Jade steadied a foot on the side of the boat, clutched the wooden post with one hand, and then maneuvered herself onto the dock with the help of Miguel. Her hair, which she had fought to keep pulled back against the strong wind, was disheveled and tangled from the boat ride. She spat out a strand that had been caught in her mouth and walked to the edge of the pier, studying the scenery. A little way up the shoreline, on the top of a hill covered in the undergrowth of botanical plants and an orchard of fruit trees, there was a white-washed stucco house with a  rustic-red, terracotta rooftop. Along the face of the house, she could see a blackened hollow where the front door should've been and several sets of opened shutters that allowed panels of sheer white curtains to escape out into the breeze.Miguel guardedly looked behind him, noticing that she had suddenly stopped and was now squatting on the edge of the pier. He patiently watched as she gripped a sneaker

Jade bounced on the balls of her feet as she headed down the stairs, her ponytail swaying with each footfall. "You remembered to bring the sunblock, right?" She questioned Cassandra, who was only steps behind her. The girl quickly rummaged through the bag, second-guessing herself. "Yes, I have it right here," the girl mumbled.The fabric of her dress fluttered in the wind as she stepped into the morning sunlight, pushing a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. It was officially her last day on the island, and she intended to enjoy every second of it.Their getaway hadn't gotten off to a great start. That first night, after they'd gone downstairs for dinner, the power had suddenly gone out, leaving them sitting in the dark. At first, Jade was convinced it was because of the storm. It turned out that the house ran off a diesel generator, and after investigating, it was determined they had run out of fuel. Jacob suspected someone had siphoned it all, "Probably one of

Jade pushed the glass door open, walking out into the bitter air. She turned to Marissa, wrapping her arms around her in a long embrace. "It was so good to see you again," she reluctantly pulled away, saddened that their lunch date was already over. She understood that Marissa had to get back to work, though. "I know you're busy, but one of these weekends, you'll have to come to the house. Just let me know a day you have off, and we'll schedule it." "Of course, let me know when you get back from visiting his parents, and we'll figure it out. Oh, and you'll keep me updated about the baby shower?" Jade nodded in agreement. She hadn't even thought of having a baby shower but had agreed to let her best friend throw her one. They said their goodbyes and then parted ways, Marissa heading to her car that she had parked at the front of the building. Jade stepped onto the asphalt, bundling her coat around herself as she traveled through the row of vehicles, headi

Jade tossed and turned all night, lying next to Miguel. Something about the entire situation was eating away at her. The first time someone had popped her tires, she'd assumed it was an aggressive driver who wasn't pleased with the way she had parked. But, two times in one day, and at Miguel's apartment no less? That couldn't be a coincidence. She was being targeted, but by who? Her first thought was that it was Nadia because the woman was absolutely crazy, but the person in the video was too short to be her. The only other explanation would be Jessica. The girl in the video resembled her height, weight, and hair color. But what reason did she have to vandalize Jade's car? Was this a part of her game to get her attention or scare her? If so, it seemed to be working.Jade let out a sigh and rolled out of bed. She grabbed Miguel's robe from the back of the door and quietly made her way to the hallway. It would do no good to lie there in the dark; she wasn't going to fall as

Jonathon was standing near the entryway, having a conversation with a man that Jade had only briefly met years before. Their eyes connected as she sauntered towards him. Smiling, she stood diagonally to them and patiently waited for the man to finish speaking. "Jade," Jonathon's voice sounded nervous as he acknowledged her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here.""I know, it's been a while, hasn't it?" She used her overly cheerful voice, "Could I speak to you?" She glanced at the man, hinting for him to get lost. "Sure, if you'll excuse us," his head tilted at the man, in a slight bow.They walked in silence down the long corridor, the echoes from their shoes reverberating against the walls. His eyes stared down at the floor; while his hands were casually shoved into his pockets. Jade hooked a right into a library, seeing that it was deserted. Perfect. She led him to the far corner, crossing her ankles as she settled onto a plush leathe