Haunted (The Woodsview Murders, #2) SNEAK PEEK

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014

"I can't believe those creeps," Quinn said with a shake of her head. "I mean, who does that?" She took another bite of her organic kale salad and washed it down with water.

Avery matched her head shake. "I don't know."

The only thing that Avery could rationalize was that the people who called her looking for a rise had never experienced true tragedy. They'd never known what it was like to have everyone around you die. They didn't know what it was like to live with a darkness inside you. So for fun, they preyed on the weakness of others. And last night, it was her turn.

"Did you find out who called?"

Avery shook her head. "Tyler said they blocked caller ID. He offered to call the cops and see if they could help, but I turned him down. I'd rather just forget about it."

"And if they call back?" Quinn asked, chomping down on a cherry tomato.

If they did call back, Avery would lose it. She was certain of that. After all, it had taken her over an hour to settle down after the call. She knew it was a prank, and yet every noise for the rest of the night made her jump. And on top of that, Tyler wasn't speaking to her because of the way she'd snapped at him. Avery owed him an apology, she just hadn't gathered the courage to stare into his smug face and deliver it yet.

"Can we talk about something else?" Avery asked. "Literally anything."

Quinn smiled, her lips spreading into a thin line. "Well, Shari and I are going to Bone Creek this weekend. You should come."

Shari was Quinn's new romance. In the months since the Woodsview murders, Quinn had taken up roller derby to deal with her aggression. As it turned out, she loved it. She met Shari there and they'd hit it off.

There's a saying along the lines of "Everyone copes with grief differently." She'd read that in one of the many self-help books that her mother had thrust at her since it all happened. She hadn't finished the book of course, far from it. But she didn't need to. She knew that it meant. She was living it. After the Woodsview murders last year, the survivors were dealing with, well, surviving, in very different ways. Avery had withdrawn. But Quinn had taken away something completely different in addition to her scars.

Quinn had decided that life was short and she didn't want to hold back from what she wanted any longer. After all, the object of her affection, Candy, had died without knowing how she felt and Quinn vowed to never make that mistake again.

"You know," Quinn said hesitantly, "Shari has this really single friend. She thinks you would really hit it off."

Avery rolled her eyes. Quinn couldn't understand why Avery didn't want to date anyone. She'd been trying to push guys on her for the last several months so that she could double date with her and Shari. But that of course banked on the thought that Avery was looking to seize the day, and of course, she wasn't looking to seize anything other than control of the remote and Netflix and a huge bag of Cheetos.

Quinn wasn't trying to be insensitive. She knew Avery better than anyone. And it seemed that Avery needed a push to get back out there. She'd already tried subtlety. It hadn't worked.

Avery shook her head. "I don't think so. You know how I feel about dating."

Quinn sighed. "You don't like it. I get it. But it's not just about dating. It's how you feel about everything these days."

Avery stared down at her cheeseburger.

"Shari is really great. I'd love for someone who is supposed to be my best friend to actually make an effort to get to know her."

Avery pushed her plate away. There was nothing to say. She didn't want to date. She wasn't ready. But Quinn was right. About Shari at least. She'd been a shitty friend lately. Shari and Quinn had been dating for months already and Avery had only spoken a few words to her.

"I'm not saying you have to marry the guy. I'm just asking for you to come and hang out with us. I want my two favorite people in the world to like each other."

The truth was that Avery wasn't interested in getting to know Shari, either. It was nothing personal. She didn't feel like getting to know anyone. Getting comfortable with people required opening up. Avery opened her mouth to say no, but was met with Quinn's wide, hopeful eyes.

She couldn't let Quinn down again.

"Fine," Avery agreed. "I'll do it. I'll go with you. Just you and Shari. No dates."

Quinn clapped her hands together in glee. "Yay! Thank you! You won't regret it."

Avery bit her tongue from saying what she really thought. She knew she wouldn't regret it later. Because she already did.