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N. Essex, December 15
That must have been how Carly knew her. She’d mentioned being a former basketball player when we’d met and clearly kept up with the team.
Carly feels so suspicious to me
She told them that Daniel seemed totally normal. They were listening to the radio and talking about their plans for the afternoon, then all of a sudden he went blank like a zombie, then locked his eyes on some girl walking across the green and drove straight at her.”
“And then a week later I was being arrested for the murder of six society initiates,” she said in a cool, matter-of-fact voice. “People I was friends with, people I had no prior disagreements with, and people I would never have thought about hurting in my wildest dreams. And yet, when I was put on trial the prosecution somehow had video surveillance footage that showed me butchering them all with an ax while they slept.”
Royce just grinned like a fucking Cheshire cat, not even the slightest bit guilty. “Me, motherfucker. You snooze, you lose.”
“Because apparently I can’t get my fake fiancée out of my head.”
I think, maybe, I regret agreeing with the guys that she’d have to choose between us at the end of the school year.
“Killed by who?” Nate pushed, equally as alarmed as I was. Mom sniffed hard, trying to pull herself together. “My stalker,” she said. “I’m being stalked and threatened, and it’s recently started to escalate. We think you’re now being targeted, Ash.”
head. “I don’t understand. How did you know Abigail?” Because that note was in her handwriting—I’d know it anywhere. Mom and Max now looked just as confused as I felt. “Who’s Abigail?”
“Jocelyn’s father worked for the military on a project called Hyperion.
“I think you already guessed, Ashley. Jocelyn was deeply involved in exploring the limitations and uses of hypnosis.”
“Oh, good. You’ve finally connected the dots. That took a lot longer than anticipated.”
“Why deny it? No one will believe a single thing you say anymore, Ashley. This is my very favorite part of experimental research, when we expand the reach to everyone surrounding the control subject. Buckle up, girl. It’s about to get rough.”
“Ashley, you were transferred from your previous facility due to an increase in your delusions and the escalating violence you displayed toward staff. It’s my understanding that you were sedated for the journey, for safety.”
The signature might have been unfamiliar a week ago, but having seen it scrawled out so very recently by Nate’s own hand… “Nate? He’s not—”
“Heathcliff Briggs. Ah yes, I see…his suicide seemed to trigger your initial psychotic break. Do you often refer to him as if he is still alive?”
“Ashley…denial isn’t helping you here. Heathcliff hung himself in early December, and your mental health took a sharp decline from there. Your parents had you admitted on a psychiatric evaluation on Christmas Day, after you ran out into the snow wearing just a pair of pajamas, then fell through the ice of a frozen pond.”
“Ashley, this pains me. You gave your stepbrother medical power of attorney in a moment of lucidity after your mother and his father were confirmed dead in a plane crash last week. Nathaniel is all the family you have left.”
