Chapter 4 - The Target on Their Backs
The hours dragged by with agonizing slowness. Chloe paced the hardwood floors, constantly checking her phone for a text from her father or her contact in Philly.
At 2:00 PM, a sleek black SUV rolled slowly past the house. Chloe froze by the window, peeking through the blinds. The vehicle had heavily tinted windows and no front license plate. It paused directly in front of their driveway for ten agonizing seconds before accelerating down the street.
“Mom?” Chloe called out, her voice tight. “Keep Leo away from the windows.”
Helen, who had been washing dishes, dried her hands and immediately moved to the living room, guiding Leo toward the hallway. “What is it, sweetie?”
“I don't know,” Chloe lied. But she knew exactly what it was. Scranton was a small town. A new face didn't go unnoticed, especially a woman who looked exactly like Arthur’s disgraced daughter, returning with a ten-year-old boy. Word had reached Vance.
At 3:15 PM, Chloe’s phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number.
“Some ghosts should stay dead. Leave town by tonight, or you’ll join him.”
Chloe’s blood ran cold. She immediately dialed Arthur’s cell, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic flared in her chest. Had they gotten to him? Had Vance realized what Arthur was doing in the locker room?
Suddenly, a massive crash shattered the quiet afternoon. The front living room window exploded inward, sending shards of glass raining across the carpet. Helen screamed, throwing her body over Leo to shield him.
Chloe dropped to the floor, her heart hammering against her ribs. Lying amidst the broken glass was a heavy brick, wrapped in a piece of paper.
May you like
Chloe crawled toward it, her hands shaking as she unwrapped the note.
Tick tock.
