CHAPTER 23

CARMEN

“You’re the blackmailer?” I stood in place, not sure whether to walk forward or turn around and leave. “But… You saw the video.”

I shook my head in disbelief as I was starting to piece it all together.

“When you said you didn’t find the video on my mom’s phone, you lied about that?” I asked him, waiting for his confirmation even though I already knew what the answer would be.

“Hold on, Carmen.” He walked towards the boarded-up windows of the house, peeking through a small opening. “You brought your mom?”

“Of course, I brought my mom, Dave! I was genuinely scared for my life, and I had to tell her about it. Couldn’t you have approached me and just told me that you wanted to see me in a place like this?”

“That was supposed to be a part of the plan. I had to get a voice-changing app to call you. I wanted you to tell your mom about it, but I wasn’t expecting her to come with you. Come with me.” He took my hand, leading me into the kitchen area of the abandoned house. There was a si