Page 107 of Secrets in the Deep

Emily: I don’t think there’s enough urgency.

Ryan: How does twenty-five minutes sound?

Emily: Better.

Ryan: Twenty?

Emily: Better again.

Ryan: You drive a tough bargain, Prior.

She chuckled as she pushed the phone into her pocket and packed the last of her things. She didn’t have a lot here. A few items were still at Ryan’s. Some others were in her trailer. At least she’d cleared everything from the inn. The room was still booked in her name, but she didn’t plan to go back, especially not with her mother in the room beside hers.

What would her mother say when she found out Emily wasn’t being sued? Would she be annoyed? Would she go so far as to step in and demand all parties uphold the contract?

After everything that had happened over the last couple of months, nothing would surprise Emily anymore.

She was just closing her suitcase when a knock sounded.

She frowned. Had that come from the front of the house or the back? It kind of sounded like the back.

It couldn’t be Ryan, could it? Had he actually brokenallthe speed limits to get to her this fast?

No. Less than ten minutes had passed. That was impossible.

She stepped down the hall and checked the peephole of the front door first.

Nothing.

Quickly, she moved to the back of the house and carefully checked the window beside the door.

Again, no one was there.

Frowning, she stepped back, the fine hairs on her arms standing up at the eerie resemblance to both the scene in the movie and the night at Ryan’s house.

She returned to the guest room, pulling her phone from her pocket as she moved to call Ryan, but before she could step through the bedroom door, a thump sounded from behind a closed door at the end of the hall.

She froze, heart jumping into her throat.

Quickly, she texted Polly.

Emily: You left, right?

Polly: A few minutes ago. Why?

The creak of a floorboard sounded.

Her skin chilled, and for a second, she couldn’t move. That was when the door opened.

All the blood drained from her face at the sight of the pale blue mask. The long black cloak.

And the knife.

Fear glued her feet to the floor.

Then the masked person stepped forward once.

Twice.