The world slowed. Everything happened in snapshots. The beat of my heart, the click of the shutter.
The SUV slammed into me, and then we were spinning. Round and round, so fast the world blurred. And then, I was going over.
30
ANSON
I heavedthe damaged drywall into the dumpster with a grunt. My arms and back burned with the effort, but I welcomed the bite of pain. I bent and picked up another panel, tossing that into the dumpster, too.
Shep did the same, grabbing another sheet from the pile. “Would’ve thought you’d be in a better mood with Owen gone.”
I just grunted in response, tossing more drywall. We’d made good progress today. Partly because I was determined to drown out everything around me. I’d done Owen’s work and mine. Probably another chunk, too.
Shep kept on working and talking. “Gotta admit, I don’t miss his moaning and complaining.”
If I’d been able to take anything in this afternoon, I probably would’ve noticed the change in the air with Owen’s absence. But I hadn’t. The only thing I could do was lose myself in the work. The same way I had when I’d first come to work for Shep. The physical strain, the repetition, it all helped to fight back the demons.
The only problem was that Helena had set them free today. Every jerk of my crowbar, every heave of damaged material had all been some futile attempt to battle them back into their cage.
I let out a growl of frustration as I threw one more drywall panel into the dumpster. I turned to reach for another, but there was nothing there. We’d finished a pile that should’ve taken us well into tomorrow morning’s work hours.
That was when I glanced around for the first time. The sun had dipped low in the sky. The only two vehicles in the lot were Shep’s silver truck and my black one. Everyone else was long gone.
I looked down at my watch. Five-forty-five.Hell.
“You should’ve left by now,” I muttered.
Shep just stared at me. “You think I’m going to leave your ass when something has you this tweaked?”
My back molars ground together. “I’m fine.”
“You’ve been a broody asshole of epic proportions this afternoon.”
I kicked at a rock with my boot. “I’m not a ten-year-old girl. I don’t chitchat and gossip. I’m here to work.”
Shep arched a brow at me from beneath his ballcap. “Well, you were tearing that house apart like a man possessed. Pretty sure the crew’s planning an exorcism for tomorrow.”
“We needed to make up for Owen,” I defended.
Shep took a step toward me, making sure to meet my eyes. “Anson, it’s me. Don’t bullshit. Who was on the other end of that call? Your mom?”
I recoiled as if I’d been slapped. “No. You know I’m the last number she’d ever dial.”
“Then who the hell was it? I haven’t seen you this bad since you first got here.”
My throat worked as I struggled to swallow. “Someone from my old team. They think The Hangman’s back.”
Shep went stock-still. “Anson.”
“They got another note. Could be a copycat.” But even as thewords left my mouth, I knew it was a lie. Helena wasn’t one to jump to conclusions. If she thought it was The Hangman, then it was.
Shep blew out a long breath. “No wonder you’re a mess.”
I scrubbed my hand through my hair. A mess was an understatement. Memories clawed at the walls I’d created to keep them out. Each one reminded me of why I couldn’t have a normal life. Why I didn’t deserve the tendrils of happiness that had woven themselves around me with Rho.
“What are they doing to find him?” Shep asked.
It was a simple question, but he didn’t know how loaded it was. “They have to find the body first.”
