The Night Before(79)

“Are they gone now?” I ask.

Gabe looks to the window that faces the driveway and strains his neck to see through it. “I can’t tell,” he says.

I moved the trunk from beneath the window. But just beyond it is the bag with the sports equipment, which I’ve left open. Shit!

I pull Gabe’s attention back to me, hoping he won’t see.

“Gabe!”

He looks at me again.

“What do we do now? Is it time to leave?”

He shakes his head. “No. There’s been a complication. But it’ll be fine.”

“What complication? Do they know I’m here? Are they coming?”

Gabe pulls me to his chest and wraps his arms around me tight. Every inch of my skin crawls at his touch, at his smell, but I grab hold of his arms and squeeze them as though I never want to let him go.

“I’m scared,” I say. I have to make him believe me. He wants to be my protector, and I will make him just that.

But then his body jerks away from me. His head turns back toward the window. Back to the open bag with the sports equipment.

He walks to it with large strides, looking inside.

“What were you doing while I was gone?” he asks.

When he looks back, I’m standing by the foot of the stairs, one foot on the first step, and the bat gripped tightly in my hands.

He freezes for a second, stunned by my deception, but I am already moving. Up the second step, and then the third.

He runs to the stairs. I bound them two at a time.

I reach the top and grab the doorknob, this time turning it all the way. The door opens into me and I have to step down to make way. And when I do, I feel his hand on my ankle, pulling me hard to my knees and then down the stairs. Toward the bottom. Toward Gabe.

“Why?” he yells as he grabs hold of my other ankle. He drags me to the bottom of the stairs like a rag doll, the bat releasing from my hands and falling through the railing to the floor below.

He climbs on top of me, hands gripping my wrists, legs pinning my thighs to the ground.

“I did everything for you. Don’t you understand that? I saved you from my brother. And then I saved you from Mitch Adler. You knew it was me. I know you saw me. I looked at you when I opened that car door and saw you with your shirt pulled up and his hands on you. You would never let him do that to you. I know that. But you always got yourself into trouble, didn’t you?”

I feel his hot breath against my skin. His eyes are crazy now, like a dam has broken and whatever he’s been holding inside is now free.

“I saved you again from that monster in New York. I made him disappear and it never touched you, did it? I always clean up your messes and then make sure it never touches you. Precious Laura. Nothing can ever touch precious Laura.”

I look in his eyes then and let my face soften. I stop fighting against his hold and let my body go limp.

“I know, Gabe,” I tell him. “I’ve caused so much trouble, haven’t I? I’m sorry. You’ve always been so good to me. But I’m scared. Don’t you understand? I don’t know if I can trust you. I don’t know if I can trust anyone. That’s always been my problem, remember? I can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys.”

Gabe lifts my wrists and then slams them down in anger. “You never could!” he yells. “You liked it when he kissed you! I know you did! You kissed him for a long time and in front of everyone!” But then the anger subsides. “I thought you would finally understand. When the notes started to come, I thought you would realize that I was the good guy. I was the one you could turn to. But you didn’t, did you? You went on a dating website and put on makeup like a little whore. I couldn’t let you do that again. I couldn’t let you not see the truth—that I am the one who protects you! I am the only one!”

I nod and try to smile, though my mouth is trembling.

Gabe killed Mitch Adler. Gabe sent the notes. And Kevin—what did he mean about making him disappear?

My voice trembles when I speak. “I know, Gabe. Give me some time. Teach me. I can learn. I can be better.”

We both hear footsteps coming from above. Gabe looks to the top of the stairs and the door that is now open. He climbs off me and pulls us both to the wall at the foot of the stairway, where we can’t be seen.

In the corner I see the bat, and I break free long enough to get to it.

I stand tall now, Gabe right in front of me.

And I clutch the bat in both hands.

Sirens pierce the silence that has filled the room.

Sirens, and then the sound of my sister’s voice calling my name.





FIFTY-THREE


Rosie. Present Day. Saturday, 4:32 p.m. Branston, CT.

Rosie couldn’t wait. Not one second longer.

She left the car and ran to the door at the side of garage. It opened the same way it always had, from the time they were kids. The frame was warped, the lock misaligned. She moved quickly to the toolbox on a small workbench in the corner and lifted it. The key was there—just like always. She ran to the side door that led to the house, turned the key, and opened the door, stepping just inside.

The side door led to the mudroom and then the kitchen. She slowed herself now because the house was quiet. Gabe would have heard her enter. He could be anywhere, around any corner. She walked past the small island and then the counter where he’d placed her black purse.