in threes

Chapter 36 

Lottie’s POV 

“Thank you for inviting us into your home. I am happy enough now to sign everything off back at the office. I think it would be best to perhaps run another check in six months just to cover everyone’s backs would this be ok?” Officer Owens stands by the main door with the male officer, as I stand slightly behind Aunt Rinna and nod slightly. 

“Oh of course! Pop by any time you are both more than welcome!” Rinna makes a move to open the door for them, politely gesturing for them to leave as they smile and nod – seeming satisfied. 

“Great we will see you all then! If you need anything at all Charlotte please feel free to contact me on my personal number too!” The male officer exits the home with a polite goodbye, as Officer Owens speaks directly to me again. 

“Thank you.” I smile, as I watch her step out before seeming to hesitate 

“Oh! Before I forget! Some of your school friends were desperate to get in touch but I respect that you don’t want anyone to know where you are at the moment… so I told them that If they wrote you a letter I would pass it over to you and then you can take it from there – let me go grab it from the car!” As each word leaves the cops l*ps, my body turns rigid. 

Can they just f**king quit this torment already? 

I feel Anna move closer to me, linking her arm in mine as a show of comfort as I instinctively cling to her. I watch Officer Owens head down the path, before going into the cop car – rummaging around briefly – and coming back out with an envelope in hand. 

She smiles as she heads back over to us quickly, not a care in the world, before she puts out her hand with the sealed crisp white envelope in it. 

I shakily take it from her, desperately trying my best to not seem so weird, as time feels like it slows down. 

“Thank you Officer! Have a safe drive home!” Aunt Rinna cuts in, as I take the letter and step back – thankful for her distraction. 

“Thank you! Stay in touch girls!” The Officer chimes, lifting her hand in a wave before she heads back off down the path to join the male cop as he waits in the car. 

We did it… 

Rinna closes the door, as we all seem to sigh at the exact same time. 

“That went well!” Aunt Rinna confirms, before she heads towards the kitchen as I force a giggle and smile. 

“Thank you for that!” I call to her, as she waves me off and laughs as if it were nothing. 

She seriously was the coolest… 

“Let’s go wait upstairs… I’ve asked Jace to pick us up…” Anna informs me, as she tugs me towards the stairs as I continue to grip the white envelope in my hand. 

The thoughts of what could even be on this letter are eating me alive… this was sheer proof that the three of them would stop at nothing to get me back… 

We enter one of the spare bedrooms, as I follow Anna across to the window – where a sofa bench lay in–front of it, 

We plop down onto the comfy cushions, as I turn to look outside to see that the cop car was no longer there – giving me more peace of mind. 

They wouldn’t be back for six months… I don’t have to worry about them now… 

But the letter? 

“Ok let’s get it over with shall we?” Anna sighs, shuffling slightly to get comfy as she nods down to the envelope in my hand. 

“Çan… you read it out?” I ponder the thought out loud, not feeling that I had the strength to do it on my own. 

“Of course! Let me see!” Anna confirms, as I hand her the paper. 

The envelope itself was slightly puffed out and stuck down with tape – probably to deter the officers from being nosey and trying to open it – pretty much meaning that they could write whatever they wanted in it! 

“Ready?” I watch as Anna fumbles with the tape, cursing slightly at how difficult it was to get open as the swallowing anticipation only 

grew… 

I only nod, as she finally pulls up the seal, revealing the folded sheets of lined paper that lay inside. 

She unfolds it, seeing that there was two pages, as she glances across them both briefly before eyeing me. 

“Ok…” Anna clears her throat, as I perk up slightly awaiting the horrendous words that were yet to come. 

“Charlotte, 

We are coming to get you. We miss you so much babe! It’s not the same here anymore… not having you around and spending time with you every day is killing us! You’ll be glad to know that I’m not dead and that for as long as I shall live, I’ll never stop looking for you. It’s only a matter of time before we cross paths again, and I know you’ll be desperate to feel my hands on you when we do! 

I have to be honest, because it’s eating away at me, but I thought you should know that Holden recently f**ked your Mom senseless because he misses you so much babe – she was the closest thing to you. I’ll probably take a shot of her this week too since she’s so needy… like mother like daughter I suppose! 

Please come back to us babe… it will make things so much easier… we were devastated to find out that you boarded a bus that night just to get away… If you would have behaved then things would have worked out fine for you. 

Anyway, if you want to be a tease and continue on with this game of hide and seek, we are more than willing to play. It’s only a matter of time Charlotte, and believe me when I write this – we won’t EVER let you go without a fight. 

Lots of love, 

** 

Tommy, Jason & Holden (your three loves) x” 

By the time Anna had finished the first page, my face was wet and completely flushed. They were cruel, heartless and mentally unstable! Everything they wrote was so thought out and clever – making their point without saying too much to help cover their backs if the cops ever seen! 

“Are you ok?” Anna’s eyes hold a deep sorrow, as I wipe at my cheeks and nod furiously. 

“What’s on the other page?” I ask, knowing that this wasn’t the whole of the message. 

A map…” Anna clears her throat as I furrow my brows at her words. 

“What?” I question, leaning forward, before she turns the second page around to show me. 

I glance it over, seeing that they had stuck a picture of the bus route maps on there – all of the buses at that specific terminal that were leaving from my old town. On the map, there were red ink marked crosses, seeming to cancel out a number of towns. 

My eyes scan the page as quickly as possible, until my eyes settle on Westerfield County… I breathe out, thankful that the town wasn’t yet marked, however it is only then that I realise they are getting close… 

They know that I took a bus out of town that night… all it takes is for them to find out what bus it was to narrow down what town I’m 

in… 

My chest grows tight, as I again scan over the crossed out towns – I’m guessing these are the places they have checked or ruled out? 

One cross in particular, being Oakland County, is only three towns away from here which sent another chill down my spine. 

“They are coming… they will find me… I announce, before breaking down completely, sobbing as Anna embraces me to her. 

“I won’t let them!” Anna confirms, as I shake my head and continue to cry. 

They will kill me…