Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

The hospital room was completely silent.

Rupert reeked of cigarettes, his eyes cold and fixed on the numbers glowing on the phone screen.

"What do the numbers before the 4 mean?" he asked, his voice low.

Naomi answered right away, not daring to hesitate. "1 means home, 2 is my work, 3 is leaving town."

She and her daughter had always looked out for each other; they had to be careful.

When Naomi was young, she'd been followed by a man. Later, her sweet, pretty daughter, Sylvia, had caught the attention of someone dangerous, too.

So the two of them came up with this code. If they ever got in trouble and couldn't call, they'd text these numbers.

Back then, Sylvia was just a kid. Their lives were simple: home and work, not many numbers to keep track of.

Edwin tried to guess, "You think Sylvia's been taken out of town?"

Naomi frowned. "If she was out of town, she'd use 4. She knows I'd understand.

She'd never mess up the code. Why would she send a 5?"

"Abroad," Rupert said flatly. He turned and walked out of the room.

Chris followed

reason with him. "What if that string of numbers was just a trick? Maybe it's meant to throw us

tightened on his phone, his eyes dark and dangerous. "It's from her.

country. But the airline shows Warren and Fiona

voice sharp as broken glass. "But someone knows

around him was icy, enough to make anyone

garage, far from

parked his motorcycle in

he grabbed Bridget's hand, kissed it, and smiled. "Bridget, from now on, it's just you and me. We've got

face was blank, her eyes full of

even a backup plan-just a fling,

felt like announcing

had failed worse. She'd fallen into Warren's twisted hands-she'd never have

toward the terminal. Suddenly, the sharp

tall, dark figure ahead. Fear gripped her. Instinctively, she

who usually acted like nothing scared him,

in hand, his stare icy and

go?" he asked, voice cool and

I don't know what you're talking about," Caleb said,

tell me," Rupert

the ground and ground