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SAGE DROVE HER car down the bumpy driveway and parked her car in front of Duke’s childhood home.
Looking at the house she’d heard so many horror stories about, chills ran down her spine and the gloomy, grey day didn’t help. The windows in the house seemed darker, the door unwelcoming. As she walked across the overgrown path, even the long grass seemed to be clutching her ankles and warning her to stay away.
She shook her head and moved forward. These fears were ridiculous, but her heart felt heavy over the deaths that had happened here and gave her a tinge of discomfort. A collaboration of emotions no child should feel, but Duke had lived it all.
But that was in the past and he’d expressed no longer wanting that part of his life to control him anymore. When he’d decided to sell the property, Sage had been all for it. It would be worth a pretty penny considering it was on the outskirts of the city and had a gorgeous view, but Duke had requested the house be torn down before it was listed. The construction crew were scheduled to demolish the house next week before they listed the land on the market.
Sage stopped at the front door. Her hand lingered on the knob as she looked back over her shoulder. The real estate agent would be arriving any minute for an assessment. Duke had planned to meet her before his scheduled appointment with his father.
She swallowed the discomfort that lingered along with the knowledge that Duke was facing that monster again. But who was she to decide what closure he needed? She was the woman who—at her mother’s request—had taken Celeste to Dean’s funeral and afterwards helped spread his ashes over the lake.
Sage hadn’t needed closure with her dad, but apparently her mother had. They all dealt differently with life and death. Dean had been Celeste’s best friend for a long time, but only a dream to Sage. One way didn’t work for them all. If anything, she was so proud of Duke for facing his fears but also terrified of what he might discover at the same time.
She drew her hand away from the door now, deciding to wait for the real estate agent to arrive, when she heard a sound inside.
Stepping away from the door, another set of chills ran through her and the hairs on her arms stood up. It was likely an animal, squirrel, or raccoon had entered the old house.
Her phone vibrated and the sight of Duke’s name took away all her hesitation of being here. She swiped her phone and read his message.
Where are you?
Her fingers typed back. At the house waiting for real estate agent. I think you have rodents living inside.
When she heard the noise again, and with Duke just at her fingertips, she decided to go investigate.
She opened the door as her phone vibrated. “Hello?” She almost laughed at saying the word out loud.
Who was she talking to? A mouse?
She shook her head as she stepped inside, leaving the door propped open to air the place out.
She stepped toward the living room, her eyes watching the dark mark on the floor grow bigger the closer she walked. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but she realized now that was where his mother had been shot and had almost bled to death.
Her phone vibrated again and she looked down at Duke’s message. He was now also phoning her. She barely read the message before blackness stole her sight.
Get off the property.
***
DUKE’S WHEELS SPUTTERED down the laneway, his body shaking with fear. Sage hasn’t responded back to his text or answered his phone calls, but he knew she was at the house ... possibly with his mother.
He could be overreacting.
He could be wrong.
The conversation with his dad could have been a complete lie, but deep down, the more he dug into his childhood memories, the more believable his story became. He remembered his father showing up at the hotel they’d been staying in and carrying his mom from the bed where she’d been lying for days. He remembered singing one day with his mom and tip-toeing the next. But murder? He sure as hell hoped not.
Sage’s car and another car he didn’t recognize, but assumed belonged to the real estate agent, was parked out front. There were no signs of them.
He jumped out of the truck. “Sage? Sage!”
The front door was open a crack and he darted up the stairs and inside.
“Sage?”
He heard noise from the living room. “Hale? Hale, is that you?” The sound of his mother’s voice triggered a memory inside him.
As he walked to the living room entrance he was a ten-year-old again. The fireplace crackled, and he could hear the rain outside. He even felt damp from stepping inside from the rain.
“Maggie, what did you do?” It was his father’s voice, and he saw him bend down beside Annie. “They’re not breathing. Where’s Duke?” When his mother didn’t reply his father yelled, “Where’s Duke?!”
Duke looked up to see his father’s hands around his mother’s throat, but not choking her, trying to get her attention, trying to find him.
“Duke, honey, come here.” It was his mother’s voice, but it hadn’t come from the past. She hadn’t seen him or talked to him that day.
He blinked now and the room transformed into the abandoned home, dark and dirty with stains from the past.
“Duke?” His mother stood by the fireplace, looking thin and fragile, her eyes distant and lost. “You’re supposed to be with your brother and sister. We both are. Come now.” She held one hand out toward him, but kept the other behind her, holding what looked like a pillow. A pillow that would do nothing against Duke now.
“Mom, where are the women? There are two ladies here and I need you to tell me where they are.”
She smiled. “Don’t worry about them. They won’t bother us.”
Her answer worried him. What had she done to them?
“Sage! Sage!” Silence accompanied him into the living room and into the kitchen. “Sage?”
“Duke!?” He heard Sage’s muffled voice on the other side of the basement door. He unlocked the door and pulled but the latch at the top prevented it from opening. His fingers grabbed the lock clamped on the latch and he cursed.
“Are you okay?” he asked, looking around the kitchen for an object to smash the lock.
“Yes we are.”
“Who’s in there with you?” Duke ripped open drawers, his fingers digging through utensils and odds and ends.
“The real estate agent.” She pounded on the door. “Open the door.”
“I’m working on it.” He found a hammer in the hardware drawer and ran back to the door, skidding to a stop on the linoleum floor. He hit the lock three times before it broke apart. He ripped the door open and Sage flew into his arms. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“My head hurts.” She cringed when he touched the back of her head. He felt blood. “Everything went black and I woke up down there with the real estate agent. I couldn’t get reception on my phone.”
“Listen to me.” He gripped her shoulders and bent down to her eye level. “Go out this door, get in your car, lock the doors, and phone the police.” He ushered both women to the back door.
“What’s going on?” Sage reached for his hands. “Who’s here? Why aren’t you coming?” Panic flared in her voice.
“Trust me.” He kissed her.
“Is it Santos or Malcolm?” She asked against his mouth, not kissing him back.
“It’s my mother.”
The features of her face twisted. “I don’t understand. I thought she was in a hospital.” She touched the back of her head and looked at the blood on her fingers. “I thought she didn’t remember...”
“Hussy! Are you one of my husband’s whores?”
Duke turned to his mom, shielding Sage with his body. “Mom, it’s me, Duke. Dad’s not here.”
The lines on her forehead eased, her mouth loosened and she smiled. “Duke, baby, come here. I have a surprise for you.” He could see her still carrying the pillow behind her back. He fought to not cry, knowing she’d killed Pete and Annie, knowing she wanted to kill him now too.
He heard the real estate agent on the phone with who he hoped was the police. But when they arrived, what would they believe? Would they believe his mother had been responsible for the deaths of Pete and Annie? Or would they leave the man in prison who’d already confessed?
Duke took a step toward his mother, pulling away from Sage and reaching in his pocket to press the record button on his cell phone camera.
He owed his dad freedom. He owed his dad his life and the least he could do was get a confession out of the real killer.
***
SAGE KEPT HER DISTANCE as she listened to Duke’s mother confessing to two murders. Murders for which his father was currently serving time.
Her heart throbbed for the man she loved as he stayed by his mother’s side until the police arrived and took her away. Her heart finally cracked when the strongest man she’d ever met walked back to her after handing his mother over to the cops, not wiping away or hiding his tears. His body crushed hers in a hug and she felt his sobs against her body. Everything he’d believed had just been questioned, ripped apart and rewritten before his eyes. His emotion left Sage with nothing to say, not knowing what to say.
Most of the police cars had driven away before Duke’s grip loosened. “Let’s go home,” he said.
She wasn’t sure what home meant. Did he need space? Would he revert back to the guilt he’d recently fought to release?
She didn’t ask as he held her hand and guided her to the passenger’s side of his truck. He opened the door and helped her inside.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sage asked as he reversed out of the laneway.
“No.”
She wouldn’t pry. Not now.
He drove to the old part of the city where her mom lived and Sage remained quiet. Would he stay at her mother’s house or drop her off to hide away from his feelings again?
Instead of turning down her mother’s street, he parked a few blocks down in the laneway of a contemporary seventies looking house with a flat roof, box shape, and glass walls.
“Will you stay the night?”
“This is your house?” Sage had been so preoccupied with taking care of her mother for the last few weeks she’d had no idea he lived so close.
“Yes.”
“Yes,” she answered.
He walked around and opened her door as a car pulled up along the street. “Duke Falkner?” A big man stepped out of the driver’s side of a black sleek car.
Duke stepped in front of Sage. “Yes. Who wants to know?”
The man said nothing but turned and opened the passenger’s side door. A small, well-groomed Löwchen wearing a pink bow in her hair hopped out of the car and stood at the man’s side. When he walked toward Duke, the dog followed.
“This is your next client.” He held the leash toward Duke.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Duke barked and Sage grinned at the comparison.
“I will be back in thirty-five days after Malcolm Voci vacation to pick up the dog. If you keep her alive, consider your debt erased.” The man thrust the leash at Duke. “I don’t have all day.”
Duke took the leash acting as if he’d never seen a dog in his life.
Sage bent down. “What’s your name, cutie?” The little Löwchen wagged her tail at Sage and leaned into her hand. Sage slipped the tag over on her collar. “Pilot.” She laughed. “That’s a masculine name for such a little princess.” She stood as the car door slammed shut and the vehicle sped away.
Duke watched the car leave, looking dumbfounded. “What the hell just happened?” He looked down at Pilot and up to Sage.
She rubbed his arm and reached up and kissed his cheek. “It looks like your retirement is going to start with dog sitting.”
“That’s not a thing.”
She nodded. “Yes it is. You better just hope she’s house trained.”