INSTALOVE

Chapter 47: Over My Dead Body

Chapter 47: Over My Dead Body

E L L I E

"Tell us who reset the parameter, Ellie. Go ahead."

Emerson's camera lens stares back at me, but I don't answer his question. I seal my lips together, stalling for precious seconds. The two of us stand perilously close to the cliff's edge, but we aren't alone up here. A flash of movement catches my eye from the trees behind Emerson's back.

With a huge force of will, I resist the urge to look that way. I keep my gaze glued to Emerson's phone. He hasn't noticed, and I don't want to alert him. He can't hear anything over the rumbling thunder, and he can't see the hazard that just staggered to her feet behind his back.

Reese. She's awake, staring at us, wiping the blood out of her eyes.

At last, her voice rings out. "What are you doing?"

Emerson's shoulders jump, but the camera remains fixed on my face. "Are you OK?" he calls to her, after a quick swivel of his head. "Why don't you sit down. Lowercase here was just about to make a video."

Reese's eyes go to me, and I give my head a tiny shake. Help me, I scream inside my head, but I don't dare speak the words. I can only hope she's clear-headed enough to understand what's going on. I speak slowly, dragging out the syllables, but my eyes are locked on Reese. "I... I did it. I reset the distance parameter. It was me."

She blinks at me, her eyes cloudy with confusion. Somewhere in that concussed brain of hers, she knows I'm not speaking the truth. She knows who changed that parameter as well as I do. Come on, Reese. You know I'm lying. Say it!

"No," her voice rings out from her position by the trees. "That isn't true!"

I close my eyes, breathing slightly easier, as Emerson lowers the phone. His eyes flick sideways in annoyance. "Dammit, Reese! Not now. I'm recording! We'll have to start again."

"What's going on?" Reese asks him. But he ignores her, directing his words to me.

"Go ahead," Emerson says. "Start talking."

My eyes lock with his, and then they move to Reese. Two sets of ice-blue eyes stare back at me, nearly identical. Which one do I trust? There's only one move left to me now. I can only hope it's the right decision. I look past Emerson to Reese, and raise my voice to be heard as the words tumble forth in a rush. "Go get help. Now. He's forcing me to say this. You're my witness, Reese. Go!"

One set of blue eyes narrows dangerously. The other eyes widen at my words.

"Now, Reese! Go!"

Reese seems like she's moving in slow motion though. She teeters on her feet. The gash on her forehead continues to drip, blood mixing in with rainwater. For a long moment, she stares down at the diluted red that stains her hands like watercolor paint. Then, finally, she looks up. Her face changes. The fogginess leaves her eyes, replaced by deadly fury.

"Reese," I whisper desperately. "Please."

Emerson turns his head and darts another glance in her direction. He lets out an exasperated huff. "Just stay there, Reese. I'm handling this."

She shakes her head slowly. A crash of thunder drowns out her words, but I can read the meaning from the movement of her lips. "Over my dead body."

Emerson raises the phone. "Talk," he commands me. "Hurry up."

My mouth flaps open, but I can hardly make more than a squeak come out. My eyes flash back and forth between Emerson and Reese behind him. "OK," I manage at last. "OK, OK. I did it. I reset—"