it.”

Gen wiped at her face again. “So what do we do?”

“Give me your phone.” Rhys snapped his fingers. “Now.”

She hesitated before shakily handing it over. “Why?”

“We’ll drive separately,” he said. “I’ll follow behind you, and I’ll hold on to your phone to make sure you don’t get any ideas about calling the others to warn them.”

“I… I wouldn’t do that.”

“Maybe not. But if you try anything else, like speeding off or trying to lose me on the highway, I’ll catch you. You know I will.”

Gen nodded quickly. “I won’t try anything. I promise.”

“Good.” The camera swung toward the narrow trail again. “Let’s move. It’ll be dark in a couple of hours.”

Gen was still wiping tears from her face as she stepped carefully toward the trail entrance. The camera followed behind her as she disappeared into the trees, late afternoon light flickering through the branches overhead.