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Asher ran a hand through his hair, his jaw rigid as he looked away for a moment, then back at me. “Alright,” he said finally, his voice low but resolute. “Let’s pull at that thread and see where it takes us.”

“You said he was in a band. Band means… travel. Groupies. Access to more women. He might not have killed everyone, but there must be some evidence that he was a predator?”

“We need to find the other members of his band.”

Layne slept soundly in my bedroom. I was searching for more information about Jonah Bricks when Asher knocked.

I opened the door, and his eyes softened when he saw me.

“You look tired. Why don’t you go relax? I’ll take care of this.”

I yawned, stretching as he pulled me closer to him, carrying my weight against his body.

“Can I sleep, then? My head is killing me.”

“Go.”

“Wake me up if you find something,” I said. He grabbed my hand with a sigh. “What?”

“Nothing.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Go rest.”

“Diya? Diya?”

I yawned.

“Asher?” Layne blinked, sitting up next to me.

“You both need to wake up now. NOW.”

I wiped my eyes, stumbling up from the bed, and Layne followed behind me, yawning.

“What did you find?” I asked, biting back another yawn.

“I found Rip, Diya, and…” he trailed off, his brows furrowed.

“Go on,” Layne said.

“It’s Jimmy.”

“Jimmy who? What do you…”

“Jimmy. Jimmy, who always sings about death and murder. James Ripley Porter. Rip. It wasn’t that hard to find him once I started digging into Jonah’s old life. He was in the band with Jonah. He was caught in a few scandals and then one day, he disappeared. Guess where to?”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Look at this picture. His hair is blonde, but it’s him.”

Jimmy? He always sounded so polite, always smiled like he wasn’t hiding anything sinister. In the picture, he looked young and high.

“We have to talk to him. Now.”

Dear A,

The trees grab like hands. The darkness is hungry, just as hungry as the monster that chases me. The woods bend and tilt and shift. I know I should stop.

No use running. No use hoping.

The horns that grew from his head… I… I…