Cassie couldn’t help but grin at him as he strolled by, nudging her shoulder lightly. “Dream on,” she retorted.
***
Devon watched as the Caddy pulled into the driveway. Though he hoped that Cassie was not with them, he couldn’t suppress the small glimmer of hope that filled him. Melissa and Luther climbed out of the vehicle, stretching their legs and backs. He turned away from the window, his spirits crashing when he realized that Luther had listened to him and not brought Cassie along.
He opened the door for them as they reached the porch. They both offered him tired smiles as they trudged inside. “How was the drive?” he asked softly, closing the door behind them.
“Fine, long, but it was fine,” Luther answered. “How are things going here?”
“Long also,” he answered on a sigh. “I’m beginning to wonder if Julian’s even still in the area. Maybe Cassie killing Isla scared him off, instead of making him even more determined.”
Luther lifted an eyebrow questioningly. “Do you really believe that?”
“I don’t know what to believe,” he admitted. “I haven’t felt his presence in a long time; there was only one new murder, the night after you left. I think he suspected that there was something off with Cassie, something different. He stopped me from helping her that night…”
“He did what?” Luther interrupted sharply.
Devon paced anxiously, running his hand through his hair as he told Luther what Julian had done, and the words he had said. Luther stared at him, his eyes as wide as an owl’s behind his glasses. Melissa’s mouth was pinched tight, but she showed no other reaction as she stood rigidly by the door. “What does that mean?” Melissa asked when Devon was done speaking.
“I don’t know,” Devon answered. “I don’t know if it means that he took off after seeing what she had done to Isla, but I doubt it. I think he would have been even more intrigued; think that he would have wanted to test her boundaries as much as possible to see what she was capable of. Or at least the Julian that I have always known would have, and I’m not inclined to think that he has changed any.”
Luther pulled his glasses off, cleaning them as he stared at the floor. “You don’t think he followed us?”
“I wouldn’t still be here if I did. No, he didn’t follow her. I would have known if he had, and Annabelle would have sensed him by now. He is strong, but not strong enough to keep himself cloaked from her and Chris for that long. Besides, there was that one other murder the night after you left. However, where he has gone since then, I don’t know.”
They stared at him for a long moment, shifting uneasily as they glanced toward the door. “Maybe he is laying low in the hopes that Cassie will return to town.”
Though Melissa said the words, he could tell that she did not believe him. “Maybe,” he agreed, though he didn’t believe it either. However there was no other explanation for Julian’s sudden disappearance, or at least not a better one than Melissa had offered. Besides, there was something he was more concerned about at the moment. “How is Cassie doing?”
“As well as can be expected, I guess,” Luther mumbled.
Melissa frowned slightly as she folded her arms, her gaze moved slowly over the house. Devon had given up his apartment, preferring to take up residence in Cassie’s home in order to keep an eye on Chris’s mom. He also felt closer to Cassie in her home, he could still smell her here, still touch the things that had meant so much to her. “Melissa?” he inquired softly.
Her onyx eyes met his, her mouth pressed tight in a compressed line. “She’s miserable,” she admitted softly. “I know Cassie, and she can take a lot, but she’s had more shoved at her in the past month then anyone should ever have to handle. She’s lost, she’s confused, and she needs you.”
Devon blinked in surprise, startled to hear Melissa speak so openly about Cassie’s emotions and what she was going through. He was also wounded by the truth and pain that resonated behind her words. “Melissa,” Luther said reproachfully.
Melissa waved a slender hand looking slightly aggravated. “I know this is what has to be done. It just sucks,” she muttered.
Devon thought that summed it up perfectly. “But she’ll be ok, right?” he asked nervously, wishing that he could be there with her, hating the fact that she was in pain, lost, and confused.
“Yes,” Melissa said softly. “She wanted me to give you this.”
Melissa pulled a letter from her pocket, and handed it over to him. Devon took it, catching the lingering scent of Cassie upon it as he fingered the white envelope a moment before slipping it into his pocket. He wished that it was her he was holding, but until this mess was cleared up that was not to be. “Thank you. Did you get more books?”
Luther nodded, but he didn’t look happy. “There’s slim hope of them telling us anything Devon.”
Devon sighed softly as he ran a hand through his disordered hair. “I know, the one’s I have here are useless, but there is still some hope.”
“I suppose so.”
The sound of Liam’s footsteps turned their heads to the stairs. He offered up a small smile as he stepped off the stairs, his hair was tussled and still damp from his shower. “How is Annabelle?” he inquired softly.
“Annabelle is doing well,” Luther answered. “Think everyone else is starting to go a little stir crazy though.”
Liam grinned. “Yeah, I imagine so.”
“You staying the night?” Devon asked.
Luther nodded, glancing briefly at Melissa. “Neither of us is ready for another seven hours in the car.”
“Don’t blame you. Want some dinner?”
“Sounds good.”
Devon turned to move into the kitchen when he noticed that Melissa had frozen. She was as stiff as a block of ice, her face slack, and her eyes distant and unseeing. A chill of apprehension raced down his spine, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He reached for her, but Luther seized hold of his arm, stopping him.
Luther’s face was tight, his eyes hard as he shook his head at Devon. “Cassie,” Devon whispered in terror.
Melissa gasped suddenly; staggering back, she hit the wall before she fell to the floor. Her wide eyes met his, the horror in them confirming his worst fear.
***
Cassie glanced up from her book, staring out across the silent clearing. The sun filtering through the bare branches cast dancing shadows across the snow covered ground. She didn’t know what had caught her attention until she realized that the woods had gone completely silent. The squirrels no longer moved about in the trees, the birds had all stopped singing.