Page 123 of Camera Stays On

What happened here?

Inching closer, I studied her, looking for her chest rising or her eyes blinking, but she wasn’t moving. Once I reached her, I stared down the sink, taking in the scene. Her face was frozen in horror, and her body was splattered in blood, and her arm was...

The garbage disposal.

Swallowing the pit in my stomach, I reached for her arm and slowly started to pull. I didn’t get far—she was firmly lodged between the blades.

What could have possessed her to stick her hand in there? She must have been trying to get something—but what? I shoved my disgust and nerves down and reached out, grasping her arm, right under the elbow. She was already cold as I tugged her arm up, using all my strength. Her hand came out with a loud crunching and squelching sound. I stumbled back, taking her with me. We fell against the kitchen table, and I dropped her body with a large shudder. She crumpled to the ground, and I stared in horror at her mangled arm. It’d been split in half. Her fingers just stubs amongst the bone.

Was it worth it, whatever she’d tried to catch before it went down the drain forever? I stepped over her and went to the disposal switch. I flicked it on and shut it off instantly when I heard a sharp cling. The same sound that came when a fork was stuck in it. Bracing myself, I went back over and bit my lip as I put my hand in.

I swallowed back my vomit as I felt her fingers in pieces in the dark hole. I was careful around the blades, but felt a thin piece of metal amongst the bone and blood. Slowly, I removed it, and before my hand was fully out, I knew what it was.

I put it up to the light and blinked.

This was Andi ‘s engagement ring.

Andi!

I’d been so distracted by the gruesome scene, I’d momentarily forgotten why I was running out the door. Shoving the ring into my pocket, I hopped around Juliet’s body and ran out the front door.

“Andi!”

Chapter 57

Andi

“BABE, ARE YOU okay?” Sawyer’s voice pulled me from the darkness. Water hit my face, making me shake my head and try to sit up. His hand went to my back and assisted me.

“What happened?” I squinted, my vision blurry. “Where are we?”

“We’re in the woods, hiding from the rain. The trees aren’t doing a very good job.” He laughed. I tried to open my eyes all the way, and a blinding pain instantly shot to my temple.

“Ah!” I snapped my eyes closed and brought my hands to my head.

“You hit your head,” he said. “We were running from the house, and you tripped. I tried to catch you, but it was a fraction too late. I’m sorry, Purdy Doll.” He brushed my drenched hair back behind my ear. “I won’t let that happen again. I’ll protect you.”

I stared at him. We were running from the house? When? After...

Mick’s head splitting in two flashed in my mind, and I jerked away.

“I didn’t fall. You bashed my head into the ground!” I scurried back, and mud smeared across my dress as I did so. My heels dug into the dirt as I tried to get up, but the weight of my dress made me struggle. Sawyer leaped up and grabbed me, helping me stand.

“Hey, don’t move too fast. You’re hurt.”

“You hurt me!” I hissed, yanking my arm back. “You shot me with a gun. You slapped me half a dozen times. You hit me over the head and tied me up. You tried to rape me—twice. You bashed my head into the dirt, and you fucking abused me for years!” I screamed, stepping backward.

“You are manipulative, and spoiled, and for our entire childhoods treated me like an object to be obtained. You wanted me not because you loved me, but because I was a prize. In your mind, I was the trophy everyone wanted, but you never once asked if I wanted you.”

He took in my words and then nodded.

“Did you want me? Ever?”

“No.”

Silence fell between us. His gaze fell to the forest floor.

“Then why did you agree to marry me?” His voice cracked, and for a brief moment, I thought I sensed some vulnerability in him. However, the thought quickly passed when he looked back up at me, and something evil flickered in his eyes.