To Tell An Altswood Lie (The Altswood Saga #3)

Chapter 24 - Replay

Author's Note:  This chapter is dedicated to KAMMS18 for being the first person to guess the big reveal, and for all around being hilarious in the comments section - also another special shout out to Wavellite for guessing the next smaller reveal with the power of Google ;) 

Some of you may have noticed that I went on a huge follow spree yesterday - I basically trawled through my comments section and followed all the familiar faces because I want to keep up with everyone even when Altswood is over (one more chapter and an epilogue to go!) so I'll slowly be getting around to checking everyone out and keeping up with y'all on my news feed ;) Also if I missed following you literally just nudge me a "pls follow me" in the comments because I am very liberal with hitting that button and I am also certain I may have missed a few familiar faces too :( But anyway enjoy the chapter!! 

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Chapter 24 - Replay

"She led us to the key so we would take the most convoluted route," I explained, picking at the bandage an officer had wrapped around my leg. "Maybe if we hadn't found it, we would have simply recalled the connection to Rebekah's IP address on our own and come straight here."

"Luca, you got here fast enough," Dad said. "That's all that matters."

I sighed. The rising sunlight was prickling along the horizon, warming my skin. "But Maire Reeve is gone."

She had kept her identity hidden throughout the whole kidnapping ordeal, so that Dad only saw a figure in a black mask dragging him around when he awoke from the gas. He had no idea that underneath the oversized clothing was a ghost come to life, but once we told him, it hadn't taken him long to become accustomed to its truth.

He told us that in those hours that passed by, gagged and bound in the closet, he was more bored than anything else. Once she had actually carried out the kidnap, Maire hardly bothered them. She had chucked Mrs. Kingston, the Mayor, and Dad in the closet with care, grumbled for them not to move around, then left them alone.

I imagined her anxiously waiting around Rebekah's house, hacked into the police scanner, waiting for the moment we unmasked Crystal Aston.

And once we did, she had fled into the night.

It was complicated now. Was Maire Reeve a criminal? She wasn't a murderer, but she had threatened us, kidnapped three power figures, and blown up a house. It counted for something that she didn't let anyone get hurt, but she knew what she was doing—she played us psychologically, and that did more damage than a broken arm ever could.

"I'm going to go get caught up," Dad said to me now, patting my shoulder. "Is that okay?"

On instinct, my hand reached out to clutch at his sleeve, panicked. I didn't want him to leave, not yet, but then I caught sight of Agent Tam and Agent Gatti arriving on scene, briefing one another with their usual frowns. I forced myself to uncurl my hands.

"You go be the police chief," I said. Then, quieter, I added, "I'm glad you're okay, Dad."

"All because of you," he replied, flicking my chin. "I'm proud of you."

If I wasn't careful, I was going to start crying again.

Dad walked off, following the stream of orange that stretched along the Gray-Willis lawn. The sun was climbing higher into the sky, and with it, the island was waking. Bottle Island came to life in the small details, details that were absent one second then present the next: a bee buzzing, a bird calling, the electrical wires humming louder, faraway engines grumbling to a start.