What kind of mess has the ck Gate gotten themselves into this time? Are things really so bad that they''re going after Susanna again and again?


    Hull''s voice cut through the living room, cold as January rain.


    "Not ck Gate."


    He sounded like he was holding back a storm, his jaw clenched with frustration.


    Ste blinked, confused. "What?"


    "Not ck Gate?" she repeated, ncing instinctively at Ronald.


    Ronald caught her eye, a flicker of understanding passing between them. He knew exactly who it was.


    Ste gulped. "Wait... you mean, my sister?"


    For once, she was actually quick on the uptake.


    Hull''s face darkened even further, if that was possible.


    Ste grimaced. "So it really was Yvonne?"


    Hull didn''t bother answering. His silence said it all.


    Ronald raised an eyebrow at Hull, then turned to Ste. "Call your sister."


    "On it," she replied, already pulling out her phone to dial Yvonne.


    Nothing. Straight to voicemail.


    She looked helplessly at Ronald. "Her phone''s off."


    Hull''s face clouded over even more; Ste could practically feel the temperature in the room drop. He must have tried calling her on the way here, too.


    Hull''s voice was tense. "She got any other numbers?"


    "Uh, yeah. She does," Ste admitted. Yvonne always had a backup n-of course she had another phone. Hull probably didn''t know about it, but Ste did.


    She quickly tried the other line.


    Still no luck.


    "Switched off too."


    Both numbers dead. Finding Yvonne was going to be a lot harder than they thought.


    "Any others?" Hull pressed.


    Ste shook her head. "Nope, that''s it."


    If both phones were off, it basically meant Yvonne had disappeared. Just like that.


    She''d only called yesterday and


    already managed to vanish with


    Susanna. The least she could


    don@was check in before making someone disappear, right?


    Ste frowned at Hull, whose expression was now storm-cloud dark.


    Ronald shot Ste a look. "Star, you finished eating?"


    She nodded. Even if she hadn''t, she doubted she could get a bite down with Hull glowering like that.


    Ronald gave her a look. "Go get changed, I''ll take you out for a bit."


    "Okay," Ste replied, hurrying upstairs, though she still felt a little guilty. Yvonne had whisked Susanna away, but it was Ste who''d made the call that set it all in motion. No wonder Hull was ring holes through her.


    She was halfway up the stairs when Hull suddenly called after her, "Star."


    She turned. "Yeah, Hull?"


    "Susie still has a fever," he said, voice tight.


    Ste''s eyes widened. Susanna was sick? That changed everything.


    She stammered, "Uh, I... I didn''t know..."


    Ronald nced coldly at Hull. "You see she can''t reach Yvonne. What do you want her to do?"


    Hull''s whole body radiated chill. "Yvonne will listen to Star."


    After all, it was Ste''s phone call that got Yvonne involved with Susanna in the first ce. In Ferrond, no one else could have convinced Yvonne to go out of her way for a stranger.


    Ste''s eyes widened. Was Hull expecting her to get Susanna back, or else?


    Wait, that didn''t seem fair. Susanna had agreed to go with Yvonne. Why did it feel like Hull was ming her?


    She muttered, ncing at Hull. He stared her down. "I want her back today."


    Ste nearly choked. He was definitely demanding Susanna back.


    Ronald''s eyes turned icy. "Are you threatening her?"