The Search

Copyright © 2025 by A.J. Rivers

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

I’m just paranoid. Right?

Mia Davis’ hands shook as she typed in her password on her laptop. After the third time, she finally steadied her hands long enough to type in the correct string of characters that told her system it was really her trying to log in. Her streaming account spilled onto the screen, showcasing the list of podcasts that she had recorded. True crime had been her passion, ever since she was a teenager, but now she was beginning to think her passion was turning into a nightmare. Was she, herself, soon to be featured on someone’s true crime podcast?

No, she told herself. That would be ridiculous. And still, as many times as she turned over the words in her head, her heart continued to slam against her rib cage like a battering ram.

Slam. Slam. Slam.

Her breath came in gasps, as if she couldn’t fill her lungs with that life-giving oxygen long enough before she had to stop and inhale again. She felt like a lost child, afraid in the middle of the night, with a new moon overhead, and a midnight black coating the earth, casting deeper shadows and causing all the trees to resemble monsters. Every little sound was a threat—a reason to inhale sharply and turn around—fight or flight taking hold. Any words of reassurance now were just mindless babble with no idea what was really going on.

The hopelessness stretched out before her, inducing panic-ridden anxiety in Mia’s mind. Again. Maybe she was just being paranoid. After all, she was a true-crime podcaster and had gone to bed many times with the lights on because she was sure a serial killer was lurking just outside her house.

Only it had never become real like this. Until now.

Breathe. Just breathe. You need to get this out here.

Mia forced herself to sit down and concentrate on being still for a few moments. She took several breaths. In. Out. In. Out.

And…

She slipped her headphones over her ears, wishing that she could just run her podcast without them. Maybe she should. That way, she could hear if someone were sneaking up on her, breaking into her house, or banging on her door. This wouldn’t take long. She’d just keep her eyes out.

She moved her mouse over to start a new file and began recording into the mic that sat on her tabletop at all times. She looked and sounded professional, but tonight, she wished she was an amateur that no one had ever heard of.

“Good evening, Juniper Springs!” She dropped the cheerful tone to her voice and rushed through her greeting. She leaned into her mic as if it were her lifeline, giving her the breath she needed. “It is a chilly one this Friday night, and I haven’t even been outside. I’m going to make this one short.” Like her breaths. She took a few more—inhale, exhale—and began again. “Because I need to get a message out there. There’s been some things going on…”

Should she tell what things had her nervous system standing at attention? If something happened, maybe the police could follow the clues. Or would they even think to do that? But if she laid out in detail the things that concerned her, then if someone was listening who shouldn’t be, they would know that they were getting to her. And she couldn’t have that. Ever.

“Things have happened that have my nerves a little frayed. No, everything is not okay. No, I’m not just a true crime podcaster who is also a hypochondriac, except not with a disease but with the crimes I talk about. I’ve talked about a lot of true crime on this podcast and exposed a lot of people because it’s what I do. It’s not a reason to be angry. If you don’t like it, change the channel.”

Now she was getting too mean. She put her forehead down, resting it against the fingers of her hand. Somehow, she was leaning on her elbow, offering her forehead to her hands to massage. “Sorry. I guess I’ve been looking over my shoulder a lot today. There are things… things to watch out for. Okay, okay, I’m just gonna say it.”

Why hide it? She wasn’t hiding it from her listeners; she was hiding it from herself. She didn’t want to admit it. And you know what? It was probably nothing—probably just her possessing an overactive imagination. Or rather, it possessing her. Halloween would be in twenty-seven days, give or take, and it was the spooky season that had everyone creeped out. It was also the season that some people took free rein to do whatever they wanted. Either way, it wasn’t something she wanted to think about.

She leaned into the mic. Her eyes remained unblinking, darting to every moving shadow in the room, sure that one of them would manifest into something that she never wanted to see. She took care to enunciate every word… not to breathe into the mic… not to hiss her s’s or slur her r’s. This needed to be the clearest thing her listeners ever heard from her. No mistake.

“It is Friday night, October 4, 2024. This is Mia Davis of Juniper Springs.” She took in a breath. Dared to close her eyes. A hushed murmur resonated into the mic, to be captured, released, never to be deleted again.

“I think someone’s after me.”

Two Days Earlier

Jacob Davis hadn’t seen a sunset in months.

He couldn’t remember a time that he had left the office early enough to see the sun dipping down below the horizon. Even if he were out and about, the Olympia skyline concealed any ribbons of red or pink that danced through the sky at sunset behind its towering buildings and bustle of life. Being an entrepreneur meant making sacrifices, and if never seeing the sun go down was one of them, he was willing to accept that.

The office outside the conference room displayed a sky that inked a lavender color; soon the heavens would light up the night sky in starry brilliance. Jacob hadn’t taken the time to gaze at the stars in a long while. It was either stare at the stars, or stare at the plans in front of him to compare numbers, and let his mind disentangle the messes that were constantly brought to his attention.

There were a lot more than stars that could attract his attention in a room replete with distractions—one of which sat right across from him, the perfect shape of her body occupying the chair that swallowed up her slender frame. The others were the scrutinous eyes of the foremen—the contractors that huddled across from him, their negative personalities threatening to invade his personal space. But Jacob had trained his mind to zone in to one thing at a time. In a mess of problems, he saw a maze—one where he could work different angles until he reached the middle—the epicenter—the core of the project.

“This simply isn’t doable with twelve units.” He had worked with Jimmy Hart, whose domineering voice filled the room down to the last corner. Out of everyone, Jacob disliked him the most. It wasn’t just his abrasive personality that could scrape the smiles off of the faces of everyone present. It was his attitude—the cowering type—the giving-up-at-the-slightest-hint-of-difficulty attitude that made Jacob wonder how in the world he had gotten as far as he had in the industry. Property development spelled out one thing: difficulty. There were always issues to work out. Windows didn’t stack right, or look right on the building. They might look great on plans, but once you get to ground zero of the property site, a hard beam of sunlight might indicate that the windows really shouldn’t face due west. Or maybe an architect’s illustrious idea would make something visually appealing, only to have the brains of his engineer shoot a hole in it, reminding him of such a thing called gravity and weight. That’s why he was there. Jacob could take a macramé knot and somehow find the thread that unraveled it and turn it into a crocheted blanket. And he was good at it.

Jacob sat in an unassuming pose. Try me written all over his face. The tip of his right index finger stroked his jawline, finding its way through the trimmed beard that swallowed up the lower half of his face. His azure gaze consumed all of Jimmy’s frame as the contractor narrowed in on the simple solution.

“There is no way there’s enough parking downtown for this kind of work. We are going to have to go with six units.”

“Six units? That’s half of what we need!”

Jacob’s eyes flickered over to the one who never tried to out-brain anyone. Matthew Connor’s tactic was stating the obvious… another thing that Jacob seriously disliked. They wouldn’t get anywhere with stating the obvious if they didn’t try to find a way to change the obvious.

“I know, but where are we going to put the guys?” Jimmy shook his head. “Six units is what we can pull off.”

Jacob began to read the room. Their client, Clemenski, sat there, watching the foremen tear his project to pieces, despair sinking into his face. Jacob had mastered the art of visual contact through his years of meetings like this. Clemenski had money in hand and was on the threshold of handing it over. But his hand stayed, hesitated. Jacob could read in his expression that he was beginning to second-guess the contract. He had to make sure that didn’t happen on account of two guys who could see very little past their own noses.

Clemenski glanced up, and Jacob half closed his eyes, blinking his assurance telepathically across the table to him. Hang in there... I’ve got this.

He swept his gaze to the blond sitting across the table from him. Her eyes hadn’t bored a hole into the foremen of the project one time, instead remaining locked onto Jacob. They could be distracting for each other, but Jacob’s mind was strong enough to resist it. He flashed her a smile that only she could see, a faint quiver of his lips telling her that he noticed her, and he was enjoying her noticing him. He basked in her attention but shifted his focus back. Her long, fake eyelashes fluttered over her eyes, giving him the same nonverbal affirmation: I believe in you.

Silence settled like snowfall. “What do you think, Davis?” Jimmy’s upending voice capsized the mood in the room.

What did he think? He had been doing that since he walked through the door. Jimmy and Matthew should definitely give a try.

Jacob gave a mild clear of his throat. He straightened his back into a ramrod posture, leaning his elbows forward to sink onto the conference table. His eyes demanded the undivided attention of everyone present as he bent his neck to meet every one of their gazes, except for the blond across from him. “What about eight units?”

He had foreseen the problem before they had even brought it up; he was prepared to bring a solution to the table before they even sat down. Because he was Jacob Davis. His job description, right above the line that said entrepreneur, land developer, builder, read the most important key to his job—it was the key that made everything else a possibility for him.

Problem solver.

His voice commanded attention. He felt the atmosphere shift from the tension of before to waiting with bated breath to see his solution.

“We can make the units bigger, stretching them to the work power of ten units, maybe nine. Parking should not be a problem for them. With the larger units, the workload shouldn’t change. Perhaps it would produce a little bit less than the twelve originally requested units, but it won’t be a noticeable difference.”

Clemenski’s shoulders sagged as he released the breath he’d been holding. The deal had been walking a tightrope, barely balancing, and Jacob had somehow converted it into a plank instead of a thin, shaky rope—all with a word or two dropped from his voice.

Boom.

Matthew and Jimmy exchanged glances and eyebrow raises. Agreement soaked into both of their features, and they returned their attention back to Jacob. “Okay. That... works.”

Of course it does. Jacob never proposed anything that wouldn’t work. His lips pressed together in a smile. “So, we have discussed the issue with the windows being in the wrong place.” Thanks to the brains of the architect and engineer being open, that had been solved early on. “And now the units. Is there anything else that is holding us back from this project?”

The silence—along with a few shaking heads—confirmed his answer. “Mr. Clemenski? What do you think, sir?” Jacob swiveled his chair, aiming his attention and overboard respect to the man whose deal would only add to the eight-figure sum in his bank account. He wasn’t going to lose this deal, and if he had to go out onto that tightrope to balance himself, so be it.

Clemenski stared, reading Jacob’s expression which he purposefully kept closed off. He didn’t want any excitement or trepidation to leak onto his smiling poker face as any wrong twitch could make or break the deal. Tension built in the air for what felt like hours… until Clemenski nodded.

“Davis... let’s do this. Where do I sign?”

The tension lifted. The room breathed a sigh of relief. Jacob gave a single nod of affirmation and gestured across the table to the pretty blond who would push this contract forward. “Marissa?”

Even after a drenching Washington rain, nothing felt as fresh or as good as closing a deal. Jacob could finally let his smile breathe as he walked around the empty conference room, gathering papers and office supplies into his arms. His ringing cell phone added a joyful tune to the moment to match his mood as he glanced down at the table. His phone vibrated toward the edge with the happy ringtone, carrying the contact photo of his smiling sister Mia closer to the edge.

Jacob swept it up into his hands and swiped the screen before gravity could take hold. “Awesomeness Enterprises, best brother speaking. How can I make your day better?”

Mia’s lighthearted laugh sprinkled through the speakers, warming his heart. “Hey, brother. How are you?”

“Fantastic.” Jacob didn’t lie as he worked on sliding his laptop into its bag. “Always a good night when I hear my little sister’s voice.” And close a massive deal, but that was something she may not be interested in. After all, it wasn’t like this was his first big deal. Or his fiftieth. Or his hundredth. He probably had as many closed deals as she had podcast episodes, and she’d done those more than once a week for the past several years.

“Aw, you’re so sweet,” Mia chirped. “Okay, so I have a question.”

“Let me guess.” Jacob held a finger to his chin to add to his teasing voice inflection. “You’re wondering how I can achieve this level of awesome without trying?”

“Jacob!” Mia sputtered. “Knock it off!” He could hear her laughter mincing through the phone and let a fond smile spread across his face. How long had it been since he had seen his beautiful sister? Listened to her podcast? Been a part of her life? And still, they carried the same fondness that they had embraced the day he had left Juniper Springs behind forever. He bit those thoughts back and took her seriously.

“Okay, okay, sorry. Whatcha got?”

“Did you send me flowers?”

The question had been that unexpected curve in the road—the one that could swivel a car right off into the shoulder if the driver wasn’t careful. Well, this was out of nowhere. “Flowers?”

“Yeah. I came home today, and there was an arrangement on my doorstep. Three red roses. Know anything about that?”

Now, that was not his MO. Jacob went bigger and better. “No, sis, sorry, that wasn’t me,” he replied. “If I were to send you flowers, I wouldn’t settle for some cheap, three-rose arrangement. Heck, the one I’d order for you would keep the overhead on in that little shop for at least two weeks.”

“Come on, that arrangement wouldn’t even fit through my door!” Mia’s laugh seemed separate from her body this time. Distant. It snagged Jacob’s attention and drew him closer.

“Mia. You okay?”

“Yeah... it’s just…” A sigh crackled on her end. “I don’t know who would send me flowers, that’s all.”

“Well, who wouldn’t? It’s probably a secret admirer.” If she were here, he would be winking at her. “Got anyone in mind?”

“They wouldn’t be secret if they were, now, would they?” The lightheartedness in her voice dissipated like a tornado after destroying a field. “Well, okay. That’s all I needed. Thanks, anyway. I miss you!”

Three little words that consumed much of life. Jacob let a sigh slip through his nose and completely dropped his teasing. “I miss you, too, sis. I need to come see you again.”

“Please do.”

He made himself a mental note to do that sooner rather than later. “The holidays are coming up. I’ll try to get some extra time off around Thanksgiving, okay?”

“That would be wonderful. Well, I gotta go. Love you, Jacob.”

She seemed desperate to get her love across to him. “Love you, too, sis.”

“Talk to you, soon.”

“Let me know who sent those flowers when you find out! I need to know who’s interested in my sister!”

Another laugh. The same distance in that laugh. “Thanks. I will.”

Her phone crackled to an end, and he put his phone down. Before he had a chance to think about how distracted she sounded or how odd it was that she didn’t know who sent her flowers, his senses tingled with another presence. His nose inhaled the scent of expensive perfume, the kind that only Marissa wore around the office.

He turned on his heel to take in her frame, senses heightening at her entrance into the conference room. Marissa’s hips swung from side to side when she walked as if showing off the perfect curves that smoothed down into those tempting legs. Thanks to her perfectly arranged facial features, she could pass for a human Barbie doll if she wanted to. Jacob wasn’t sure how much of her face was natural or how much the surgeons had altered to fit the world’s standard of “perfection,” but he didn’t care. Marissa was gorgeous and sweet. She had spent countless hours in a tanning salon to give her flesh a tan glow but covered it up under several pounds of makeup. Her blue eyes remained hidden under her butterfly lashes that batted at him with invitation.

“Congratulations.” Her voice rolled like a river over rocks. “You did it!”

“No.” Jacob insisted. “We did it. You pushed the contract through.”

“But you sealed it.” Marissa’s hips rolled, leaning against the conference table as she spread her very empty left hand out onto the surface of the table. She was just one of many single women who wished to change their relationship status… with him. “You amaze me every time by how quickly you solve a problem.”

Solve a problem, eh? He read the hidden undertones in her words as he explored her face with hungry eyes. But the hunger tasted different than he had envisioned. It was more of an appetite for a good-tasting snack in a bakery rather than hunger for a meal that would nourish him. He didn’t understand why he didn’t feel that satisfaction from her. She was perfect. Her curves, her face, her demeanor; she wasn’t pushy like the other women who had let him capture them, so why wasn’t he drawn to her? He wanted her. He’d been contemplating dating her on a more regular basis, but something inexplicable held him back. Tonight would be the perfect night—the best way to end a perfect day—another contract and a pretty woman to call his own.

So, why did he feel like asking her to take the next step that night would ruin that perfect day?

Not ruin as in throwing lacquer thinner on a timeless painting. More like a tiny smear near the bottom with strings attached that bound him to this one little thing called commitment. And Jacob was nothing if not committed. So, why didn’t he want to transfer some of that commitment to her?

He would figure it out. But for the moment, he wanted to reach out for a small taste.

“There’s a bistro down the street. You know the one? Best tasting wine in town and the best food. How do you feel about celebrating a little tonight?”

“Celebrating?” Her eyes danced with invitation. Food, maybe some companionship? He knew what she wanted. It was the same thing his previous girlfriends wanted from him. “I can be there in twenty minutes. Just give me a chance to freshen up.”

Freshen up? What was she going to freshen up? Add another pound of lipstick? Straighten her perfect hair? Change out of her business clothes? A woman who had spent so much time and money making herself perfect didn’t need freshening up. If anything, she needed to remove a layer or two of makeup.

But he nodded his acquiescence. “Twenty minutes. See you then.”

Marissa aimed a smile at him as her swinging hips took her out of the conference room. Jacob picked up his bag and tossed it onto his shoulder as his long strides followed after the woman who might soon be his significant other.

Thursday nights were Mia’s favorite.

Her little studio smelled of popcorn. If the walls of her studio could talk, they would tell countless stories of Thursday nights shared with her best friend, Allison Miller. The stories would reach clear back into their high school days, two chattering friends finding humor and fun in every situation they spoke about. The sad truth about the world was that some people went their whole lives without finding a close friend to share their heartbeat with, but that wasn’t the case for these girls.

Looking at them, you wouldn’t expect them to become friends. Mia, with her long hair hanging in perfectly straight coal curtains around her shoulders, occasionally reflecting a silver tint in certain lights. She wore a nose ring, and her eyes twinkled like little pools of indigo. While she could almost pass for goth, Allison never could. Her hair was an autumn color with a darker brown deepening her roots but fading out into strawberry blond near the edges. Her hair reached to her shoulders, barely brushing them as it framed her oval-shaped face. Her unique eyes had drawn the attention of countless boys during her high school fame as no one could describe them as either hazel or brown. “Amber,” she preferred to call them as they mirrored the color of honey, with sweetness to match her personality. Mia had always envied Allison for her natural ability to be sweet to everyone she met. Instead, Mia felt hesitation toward anyone she met. She tried to blame it on her podcast. After all, it was easy to cast suspicion on everyone she met when so many of her podcasts consisted of the message, “No one would have ever known this person was capable of such heinous acts.”

Take tonight’s podcast, for example. Mia had thought it was popcorn-worthy, as the story held some entertaining spins.

“So, here’s what we’ve got.” Despite the situation, Mia narrated the story with an extra dose of cheerfulness. “Kristin Murphy was in a gas station the night before her husband mysteriously wound up dead. This isn’t such a big deal, except that she was recorded by witnesses as saying, ‘One of these days, I’m going to kill him.’ This is referring to Kyle, her husband. Now, Allison, here—” she gestured to Allison, even though her radio listeners couldn’t see. It helped with voice inflection if not for dramatic effect. “—is a lawyer as many of you know. Allison, what can you tell us about the evidence against Kristin?”

Allison threw back her head and laughed, her eyes dancing with starlight. “Oh, Mia, she is not the first woman to ever be heard threatening to kill her husband.”

“Certainly she’s not the first to actually go through with it!” Mia joined her laughter. “Folks, Allison would be right. I don’t know a single woman who has been married…” She tilted her head. “Well, I guess she wouldn’t be single, then, would she?” She and Allison shared another fit of giggles before she continued. “Any woman who has been married even a handful of years has probably threatened to kill her husband. However, I hear that strangling is the main go-to for these women, but Kristin took it a step further. She didn’t choke him; she shot him. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Allison, continue with the evidence, please.”

Allison put on a serious face that never dimmed the light in her eyes. Her voice still carried over the air with animation. “There is something to be said about innocent until proven guilty, and so far, there really isn’t enough evidence to convict her.” She glanced over at the notes she and Mia had gone over beforehand. “You mentioned in a previous episode that she was seen on security footage getting groceries at the supermarket.”

Mia nodded, really getting into the moment. “Mm-hmm.”

“How long is her commute home?”

“About eleven minutes.” Mia knew the details off the top of her head. She hungered for the day that something in her podcast would lead to an exciting arrest, some bit of evidence that was missed, or maybe—just maybe—a killer coming forward with a heartfelt confession. The last idea made her sniff a laugh. In her dreams, maybe.

“But she didn’t call the police until forty-one minutes after she left the grocery store?” Allison mused. “Where was she the entire time?”

“She says that she didn’t notice her husband. I personally think it’s all a show. That extra thirty minutes is just enough time to shoot her husband and stage it to look like a crime scene. But those are the only two things pointing to her. Because the police say that he had been dead for an hour and a half when they got there. If the time of death is correct, that indicates that he died while Kristin was shopping. There was no GSR on Kristin’s clothes, and the Murphy family doesn’t own a gun.” Mia sat back in her chair at the exact moment that Allison did. The best friends practically acted like twins at this point. Allison grabbed her apple cider and took a sip.

“What does this tell you, Allison?”

She could see Allison thinking hard. Her eyes settled on a spot in the table, boring into a knot like she had made it herself with her intense stare. “If this was all the evidence I was presented with, I would have to go digging for more. Evidence doesn’t lie. The fact that she had no gunshot residue on her hands or clothes suggests to me that she didn’t do it. Unless she had time to come home, shoot her husband, burn the clothes and maybe she wore gloves while she shot him. Then also hide the weapon. That takes a lot, but it could happen in half an hour. The question is, why does her husband’s time of death clash with her extra time?”

“Maybe she had someone kill him for her!” Mia suggested. “Or maybe she threw him into the freezer or something to offset liver temp!” She prided herself on talking like a CSI. She liked using words like “liver temp” and “GSR” instead of “gunshot residue” to make herself sound official. If that wasn’t enough, check out her nine thousand followers which was growing by the day. Yep, that’s right. People loved her. She was well-known all over Juniper Springs. For a small town, that wasn’t much, but it was just enough.

Allison set her drink down on the table, lips creased into a humored smile, then she replied, “I may have to disagree with you on that one, but again, I’m all for innocent until proven guilty. If I were representing her, I can’t throw out the lack of gunshot residue or the fact that the time of death was stated to be before she even got to the house. Not to mention, if you were going to commit a crime, would you go announcing it in a public gas station for all to hear? A gas station houses both locals and nonlocals, so you would basically be spreading your intentions well past your small-town area. Yet if you had no intention of committing a crime, you would probably be more likely to tease, saying that you’re going to kill your husband. As I stated before, pretty much every woman has threatened that at some point.”

Mia watched Allison come to life as she began presenting her case to the podcast as if she were before a court of law. It was her passion. She had been that way since high school; defender of the innocent, discoverer of truth. Even after a few years at the family-owned law firm in town, the passion hadn’t dimmed once. She spoke about the details as if she were describing her fondest memory or biggest dream.

“Basically, it would be stupid for her to announce it,” Allison settled. “And Kristin doesn’t strike me as a stupid person.”

“Or she could be really, really smart,” Mia suggested. A quick glance at her clock brought about a sigh and a cloud of doleful acceptance. She kept her podcasts at around forty-five minutes—less than an hour to keep her listeners hungering for more, short enough to keep them hooked without losing their attention. She only had a few more minutes on the podcast, and that meant only a few more minutes with her friend. She missed the days of sleepovers and parties all night. But now that she and Allison were both professionals, they had to kiss the days of all-nighters goodbye.

“Well, folks, decide what you will, but we are going to leave it there for right now. We’ll come back to this story when we have more information on it, but what do you think? I will be posting a copy of tonight’s podcast on my social media page, so comment and let me know! Allison, always a pleasure to have you on the show.”

“Always a pleasure to be here.” Allison’s tone matched her words.

“And that’s all for tonight! Stay safe out there, everyone!”

With that, a click of the mouse brought the podcast to an end. The lines on her laptop, as they recorded, stopped spiking and dancing across the screen. Mia sat back in her chair, able to fully be herself now that she wasn’t on the air. “So, you really think Kristin is innocent?”

“I haven’t examined enough evidence or talked to her,” Allison replied. “I can’t just go off of what you say because it could go both ways. Personally, I think she might be innocent, but that’s not for me to decide. It’s hard to explain away the time of death.”

“Eh,” Mia shrugged. “If she’s smart enough, she could. You’d be amazed at some of the stuff I uncover.”

“I know. I listen to every one of your episodes.” Allison plopped her chin into her hand with contentment and stared at Mia. Her sigh let itself in through her nose and her shoulders rose to greet it. “I hope you have a great weekend.”

“Same!” Mia congratulated. “When are you leaving?”

“My plane leaves tomorrow evening around four.” Allison’s excitement danced across her face. Mia squealed with delight for her best friend, fighting back a touch of jealousy. She never vacationed anywhere. She never had anyone to go with her, and as a true crime podcaster, she didn’t want to travel alone anywhere. “Monterey, Cali, here you come!”

“I’m so ready!” Allison exclaimed. “I love my job, but everyone needs a break, now and again, don’t they?”

“Sure, they do. You especially. You live, sleep, breathe your work. Do you think there will ever be room for a guy in your life, or are you just gonna propose to your career and be done with it?”

Allison cracked up, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. “Oh, goodness, no. I hope there is a guy out there for me. But I’m not in any hurry to find him. He’s going to have to find me.”

“My brother’s still single.” Mia’s tone changed to a playfulness that she only shared with her best friend.

She noticed the blush slap Allison’s cheeks, but her best friend quickly turned her head away. “Yeah, and has far more money than I ever intend on making, so he won’t be interested in me!”

“Aw, I just want you as a sister!” Mia pouted.

Allison turned her head with intention and nailed Mia with a stare. “We’re already sisters,” she reminded her. “You’re here for me, I’m here for you, and that’s the true bond of sisterhood right there. We don’t have to be blood-related.”

A sister. The thought touched a smile to Mia’s face. Some sisters were never close, going through life hating each other, only seeing each other on holidays because it’s what you did. Some sisters were only close because they were sisters. But a best friend was a sister that you got the privilege of choosing for yourself, and Mia could not have picked a better big sister. “Thanks, girl. Please. Be careful while you travel. Always be aware of your surroundings.”

Allison finished off her apple cider, nearly choking as she did. “I know,” she jested.

“Head up, phone down!”

“I need my boarding pass.”

“Head up, phone down!” Mia pounded with enthusiasm. “Do you know how many girls get kidnapped or robbed each year because their noses are in their phones?”

“I’m sure you are going to tell me.” Allison reached across the table, taking Mia’s arm. “Look, everything is going to be okay, all right? I will watch my surroundings, have my location on, and all the other safety precautions you drill into my head. You don’t need to remind me because I already know.”

“I know.” Mia’s eyes rolled in jest. “I just worry about my best friend.”

“And I worry about mine.” Allison brought the moment around. The two best friends stared at each other long enough to communicate the nonverbal point and friendship between them. Allison was the first to break it with that definitive sigh. She glanced at her watch, then her purse. “I guess I’d better go. I have some things to finish up at the office before I leave. A weekend just isn’t enough.”

“I feel that.” Mia rose to her feet. Allison pushed her chair back, swinging her purse onto her shoulder. “Just think. This time tomorrow night, you’ll be sitting on a beach, sipping margaritas.”

“Not margaritas. I hate those,” Allison snickered. “I will just be content to sit there and watch the waves roll onto the shore. I love the ocean.”

“Me too.” Mia wrapped Allison in a hug, holding her longer than usual. She felt reluctant to let her go, even though she knew she was going to see her in a week. It just felt so far away, like it would take longer to get there. She hated saying goodbye, even for a short time. When Allison left, she took all the laughs and excitement with her. Somehow, Mia felt empty whenever that door closed behind her bubbly friend.

“See you when I get back.” Allison held her at arm’s length. “Sister.”

“You too, Sis.” Mia winked at her.

Allison’s heels clomped to the door. Mia followed her, savoring the last few moments with her friend. “Thursday nights are my favorite.” She stated the obvious.

Allison, hand on the doorknob, turned around, aiming her a smile. “Mine too.”

The door opened, welcoming in a fresh chill that smelled of crisp leaves and someone’s fire burning. The breeze occupied the space that Allison once had, then the door latched behind her. Mia sighed.

“Well, Mia, here you go.” She spoke aloud to herself since no one else was around to hear… so, she hoped. “Another night to spend by yourself.”

Her mind snagged on something that happened yesterday, and she couldn’t help but remember that women who lived alone were more likely to get themselves kidnapped than those who didn’t.

Deciding she didn’t need that statistic tonight, or ever, she switched the light off in her hallway and walked through the empty house alone.

I think someone’s after me.

The words echoed through Mia’s mic, then rolled around in her head, laughing with evil intent. She could say no more. She ended the message for help with a click of her mouse. Before she had a chance to think twice, she moved the arrow over to her upload button. This would be her second podcast episode for the day. Surely one of her listeners would listen to both! If anything, after she had been gone for a few weeks, maybe they’d realize that she hadn’t done a podcast in a while and then go back and listen to the last one she’d posted. They would hear her message and get someone’s attention.

To be honest, Mia wasn’t sure what she was expecting to happen from the last message in her podcast. She just hoped that it would do some good. But for now? She had other things to worry about, like getting everything she would need. She would disappear for a while—leave her laptop, just in case it was being tracked. If the podcast was what had gotten her into this mess, then she needed to leave it behind for a time. She would tell Allison where she was going, once she figured it out. But the signs. They all pointed to that one girl…

She threw whatever clothes she could into her suitcase. Not caring if there was still some moisture on her shampoo bottle and soap, she threw those in, too, along with her toothbrush and a few books. When she was sure that she’d packed enough gear into her suitcase to make it difficult to close, she shut the lid, pressing it down against the things that would be her life for a while. The zipper griped in protest as she zipped it around the suitcase, but it held fast, sealing her entire life inside. She picked up the handle and rolled it to the door.

She needed gas. Lots of it. She didn’t want to stop again until she was clear out of town. Her destination remained unknown. Maybe California. That was far enough. Or was it? Maybe she could go north for a little while. She had enough cash to rent a little hotel room until Allison got back and could help her figure out what she was going to do. She could always ask Jacob for help, but that would require a transfer into her bank account, and she didn’t want that hovering in there. It would result in a little red dot that blinked, alerting her stalker—if there even was one—to her location. I’m right here! Pick me! Kidnap and kill me!

Her heart pounded fast as she rushed around. She grabbed a few water bottles from the fridge and a loaf of bread but didn’t want to stick around to figure out dinner plans for the next few meals. That’s what fast food was for. The time it would take to pull that together would drive her deeper into the night, and the later the hour, the more likely she was to get in trouble.

She grabbed her suitcase handle, clutching her water bottles close to her chest, and rolled her suitcase to the door. She stopped in the entryway where, just last night, she had said goodbye to her best friend and walked through an empty house. Now she stood there, examining the walls that displayed the life she had built for herself. Pictures of her, her parents, her brother, and her best friend lined the wall to the entryway. A nice little quote about faith was sketched into the archway that led farther into the house. These were her things: they represented the life she had built when she moved out of her parents’ house at age twenty. And she was about to leave it all behind. It was no longer her safe haven, and that thought killed her. She sighed, closing the door behind her. She had never realized how final that latch sound could be when closing the door. But as it clicked, Mia couldn’t help but get the feeling that she wouldn’t be hearing that sound again for a long time.

Friday nights in Juniper Springs spelled out “loneliness” for Mia. When her podcast was finished, her only friend was often the TV. Oh, what she wouldn’t give for a lonely Friday night on October 4. If not lonely, then spending it with her best friend. It wasn’t until she left the gas station that she realized that her paranoia had either exceeded the boundaries of what she usually dismissed, or there was more than just that going on.

Mia clenched her jaw, her muscles tightening into a worried cramp. Allison. Her best friend.

If anyone could help her, it was Allison. But, should she bother her on her vacation to Monterey? Or let it go?

A quick glance in her mirror told her what she needed to know. She dug her phone out of her pocket, hoping that it wasn’t bugged or something. How easy would it be for someone to tap her phone if they knew how to do it?

In the end, the decision was made. It was better to take that chance and risk someone listening in than to have something happen with no warning or paper trails at all. Little rainbows smeared the screen beneath her sweaty fingers as she navigated to Allison’s number.

Allison’s cheerful voicemail wasn’t unexpected. The definitive thud on the other end had told Mia that she must still be in the air or maybe her plane had just landed, and she hadn’t switched it off airplane mode just yet. But that was all right. If there was a single streak of OCD in every human being, then Allison’s was not being able to stand to see a number beside an icon on any of her screens, notifying her of a text message she hadn’t read yet. If anything at all, the number would drive Allison crazy, and she would get the message. Mia spilled her message, then hovered her finger over the definitive end call button. She wanted to say more but decided against it, ending the conversation with a single, small tap of her finger. It was amazing how many things could come to an end as a result of something so small… so minuscule… it often went undetected.

No sooner had her call disconnected than she saw the roof of her car light up. Red and blue lights danced like a disco party on the headliner, driving her attention to the rearview mirror.

“Oh no!”

She wasn’t speeding, but Washington was a hands-free state, so the officer lighting her up probably had seen her messing with her phone, having it pressed to her ear. Surely, he’d understand once she explained that she thought someone was following her. She was willing to pay whatever fine he offered her if it meant that she could explain her situation to him. This was grounds for a panic attack. No one liked getting pulled over. But maybe it was the perfect thing to happen at that moment. She could tell the police in person rather than having everything recorded over a 911 call.

Mia eased her car to the side of the road.

California dreaming. Only, it was mid-autumn, not a winter’s day.

Sure, Allison could drive to the ocean from Juniper Springs and be there within a few hours, but there was just something about the little cove of Monterey, California, that beckoned to her with an inviting smile. She adored the Fisherman’s Wharf, packed with boat tours, information about sea life and eatery places with good food; but they had prices that made even her lawyer’s budget groan. It wasn’t anything fancy. Maybe it was the fact that her first family vacation was taken there, and it held fond nostalgic memories that reignited every time she set foot on the Wharf. No five-star hotels, no cruises… just a simple little town. And she liked that. She didn’t want to be fancy all the time. She was the girl running barefoot with the boys during the summer months as she grew up. She and Mia would always pretend they were Indians or warriors in the Middle Ages. Simple times. Simple dreams. Allison wouldn’t trade peace of mind for anything else.

She watched the ground of the San Jose airport broaden as the plane reached for the runway, landing gear down and ready to roll. Allison pressed her back to the seat of the airplane, grateful for another safe flight, and listened to the flight attendant informing her about the current time and temperature and how grateful they were for her choosing their airline. At least someone in this world was grateful.

Allison was not looking forward to the hour and sixteen-minute drive ahead of her. She had planned her vacation accordingly, cramming everything she would need into her carry-on, so she didn’t have to check any bags. She didn’t need much for a weekend—didn’t even need a swimsuit. It was far too cold for that time of year, but not too cold to walk along the beach. Wrapped in her favorite sweater, she watched the whales breaching in the distance and listened to the call of the seagulls, watching the waves come together as if joining hands in a thousand voices of applause. October was a perfect time of year, as the beach wouldn’t be too crowded with tourists. The ones who flocked to vacations this time of year, she found, were a lot like her; the ones who preferred to be quiet.

Allison considered herself officially on vacation, so she waited without agitation for the plane to empty out in front of her before she stepped into the flow of traffic. Grabbing her bag and her purse, she exited the plane, thanking the flight attendant warmly on the way out. If anyone understood what a hard job was, it was Allison. The daughter of a law enforcement officer, and a lawyer on a day-to-day basis, she knew how nasty people could be sometimes. The airlines saw all types come through to fly, in a confined tube in the sky, until they landed somewhere. “You guys did a wonderful job, thank you.”

Sometimes all you need is just someone—anyone—to tell you that you’re doing a good job.

Allison moved out of the crowd and into the San Jose airport, glancing around for the signs. Let’s see, baggage claim… rental car pick up... that’s what she needed.

She dug her phone out of her purse, glancing at her surroundings before swiping her screen down and tapping the little airplane icon. Once the phone reunited with her data, her screen began to fill up with notifications faster than the gate had filled up with exiting passengers. Allison sighed. She’d have to clear a couple of these before she could check her car rental status. She hated notification symbols that were left unattended.

A few texts. Some social media. And a voicemail? Voicemails usually indicated urgent business, so she checked that one first to get it out of the way.

Her smile warmed her cheeks as Mia’s name popped up. So, her best friend had left her a message, had she? Wishing her well, call me when you land, that sort of thing? What a girl.

Allison rolled her eyes as she listened to the options her phone gave her before letting her hear the voicemail. “I know who’s calling me,” she muttered to her automatic system. “You don’t have to tell me…”

“Allison! Someone is following me!” Mia’s urgent voice interrupted any sarcastic mutterings Allison was thinking. Annoyances forgotten, Allison stopped where she was walking, letting the passengers flow around her like a river around a rock. What?

This wasn’t a joke. Mia’s voice was drenched in something that Allison never heard from her.

Fear.

“End of message. To replay this message, press four.”

“Yes, yes, replay!” Allison’s finger trembled over her options.

“Allison! Someone is following me!”

“End of message.”

With a huff, Allison examined her screen, taking extra precautions to push the right button to save it. Following her? What did she mean? How long ago had she sent this message? She wished she would have paid more attention.

A quick survey of the airport told her that the little airport cafe wasn’t busy at that time of night. She altered her path. The rental car could wait. She rolled her bag into the cafe, setting it down beside her table, and scooted into a chair that wasn’t ridiculously high off the floor. She scrolled through her contacts, coming across Mia’s number. She tapped the call button and held the phone to her ear. What was going on?

After a few tormenting rings, she was greeted by Mia’s voicemail. No, this couldn’t be. Her friend couldn’t leave her a message like this and not answer her call! Why, that was just not right, was it? Allison hung up, quickly waiting for that callback button to resurface before plunging it into another call with Mia again.

But she had the same result.

Allison pressed her lips together in a frown, lowering her phone to the table. She was never one to panic. There had been times in the courtroom when she had wanted to, but she managed to keep her head level and her breathing calm. This was a problem, but all problems had solutions, right? That’s what she had told herself while growing up.

She figured she would wait a few minutes and try again. But even those few minutes didn’t give Mia a chance to answer her phone.

Okay, so Mia wasn’t answering. Who else would know? Allison checked her time, knowing it was in the middle of the night, but she decided to call Mia’s mother or father. Maybe she had talked to them.

Mia’s mom, Angie, sounded groggy when she answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hey, Angie, it’s Allison. Listen, I’m sorry to be calling so late, but I got a weird voicemail from Mia, and I’m wondering if you’ve heard from her today?”

A rustling and a muffled voice followed. “No, I haven’t. A concerning voicemail? How do you mean?”

“She said something about she thinks someone’s following her?”

“For the podcast, you mean?”

If only. No, Allison couldn’t dismiss that particular verb. Mia had around nine thousand followers for her podcast. This wasn’t her first one. She wouldn’t be calling Allison to tell her about someone new who had joined her channel. And she knew better than to play a joke on her. She had just seen her last night! What had changed in twenty-four hours? “No. She sounded scared. Like she was about ready to cry.” That high-pitched voice, the tremor in her tone. She probably was crying. And now, she wasn’t answering. Allison kept checking her screen, hoping beyond hope that her friend had just slept through her call or had her phone on vibrate.

But could Allison sleep, after a message like that?

Her mother was alert now. Allison heard her muffling something to her husband before her voice grew louder. “We haven’t heard anything. Have you tried calling the police?”

“I was waiting to see if anyone had heard anything before I did.” Allison didn’t want to pester them if she had misunderstood Mia’s message. But this wasn’t a misunderstanding. There was something in her gut that kept nagging her, telling her that this was something to be taken with the utmost seriousness. “I’m going to make a few calls, but I’ll probably wind up getting in touch with them. I’ll keep you guys posted, okay?”

“Please do.” The pleading in Angie’s voice drove a stake through her heart. “Let us know the minute you find something out.”

“Will do,” Allison promised before ending the call. She tapped her fingers on the table, eyes wandering empty over the airport. She barely even registered the people drifting by as she examined them. Think, Allison, think!

The podcast. Had Mia uploaded her last podcast today? Allison could not get to the site fast enough. Her fingers swiped through the uploads, scanning the number of views so far until she paused. There were two podcasts—not just the one she had done with her last night—but two.

She tapped on the latest one, lowering her phone volume, and placed the phone’s speaker to her ear. Mia’s voice sounded devoid of breath like she had been panting or maybe hyperventilating a little bit. Allison strained, but the podcast message drove concern like a stake deeper and deeper into her.

“Good evening, Juniper Springs! It is a chilly one this Friday night, and I haven’t even been outside. I’m going to make this one short.”

That wasn’t how she normally started her podcasts. And she said Friday night... this was from tonight. Allison bit the inside of her lip.

“Because I need to get a message out there. There’s been some things going on. Things have happened that have my nerves a little frayed.”

What on earth was she talking about? What things?

“No, everything is not okay.” The confirmation Allison needed. She sat straighter in the chair, eyes intently focused on a spot on the table in front of her. “No, I’m not just a true crime podcaster who is also a hypochondriac, except not with disease but with the crimes I talk about. I’ve talked about a lot of true crime on this podcast and exposed a lot of people because it’s what I do. It’s not a reason to be angry. If you don’t like it, change the channel.” A little sigh. And a little aggressive. Mia wasn’t usually that aggressive. “Sorry. I guess I’ve been looking over my shoulder a lot today. There are things… things to watch out for. Okay, okay, I’m just gonna say it.” Her voice tone switched gears, pounding her point home with sincerity. “It is Friday night, October 4, 2024. This is Mia Davis of Juniper Springs. I think someone’s after me.”

A dull thud. That was it. She never ended her podcasts without editing them. Allison’s blood pressure spiked, and her heart began hammering. Someone was after her? And then the phone message that someone was following her.

Allison could control the physical reactions in her body. For the pounding of her heart, she could let some breaths in slowly to quiet it. She could do the same for the new tremor in her hand. But she could do nothing to comfort the hurricane of emotions and worry. Something had happened to her friend. She had reached out for help and now wasn’t answering Allison’s calls. But what on earth was it? She was fine just yesterday!

Allison knew what she had to do. There would be no Monterey beach time for her. The next call she would make would be to the rental company to cancel her rental. No, wait. It wouldn’t be for that. That was her second call.

The first call she’d make would be to the Juniper Springs Police Department.

The smoke alarm was going off. During the meeting. It had the same tone as his phone’s ringtone.

Jacob looked up at the smoke alarm, glared at it, and muttered a few choice words. “Not now!” He hissed. Huh. That really sounded like his phone. When did they change the alarm sound?

Jacob jerked like something had stabbed him. That was his phone... wasn’t it?

He let out a grunt, his eyes jerking open. In a disoriented state, his hand hunted for his phone on the dresser, colliding with things and knocking them over as he did. His eyes barely opened into slits as he read the time. 3:30? I did not set my alarm for that early.

He picked up his phone. Oh, it wasn’t his alarm? Someone was on the other line, calling him?

He swiped to answer, clearing the grogginess away from his voice. “Hello?”

“Jacob.” His mother’s voice. For her to be calling in the middle of the night—or morning, whatever—meant something was wrong. He sat up in bed, his senses tingling awake.

“Hey, Mom, what’s up?” He was sure he knew the next answer. Dad was probably either on his way to the hospital or already in the hospital, and he’d have to arrange to fly down to Florida either tomorrow or as soon as he could. How fast could he get a flight? At this time in the morning? Maybe he could be in Florida by this evening…

“Mia’s missing, honey. The local police went to do a welfare check on her, and she’s not there!”

So, this wasn’t about Dad, it was about Mia? His little sister? The one whom he had just talked to, not two days ago? Jacob sat up in bed, his back rigid like a cutting board. “Tell me more.”

“Allison Miller called us. Mia left a very concerning voicemail while she was on the way to California. Her latest podcast is also worrisome. Allison got in touch with the police, and her car is missing. About a half hour ago, they found her car on the side of the road, heading out of town.”

Jacob’s fingers stroked his temple, rubbing the flesh up and down as if he could get some clarity on the situation. “Was there a note or anything?”

“I don’t know all the details, but I don’t think so. Sounds like she just disappeared.”

Disappeared. No one vanished into thin air. A thousand possibilities presented themselves to Jacob. He would have to hear her messages for himself to determine the real meaning behind them. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions that she had been kidnapped, but he also didn’t want to assume that everything was fine if she really needed his help. He would need more details. And in order to get them, he needed to at least hear her last podcast.

Angie sniffed on the other end of the line. “I’m so worried about her, Jacob. I know that she has that crime podcast, and any number of people could be out to get her for that. Do you know how many people she’s helped put away?”

No, he didn’t. He understood that Mia gathered evidence, but not much more than that. Then again, maybe she was doing a little sleuthing herself and had helped put some people away. Still, whether she had or not, there was quite the motive there to harm her.

So, her car was on the side of the road. He’d have to find out where. In order to help find his sister, he’d have to drive down to Juniper Springs. It certainly beat a trip to the airport and a six-hour flight. Juniper Springs was only a little under two hours away, given light traffic and no stops. He could be there by sunup.

“I will drive down there to see what we’ve got going on. Hey,” he steadied his voice, hoping it had the same effect on his mother. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find out what happened to her.”

Angie was full-on crying now, heaving sobs on the other end of the line. “Thank you, Jacob. I’m so worried.”

So was he, but he had to keep his head in the game. He could let his mother and father worry in their home in Florida, but he had to stay levelheaded and do the grunt work of figuring out exactly what happened.

“You and Dad just hang in there, all right? We’re going to find her. The police will probably send out some K9 units and maybe put out an Amber Alert. Juniper Springs is a small town; she couldn’t have gone far.” She would be on foot. Unless she drove off with someone. He would need to assess every possible scenario before making a final plan.

He hung up with them, then sat forward. He held the bottom part of his phone between his palms while his fingers battered the top portion back and forth in a good volley. He tossed his thoughts back and forth in the same manner. A feeling of guilt spread through him as he thought over the events of his life. He must’ve heard thousands of reports on missing persons on the news, on Amber Alerts, but he had let them fade into the background of his memory after a day or two. But now that there was a member of his own family who was a missing person, he understood up close and personal how desperate those families must have felt. Each of those missing people had their own stories and felt the same desperation that he felt in that moment. The thing that threatened to weigh him down the most wasn’t that she was just one of many: it was that most missing persons remained on that list for years and were never found. But the difference between those people and Mia?

Mia had a brother who stopped at nothing until a problem was solved.

Thunder rumbled in the low-hanging clouds, promising rain. The risen sun shed only a quarter of its light through the spread of thick grey that swept over the sky. A layer of fog engulfed the very tips of the mountains. Allison would have considered it beautiful if the circumstances were different. As of now, she didn’t want to see any fog—not in her mind and not in the state of Washington. The way she saw it, it would only hinder the efforts to find Mia.

Allison locked her eyes on the back-road curves that snaked through the mountains leading into Juniper Springs from Seattle. A small town tucked away from the hustle and bustle of life in the big city, Juniper Springs only had one curvy road to offer if you didn’t want to take the freeway and get off at an exit three miles outside of town, only to be connected with the very same curvy road. Allison preferred the back way. Angie Davis had filled her in on the last known location of Mia’s car, and in her eyes, there was no better place to start than the last known location of her best friend.

She had tried Mia’s phone three more times in a desperate attempt to dismiss the nightmare, but her efforts were for naught. That could only mean one thing. When the plane entered Seattle, her window faced east. She had awoken from a light nap with a sharp orange light stabbing into her droopy eyes, indicating that sunrise was in the process of happening. It had been hours since Mia’s disappearance; the morning dawned on another day, a different day, and Mia still had not been recovered. The only paper trail she had left ended with her podcast. Someone was following her. Someone was after her. She didn’t say who. She didn’t say why. She didn’t even drop a hint to indicate what gave her that notion. Allison just couldn’t get it out of her head how a little over twenty-four hours ago, it had been just like any other night. Mia hadn’t batted an eye when she announced her beliefs into the podcast’s speaker. And now, not even two days later, her world had cracked at the seams, and she had vanished.

What was it about this road? Allison’s mind flashed back to a time nearly a year ago when Avery, the law firm owner’s daughter who practiced law with Allison, had taken on a case that highlighted her private investigative career. Avery’s current boyfriend’s mother, Mariann West, had been involved in a hit-and-run. Well, so the law enforcement had thought. Turns out, Avery discovered that Mariann was the victim of a twisted plot to end her life and make it look like a car accident. The clunk of twisted steel had happened not too far from that location, and it made Allison grow tense. On a back road like this, one that few people liked to take because of the hairpin curves, anything could happen.

She saw the police lights before she rounded the curve and eased into her brakes. Checking her mirrors, she circled her steering wheel, guiding her wheels off the road and onto the shoulder. With a quick punch of a button, she snapped on her emergency lights and hoisted herself out of the seat of her car.

Tiny particles of mist danced in the air, joining together to create a fresh breath. They filled Allison’s nose, trying to calm her as she jogged across the road. Seeing Mia’s RAV4 cautiously sitting beside the road jolted Allison back to reality. Mia really had disappeared. It was amazing how a story didn’t seem real—didn’t quite sink in—until some sort of physical evidence presented itself. The reality dragged Allison down into a morose footpath, and she fought to stay on the path of positivity.

Two squad cars aligned themselves behind the RAV4 while officers scattered over the scene. They turned toward her with questions written all over their faces until she pressed closer, showing her face. “I’m Allison Miller,” she called. “I’m the one who called this in. Mia’s my best friend.”

The atmosphere changed into a slightly more welcoming one. The words best friend landed her safely on the shoulder of the road, granting her a closer look at the harrowing evidence that what she had feared for her best friend was true.

The officer who seemed to be in charge stepped forward. “Miss Miller, I’m Detective Colby Webb, I’m in charge of the investigation.”

Allison slipped her hands into her back pockets, relaxing into an open posture. “So…” She knew she wasn’t supposed to be here, poking around the scene of the crime, but this was personal to her. Her best friend had been snatched from her. She hadn’t just run away. “Is there anything you can tell me about what happened to Mia?”

“It’s still an ongoing investigation,” he parroted to her. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing that none of this was his fault. It was simply the response they were trained to give everyone who wasn’t related to the case and came poking their noses around. Oh, how she envied her friend Avery whose connections to law enforcement gave her freer rein to go snooping around crime scenes. Even Allison’s title as a lawyer didn’t give her the legal go-ahead to help herself to the evidence they had collected. Her sharp eyes did pick up a few things though: that Mia’s keys hung from the ignition, the car idling on the side of the road. As the investigators snapped photographs of the car, they removed the keys from the ignition, but Allison tucked the information away in her mind. The car had been idling when they found it. She hadn’t even turned her car off, but it hadn’t run out of gas… yet. So, she had tanked up and then left her car. Why would she spend money on a full tank of gas, only to leave it running by the side of the road? Clearly, she was in a hurry when she left.

She glanced over at Webb again, eyes begging him for any information he could give. Apology flickered across his face. “I’m sorry I can’t give you much more than that, but to be honest, we don’t have much more. We have already informed her parents that the car was found on the side of the road, but other than that, we are just as much in the dark as you.”

She wanted to ask about fingerprints. Or better yet, footprints. A helpless feeling crawled over her as she looked over Webb’s shoulder. The investigators bagged the keys, then slowly stalked to the back of Mia’s car. Their cameras swept the ground with their all-capturing lens, and a flash proceeded the click of another photograph. Allison focused on that, ignoring the other officers starting out into the field, led by a team of German Shepherds. So, they’d brought the K9 unit and processed the car, but they hadn’t gotten anything off of those yet?

“I understand.” Her voice heavy with disappointment, she forced herself to look back at Officer Webb, knowing he’d see the disappointment reflected in her eyes. “I have a voicemail that she left me that I can show you.” She pulled her phone from her purse, all too willing to hand it over to them should they ask for it. “This was how I knew she was in trouble.”

The hum of another engine announced the presence of an oncoming car around the curve. Headlights slivered through the tiny droplets, illuminating each one in a golden glow before blowing past them. Allison turned her head just in time to see a black Mercedes sedan pull to the side of the road. What on earth was a Mercedes doing in these parts? A tourist pulling over to gawk at a supposed accident outside of town? Allison’s hopes skyrocketed to an unrealistic dream. Maybe news about Mia? Someone who had seen her wandering around and picked her up? Maybe she hadn’t been kidnapped at all; maybe she had gone off with this guy for whatever reason and he was bringing her back?

The car engine purred to a stop, the door swung open and an aura of expensive enveloped the surrounding curbside. No one drove that kind of money around those humble parts…

And then she knew.

She would recognize those piercing eyes anywhere… and the face that always looked like it had stepped out of one of those fantasy novels where the main character exhibited flawless perfection. The chiseled jawline concealed behind the dark beard that circled around those perfectly shaped lips. The dark hair only served as a backlight to the azure gaze of Jacob Davis. She wasn’t sure if he was considered a heartthrob by everyone else in the world, but he certainly had the looks for it. His perfectly arranged features had puddled her when she was a teenager and somehow still had the same effect.

He gave a sharp glance up and down the road, then his strong legs carried him across in seconds. He approached the group as if he were the one in authority, not Officer Webb. Even the way he carried himself indicated that he knew what he was doing, and certainly better than Allison did. She decided that now was the time to step back and let him take control. He would probably get more answers than she did anyway.

It was good to see that they were doing everything they could. Dogs sniffing out the area behind Mia’s car, and police swarming the scene. But who was the woman with them? A witness?

Jacob drew closer, her features gaining clarity the closer he got. It wasn’t until he saw her amber eyes that he halted his steps, surprise tripping up his feet. “Allison? Allison Miller?”

Allison’s nervous smile spread into the positive answer he was looking for. “Hello, Jacob. I didn’t expect to see you here!”

“I…” Well, that was an understatement; his shock robbed him of any sensible words to say. But it really shouldn’t be a surprise to either of them. She was the one to call it in, after all. Because of her taking action, they would probably uncover Mia’s hiding place sooner rather than later. “I didn’t expect to see you either. Mom told me that you were the one that called it in?”

Her hair bounced as she nodded. He took extra care not to notice that dimple in her chin, the one he had admired many times when she was younger. But he had also heeded the old wives’ tale that said “dimpled chin, devil within,” and he knew that Allison could be a little devil sometimes if she wanted to be. She had that headstrong personality that got her places. He wondered if she was still a lawyer. She had to be. It was the perfect job for her.

“I did,” she confirmed. “Mia called me while I was on my way to California, and when I couldn’t get ahold of her, I did some digging and found her latest podcast.”

“Yeah, I was listening to that on the way down.” His voice lifted, but not his spirit. Mia had been so happy on her podcast in every previous episode—except last night’s. Last night she sounded so scared that it broke his heart to think he hadn’t been there for her.

He stared into Allison’s eyes for a moment longer before daring to break his gaze away. He couldn’t afford distractions, no matter how good it was to see an old friend. And speaking of old friends…

“Colby?”

He could still see the youthful face of Colby Webb standing next to him during their high school graduation. The young, athletic man had been a friend during their school years. Colby’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Jacob Davis! I thought you had left this town for good.”

“Not when I’ve got family here.” Jacob’s voice dimmed a bit in tone. He wanted to jump right into the case but didn’t want to ignore formalities either. “How’ve you been?”

“Been busy.” Colby’s response was the same that Jacob had always heard. Either that or working all the time. He related. Such was the way of life once you crossed that threshold into adulthood. “I’m sorry about Mia, man.”

And just like that, the formalities dispensed. Jacob was glad he wasn’t the one to break the ice in that regard. They could catch up later. Right now, they had to focus on finding his sister. “What do you have so far?”

Colby surveyed the scene once more before unleashing the information that Jacob wanted to hear and didn’t want to hear. “Miss Miller’s call came in pretty late last night. Patrol found the car on the side of the road around 3:00 a.m. There was a small suitcase in the back, extra food, bottles of water, everything you would need to leave town. Has your sister spoken to you recently indicating that she was going anywhere, maybe wanting to leave town?”

How he wished she would have said something—sent him a text—anything. “No, she hasn’t. The last I talked to her was,” he counted back, “Wednesday afternoon, and she sounded fine. Cheery as usual, like nothing was wrong. Maybe a bit distracted, but that could have been anything.”

“Distracted?” Webb jotted that down. “Hmm. Okay. Has she ever done anything like this before?”

Jacob knew these were questions asked of any missing persons case, but they struck at the heart of his sister. They really didn’t know her at all. How could they find her when they knew so little of what a breath of fresh air and sunshine that girl could be? “Never. She was always happy and loved her little town of Juniper Springs.” He couldn’t understand why. It’s a beautiful place, yes, but it was a town consisting of dead-end jobs unless you wanted to be a lawyer for shoplifters and speeding tickets or maybe a clinic whose patrons frequented it enough to keep it open.

“Can you think of anyone who might want to hurt your sister?”

At first, he could have blurted out “no” with emphatic assurance. Mia was the sweetest person, loved everyone, would feed a stranger on the street with her last sandwich. But then again, the people who listened to her podcast didn’t know that about her. All they knew was how her podcasts could poke a hole in their lives. “Well, she does have a true crime podcast. A lot of what she discusses is local or close by, so anyone could be unhappy with her podcast.”

Officer Webb took note of that, taking extra care to write it down. The look on his face echoed what Jacob thought: it didn’t help the situation any. If anything, it worsened it because that meant that there were too many people who were out to get her. It could be anyone—even a friend of a friend who knew the people on her podcast. It wasn’t a good situation.

Allison couldn’t stand around helplessly.

She knew she couldn’t get past the crime scene tape, but she could at least pace outside of it and collect particles of evidence for herself to go over. She left Jacob to talk to Colby and walked along the edge of the tape. Her eyes fell to where the investigators had snapped a picture of the ground. Behind Mia’s RAV4 trailed another set of tire tracks—ones that didn’t match her tread or her path. It appeared as though a car had pulled in behind her, then pulled out around her from the way they led back onto the road. It didn’t make sense. If Mia was as paranoid as she was, she wouldn’t have stopped for anyone. Everything about her behavior suggested that she was paranoid: not only her podcast message and her voicemail but also the fact that she had tanked up. Her best friend ran around on empty all the time, only filling up when she had to. Even when she got gas, she only had about ten or fifteen dollars on her person at a time and rarely filled it beyond a quarter of a tank. If the car had still been idling, she had tanked up, then left it. Maybe there would be signs of car trouble. She could have seen someone pull in behind her to help her and took off running, leaving her car running and the person, thinking she was rude, just pulled away. It had to be it. There was no other explanation. Mia Davis wouldn’t stop for anyone if she were scared.

She let a few moments pass and let Jacob exchange words with Colby before traipsing back to the two men. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Keep an eye out for her. Show her picture around, ask people if they know, but don’t keep anything from us.” Colby’s sigh contained the fatigue of someone who worked the night shift and ended up with a case that spilled over into the morning hours. “But honestly, we are doing all that we can. We’ve got K9s out for her, we’ve got some evidence we’ve collected, but beyond that, there isn’t much more we can do. We’ll know more once we’ve processed the evidence.”

The rehearsed speech was familiar, but Allison had never been on the receiving end of it. Now that she was, she found it devoid of any kind of hope, and she hated that. Rehearsed and legal or not, it stung like bricks being dumped on her. She nodded. “Thanks, Officer.”

Jacob turned on his heel to return to his car, the one parked behind hers. She found herself following him. She glanced both ways before stepping out onto the asphalt with him. “So, what are you going to do?”

Jacob didn’t divert his gaze from his car. “I’m going to look for my sister.”

So, he had the same determination that she did—the resolve not to give up. Perhaps there wasn’t much more that the police could do, but they couldn’t get inside Mia’s head. She could. And so could her brother who had stayed in touch with her enough to know who Mia was. They would cover more ground if they worked together, so Allison threw the option out there. “I flew back from San Jose to do what I could for Mia. She can’t be far. Hey, there’s an information center a mile down the road or so. Maybe one of us can park there and we can go looking for her together? We might get more done that way.”

Jacob paused at his car door, keys in his hand. He fiddled with them as if treating them like his detailed thought process. His azure gaze snapped to hers. “You think she’s close?”

“She can’t have gone far. There’s no crime in looking.” Allison stamped her opinion on the situation with finality.

No hesitation. Not the fight she expected. She was prepared to present her case to him like she would to a judge, but he dismissed it with the gavel of his agreement. “Sure. I’ll meet you at the information center. We can take my car.”

“Oooh.” She glanced at his car, letting the first smile since she had heard from Mia peak on her lips. “So, I’m going to be riding in style?” And with Jacob? For a moment, she hesitated, her mind going back to her teenage years. Any time Jacob’s voice had been heard downstairs when she and Mia were hanging out, her face would glow red. When he walked in, sensible words would flee from her, replaced by laughter. When he spoke to her, her hands would shake. It had been years, but the last time she had seen him, he still had that effect on her. She’d never had a chance to outgrow it. But whether she did or not, there were far more important things that they both needed to focus on now.

His eyes perked a bit. A hint of a smile covered up with a mask of preoccupation for his sister. “Step right up.”

“Great.” She fished her keys out of her purse and side-stepped to her car, showing none of her emotion on her face. “I’ll meet you at the information center.”

Marissa Calhoun did have perfect timing.

No sooner had Jacob pulled onto the road behind Allison’s car did his ringing cell phone muffle through his Bluetooth speakers. A computer voice announcing the caller told him that he should get it but make it quick. He couldn’t stay on the line with her long. His thumb swept over the answer button on his steering wheel which was starting to get worn from how many calls he had answered while driving around. “Hello?”

“Hey, Handsome.” Marissa’s voice surrounded him in the car, echoing from the speakers. “I heard about Mia. I’m sorry.”

He let his face soften, lips pressing into a thin line. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“Yeah, that’s terrible.” Her voice didn’t even carry the weight of just how terrible the situation was. Jacob felt like she offered empty words, but at least she tried. She had taken time out of her day to call him and express her concern, so for that, he was grateful. “So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Myself and one other friend are going to drive around looking for her.” He didn’t know why, but he felt the need to eliminate the small fact that the friend he was going with was female. “Depending on how today goes, I might stay here in Juniper Springs for two or three days and offer my help to find her.”

“Aw.” He pictured her augmented lip protruding forward in a pout. “We will miss you around here.”

“It’s only for a few days,” Jacob reassured her. He watched Allison’s taillights, not wanting to put any distance between her and him. It wasn’t just the fog. He hadn’t been to Juniper Springs in a while, and even when he was, the information center wasn’t somewhere he frequented. He didn’t want to add more time to their search by getting lost. Allison turned into a spacious gravel parking lot, and he ushered the call to a close. “But don’t worry. I’ll keep you updated, okay, Sugar?”

Sugar. Ugh, the name felt so slimy, cliché-coated with extra cheese. But somehow, it fit Marissa. She was a bit of a sugar baby, after all. As much as Jacob was attracted to her, no amount of makeup, lip augmentations, or surgeries could hide the real reason he knew she was attracted to him. If it wasn’t his bank account, it was his looks with a charming personality as the cherry on top. Maybe a combination of all three. Marissa, however, seemed to take into consideration the matters of his heart. She wouldn’t have called to express her concern about Mia if she hadn’t. She wasn’t quite a honey or a sweetheart, so Jacob decided that “sugar” was the best name for her.

Sugar pressed a smile into her voice to go hand in hand with that pout he knew she was giving him. “Okay, Pumpkin. I’m here for whatever you need, okay?”

Sure, she was. Jacob wasn’t one to confide in people. Talk about his feelings? That was for people who were weak. Jacob had spent his life discovering his weaknesses and dousing them with a good dose of strength until they were completely washed away. But her offer was sweet. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” And... Pumpkin? Really? She didn’t have a better name for him than that?

“Hurry back! I can’t wait to see you again.”

Jacob’s wheels crunched on the gravel lot as he aligned his car beside Allison’s. “You, too.”

An awkward silence urged the static in his speakers to increase. Normally he would end the conversation with a note of affection. I love you or something of the sort, but what does one say to another party that they’re attracted to but not ready to date yet?

“I’ll call you tonight,” he promised. A push of his thumb ended the call, returning his car to a sanctuary for himself. He leaned his head against the headrest, thoughts racing. Why did it bother him so much? His sister was missing, and all Marissa could say was, “Hurry back”? Well, at least she called. She cared enough about him to do that—to offer to be there for him.

Instead of letting it get to him, he tapped into the trained parts of his mind to focus on a problem and push distractions out. But even with this, he managed to take a three-second moment to survey the parking lot he was in. He could afford a few moments for that.

The information center was the ultimate representation of Juniper Springs. A circle-shaped gravel lot spilled into a clearing surrounded by towering coniferous trees that swallowed up the clearing. A little sign stood at the edge of a long hiking trail that cut through the trees into the woods, marking the edge of the trail and detailing information about the mountain walk. A small little building with a wrap-around porch settled into the middle of the gravel lot, offering room to park.

Jacob resented the fog that concealed much of the road from view. Mia could be a few feet from the road, trying to make her way back, and her figure wouldn’t be spotted through the thick curtain of lowered cloud. While it made for a beautiful backdrop for the tips of the trees to puncture, it didn’t do much to aid in the search.

Allison killed her engine and hopped out of her little truck. Jacob waited for her, engine purring, ready to propel the car into the wilderness. He felt funny about sitting in the car waiting for Allison like an Uber driver, so he slipped his shifter into park. His door swung wide, allowing a fresh, cool breeze into the car. As he exited his vehicle, the chill in the early October air welcomed him, a respite from the heat that had drenched them the summer before. The quiet that greeted his ears surprised him. The information center lay somewhere by the creek; laughing, rippling waters dancing their last dance before winter froze it over like glass. The wind moaned through the pines, hushing an anxious heart into peace.

Allison strolled up to him. Jacob knew that they needed to get on the road and start the search—the earlier, the better. But the quiet of the country air beckoned for him to stay a while. His life had consisted of nothing but hustle and bustle, honking horns, air filled with the smog of the city. The fresh air began its work of clearing his lungs from Olympia toxins and replenishing them with cleanliness that he was loathe to part with.

“Thinking about your sister?” Allison’s question shot an arrow through the heart of the peaceful moment.

Jacob hauled in a lungful of fresh air. The tiny droplets that made up the mist soaked into his lungs. The scent that danced in the air was a pine mixture with the fresh waters of the river. “I was actually stopping to admire the quiet out here. Do you ever get that roar in your ears when it’s so quiet that your ears are looking for something to hear?”

Allison paused as if thinking over his words before her head nodded along in acknowledgment. “I think so. Comes from being in the city too long?”

Too long. Oh, how those two words could mean so much. Some of the smallest words in the English language, but they represented years of a life spent away from home, his sister and his family changing without him there to weave into their lives as he had in his youth. How much had changed since then. He nodded, not wanting to let her into the depths of his thoughts. “Yeah, you can say that.”

Just like that, the moment ended. He breathed out the moist air, saying goodbye to the quiet. He had his moment. Now it was time to go to work. “Well. You ready?”

Allison’s nod bounced her hair around her shoulders, sweeping a strand into her face. “Yes.”

Jacob swung his door open and settled himself on his leather seat. Allison closed the door to the fresh air behind her and clicked her car fob to lock it before settling into the passenger seat, leaning her head against the headrest. Her face gazed in his direction. “So. Where do you want to start?”

Jacob put his car into reverse. “The closer to the crime scene the better, probably. If she was heading out of town, I might start in the direction her car was pointing. We can drive along the road, and you can help me watch for her through this fog.”

The crime scene. The finality of those words weighed heavy. His sister had been involved in the very scenes that she talked about on her podcast. It didn’t seem right. It exuded a sick sense of irony.

He pulled his car out onto the highway again. The roar of his tires on the road along with whirring of the defroster filled the silence between them. The silence wasn’t welcome, but how could it be avoided? Jacob hadn’t seen Allison much at all since she was a teenager, and back then, he hadn’t given her a second glance to even notice that she existed. She was Mia’s best friend. But now that they were older, adults had conversations that broke up tension. He just had no idea what to talk about. They had gone from years of not seeing each other in passing and not talking to suddenly being thrown into a situation that required both of them to work together. In a blink, they were alone in the car, and the awkwardness may as well have been a hippo seated on the console between them.

“I’m sorry that it’s been such a rushed reunion,” he said, letting his apology shatter the silence. He may have startled her out of her thoughts since her eyes had been searching the scenery. She turned her head to glance at him before uttering a small, “Hmm?”

“I didn’t really say as much as a ‘hello’ to you.” That wasn’t like him. He always treated everyone he met with respect. Knowing Allison from his high school years didn’t change that. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.” Allison’s sincerity made up for the lack of eye contact she had with him. Jacob’s eyes were fixed on the road. Allison’s voice ricocheted off the window, as her focus remained outside.

Allison studied every blade of grass that blew by Jacob’s car. Even at a slower speed, she felt it was too fast, but they couldn’t go much slower and still be at a legal speed limit, so she took what she got. She wasn’t just waiting for Mia to appear out of the fog; she also swept the area with her keen observation for any other clues. Maybe a shoe beside the highway. Some dirt that looked disturbed. Signs of an accident, maybe?

How kind it was of Jacob to realize that the reunion had been abrupt. But she didn’t hold it against him. After all, she was just as abrupt. Her best friend had disappeared into the night, so she understood the gravity of the situation.

“Still,” Jacob’s voice drew her out, “it’s been a while since we’ve spoken. How have you been?”

His voice sounded heavy. Even with all of this, he was asking how she was? “I’ve been good.” Good? What more could she say? She had a good job. And a good friend, even though her good friend happened to be absent for the moment. “What about you?”

She let her gaze drift away for a moment just to survey his expression. The light didn’t spark in his eyes as his nod carried his finely chiseled jaw tilted downward. “I’ve been fine. Just closed another big deal, right before all of this happened.”

“Well, that’s wonderful.” Allison bubbled. And at that moment, she ran out of anything else to say. She could ask if he had someone in his life, but that seemed too forward and a question that she found herself hesitant to ask. She wasn’t sure why, but the answer frightened her a bit. If she knew he had a girlfriend, it would make riding alone with him that much more awkward. Even though Mia had told her he was single, that didn’t mean he didn’t have someone in his corner. Allison’s knowledge of real estate could fit into a thimble, and even then, it was usually case related. Ownership, lands, that sort of thing. “I confess…” Might as well be honest. “I’m not very good at small talk.”

“Neither am I.” Jacob eased into the brakes as the Mercedes glided around a curve. “I’m sure it doesn’t help that both of us are really focused on one thing right now.”

Mia. Of course. They could small talk their way into next week, but it would never remove the fact that pressed into them like the fog. Mia was gone. And while they were doing everything they could, the mutual knowledge settled between them that any effort they put forth was little more than shooting a BB pellet at a tyrannosaurus. And that’s what killed her the most. There had to be something they could do.

“How has my sister been?” Jacob’s voice oozed with fondness, even if it was just Mia’s memory sitting there beside him. “I’ve been so caught up in work that I haven’t been afforded any time to visit her.”

There. Allison was more than happy to talk about her friend. That was more than small talk. It was something she could dive into like an essay. “Mia is so full of life. Even now, as we’re both adults, she never really lost that youthful innocence, you know? You’d think after doing a true crime podcast, that love of life would be dimmed. But not with Mia. I am so blessed that I got to spend good time with her. Most people can’t say that about their friends from high school. But not us, and I’m grateful. We’d go out for coffee sometimes, and I even appear on her podcast once a week… when I can.”

“So I heard.” Jacob cast her a glance out of the corner of his eyes. “The drive was a two-hour monotony, so I filled it with bingeing her podcast. You both are still two peas in a pod. Or rather, two peas in a pod cast. I’ve never heard that term so applicable before.”

His voice danced an Irish jig in her ears. He had found humor and sprinkled it into an otherwise bleak situation. How did he do that? It tickled a laugh from her. “Well, that’s one way to put it. Even if it was a terrible pun.”

“Hey,” Jacob’s shoulder rose as he shrugged, “you have to admit it was fitting. Never discredit the power of a pun.”

“So, you’re a humor guy.” Always had been. She remembered that from his teen years. He could level her with that sense of humor that choked the solemnity out of almost any situation, but looking back, Allison wasn’t sure if it was because she had such a major crush on him or if he was actually funny. When you’re head over heels for someone, of course, anything they say is going to be hilarious. You have to get them to like you by laughing at all of their jokes, however terrible, right?

“When you can make someone laugh, you have them in the palm of your hand,” Jacob admitted. “It’s one of the pillars that’s helped me build my career. That and I hate being a stick-in-the-mud. You know the type? The guy who is so serious that his mouth has frown lines by the time he’s twenty-eight, you make a joke, and he calls you unprofessional?”

“Ugh, yes.” Allison rolled her eyes. “Thankfully the law firm I work at is filled with people who can have a good time and still get their work done. When you spend a good ninety percent of your life with your career, you need to be able to find joy in it.”

His silence sang a song of desire. Could it be that he wasn’t content in his life? When he spoke, his voice had lowered into something that bore too much thoughtfulness. “I hope you’ve found that joy in what you do for a living?” he asked.

“I have.” It was no lie. Allison had bad days, of course, but there was nothing more fulfilling than working a case and triumphing in the end from day to day. “There is nothing more fulfilling than putting in the effort to defend someone, gathering the evidence against them, using your knowledge of the law as a sword to defend those who can’t defend themselves.” A smile teased the corners of her mouth.

“Oh, really?” Jacob’s voice drew her out, challenging her. “Ah, just wait until you build your first skyscraper. Now that is fulfillment if I ever saw it.”

Allison relinquished a small laugh that shattered the tension in the car. “Sure, Jacob. I can imagine that that’s exactly what I need for my life.”

The patches of fog were beginning to withdraw, cowering under the sunlight. It should be easier to spot Mia if she was out here. But the growing doubt in Allison’s heart told her that they were wasting their time driving around looking for her. She was going to suggest a different approach, but first, she had to know. “What about you?”

“I love what I do.” His statement came without hesitation. “But my world is very different than yours. I doubt either you or Mia would find fulfillment in it.”

It didn’t take Allison’s sharp eye to catch that their worlds were not only different but that their worlds were also different planets in different solar systems. It wasn’t just the clothing. Allison had chosen a warm vest to protect her from the chill, a grey sweater to match the fog in case she needed to do some hiking, and a pair of blue jeans to stretch down to her tennis shoes. Jacob somehow had managed a two-hour drive without boasting so much as a wrinkle on his dress shirt. It was navy blue to compliment those sharp features of his, and it was paired with designer pants and a pair of polished shoes that would disintegrate at the thought of traipsing through mud. This was probably the lesser of the elite wardrobe, so he had probably chosen it as a last resort. The way he carried himself exuded power. Allison curled her back against the seat, but Jacob’s stature indicated that he carried great balance on his shoulders. One shoulder sag, one wrong tilt of the head, and the fractional slip would cost him whatever deal he was chasing. He had probably been like that so long that he didn’t know how to relax his posture. For him, this was relaxed.

It was amazing how a handful of years, a bank full of money, and a job that ran with people who judged you for any little misstep could ingrain itself into one’s DNA and transform them into a completely different person. But it had not robbed him of his smile. His posture, his clothing, even his hairstyle had changed, but his smile still sparkled with life. Maybe he did find meaning in his career after all. But he was right. She never would fit in with his world. Allison put on a mask when she entered the courtroom or sat with a client as the police questioned them. She could not imagine carrying that same mask around with her from morning to evening and every hour in between. Who was the man underneath that mask? Who was the genuine person behind that slightly egotistical smile? How heavy was that facial expression that knew no defeat?

She only hoped that this wouldn’t be his first defeat.

“I don’t think I could do it.” Allison waved her hand through the air. “I’m far too clumsy. I feel like that would be quite unacceptable during a meeting.”

“You would be surprised.” Jacob slowed for another curve. “I’m delighted to hear that you are still finding joy in your passion and are still hard at it. I’ve known too many people who have traded their dreams for their so-called reality.”

“There’s no reason that a person can’t make their dreams a reality,” Allison pointed out. “Mia did. I don’t know how she did it, but she manages to run that podcast and still work her part-time job with a smile on her face… which is why she has to be okay.”

Allison was right. Mia had to be okay.

“We’re out of Juniper Springs now.” Jacob switched the tracks of their conversation, having found the introduction suitable enough. Just enough to brush a thin powder onto the surface before diving into the real reason they were together. “You know Mia better than I admit to knowing her. Where would she go if she thought someone was after her?”

“I don’t know.” Allison’s voice plastered to the window. “That’s the thing. As many scenarios that she has thrown at me over the years, far-fetched and everything, she never had a plan on where to go if someone was ever after her. She should have, but I guess she never thought it would come to this. She would probably try to contact either her family or me, and she did contact me. But other than that, I don’t know. She would be smart.” The decision in Allison’s voice pinpointed the obvious. “She would use cash only—wouldn’t want her credit card to get pinged—make it impossible to find her. Which is good for her, if someone is after her, but bad for us.”

Jacob eased his Mercedes to the side of the road, casting a glance over his shoulder. The lack of oncoming traffic assured him that it was safe to turn back onto the road, rolling back into town. “She was heading north,” he pointed out. “So, she was heading away from everyone. From me, from you, from our parents down in Florida. Why would she go north?”

“Probably because the stalker would suspect her coming to one of us for help,” Allison offered, shrugging one shoulder. “She’s very smart, Jacob. I’m sure that she’s already worked her way out of this. She’ll turn up.”

He admired Allison’s positivity and chose to cling to it for a second. He was a numbers guy. Numbers never told lies, never promised the impossible if they all added up on paper. They were a set-in-stone pathway to achieve one’s goals if the pathway was followed. While positivity often lured someone into a sense of false hope, he wasn’t going to let that happen. But Allison’s confidence restored a sense of consolation to the desert of his anxious mind. He wasn’t sure how she did it, but Allison had managed to keep the light chirp to her voice, not allowing her tone to drag down into the bog of despair. She knew the dangers. She knew there was a very real possibility that Mia was…

No, he couldn’t say it. Mia wasn’t gone for good. Not his dear little sister. And Allison’s reassurance kept that hope in him alive.

When Jacob had first arrived, he had determined to set out alone to scour the area and hike out into the wilderness of Juniper Springs wearing all the hiking gear if he had to. He wasn’t going to allow anyone to go with him, knowing that they would only talk him out of it or drag him down. But the longer Allison occupied the long-empty passenger seat in his car, the more her positive attitude filled the car and he realized he needed her. He would have dragged himself down if he had set out alone, but she had managed to keep his head above water.

“Thank you, Allison.” He needed her to know. Her hair swept around her shoulders as her head swung around to face him. He could read the confusion in her eyes, not knowing what he was thanking her for. Of course. She didn’t spend a minute inside of his beehive for a brain, so she wouldn’t know. “For helping me look for her.”

“She’s my best friend. I wouldn’t have been able to stand around and do nothing. I just wish I could be of more help.”

Jacob gripped the steering wheel, dropping all sense of humor and replacing it with genuine gratitude. “You have more than you know.”

Jacob’s response was like the sting of an electric fence, somehow striking that tender heartstring of hers that still vibrated for him. Each time Allison stole a selfish glance in his direction, her eyes drinking in the handsome man that he had become, she allowed her memory to whisk her back to the breezy teenage years. Jacob had changed, but the charm still winked from his personality, inviting her to crack a smile or puddle at his feet. She didn’t feel that hopelessness that her teenage youth had teased her with. It wasn’t just his looks, she thought. She could care less about the money: he would still be the same Jacob whether he had millions or whether he had hundreds in the bank. Driven. And she liked that. Driven is what was going to help them find Mia. He could have stayed down in Olympia and let the police handle Mia’s disappearance, but he had chosen to leave his millions behind and come down to look for her. He must have loved her more than anything—more than passing material things. It would be easy to fall for him again, so she bit her lip as a reminder to resist. They came from very different worlds, and Allison would respect that. She didn’t need to drag him down to the roots where he sprang from. He had soared beyond that by now.

So, Allison determined to be as driven as he was.

After fruitless minutes of driving around, Jacob aimed his car into the parking lot of the information center again. If only the center could give Allison the information she longed for: Where was her best friend? The glaring truth slapped her with the realization that Mia was missing and hadn’t made contact.

Weariness dragged Allison’s eyelids down, begging her to close them for just a while. Her bones felt dry like desert sand. She unclicked her seat belt, following it back to the B pillar where it rested. “Thanks for driving me around with you. I wish we could have found something.”

Jacob’s eyes reflected that same wish. “So do I. We’ll just have to try a different approach.”

The same thing she wanted. She couldn’t just leave, hoping that their different paths would lead them to the answer. “Here,” she began. Her fingers spread apart the opening in her purse as she dug around for her wallet. If only finding Mia were this easy, she thought, as she withdrew the bling-studded wallet from her purse and snapped it open. Her fingers slid out a business card, and she found herself holding it out to him. “That’s my number. Feel free to call me if anything comes up, maybe if you find something, I don’t know. I’m worried about her.”

Jacob’s nod was the only indication that her worry had struck a nerve. He kept his poker face as his fingers closed around her card. His eyes swept the number as if reading some important text, and he nodded again. “Thank you.” He held it up in acknowledgment. “I’ll shoot you a text to give you my number. Thanks again, Allison. Please, let me know if you hear from her or anything.”

“I will,” she promised. She cracked the door open, a warmer breeze filling the space in the car where she had been, and closed the door. She stood in the parking lot, watching the Mercedes carry Jacob away, and released a sigh into the fresh air. Life could be so cruel, so laughably cruel sometimes. This. This was the reason that brought him back to his hometown after being away for so long, save holidays and such?

“Welcome home, Jacob.” Sarcasm poisoned her words, and she turned, crunching her way over the gravel toward her truck.

Two days too many. It was as if Mia’s disappearance had never happened. Without a peep from the police, Allison decided that she would get the answers herself.

Allison’s car came to rest in the police station parking lot. With a turn of her key, the engine died, leaving the only noise in the early morning air to be her own breathing. She held the steering wheel for a few moments, eyes sweeping the parking lot. The 5:00 a.m. Monday parking lot wasn't usually full, so she hoped this meant that she could get in and speak with Colby Webb before dawn.

She wrapped her jacket around her as she started up the sidewalk, adding some determination to her strides. She was recognized by many of the staff of the station as she walked into a small waiting area. She walked up to the counter, putting on her best smile. “Hello, I’m Allison Miller. May I speak with Officer Colby Webb if he’s here?”

The chairs in the waiting area had seen many a person seated there, so the idea of comfort was a distant memory. Allison was glad when Colby came around the corner minutes later, rather than letting her sit there in the uncomfortable chair long enough for her back to ache. Colby approached her in front of the counter, and she met him halfway. “Good morning,” she managed, mincing some politeness into her tone. She needed to get him on her side; she didn’t want to come across as someone who was bothering him for answers he probably didn’t have. “Looks like a long night.”

“Not as long as it could be.” Gratefulness bounded across his eyes that she would notice. “What can I do for you, Miss Miller?”

She could get straight to the point now. She kept her tone warm, tucking away the desperation for later—during her desperate prayers that Mia would come home, during her moments of breaking down crying when she curled herself into her own bed at night, wishing Mia were safe in her own bed, not somewhere hostile that no one knew about.

Now was not the time to think about it.

Allison swept her hair out of her face and said, “I’m wondering if there are any updates or any news concerning the Mia Davis disappearance?”

The defeat stabbed both of Colby’s eyes as he released a sigh. “There’s not much I can tell you. We found her cell phone in the car, so any hopes of tracking her that way are gone. The K9 search yielded no results, and no one has called to report seeing a girl with her appearance. We have even searched her home but to no avail. No signs of a struggle, just someone who left in a hurry. Unfortunately, as of right now, there’s not much we can do.”

Not much they could do? Allison wanted to scream—to shout. Of course, there was something they could do! But her logical mind reminded her that they were just as helpless as she was in the situation. If Mia had vanished and left no clues as to where she was going or what might have happened to her, then there was simply nothing to follow.

“We’ll be sure to follow any leads we get.” Colby’s voice drew her gaze back up to his. His reassurance was worthless even though it was meant to spark hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. To Allison, it just extinguished that spark. “I’m sorry, Miss Miller.”

“You’re just doing your job.” Like the flight attendant, who had flown her to her almost-vacation, officers also saw the worst side of people and deserved what little gratitude she could give. She nodded, more trying to convince herself than anything else. “Thank you for all you do.”

“I only wish I could do more.” Colby’s empty voice showed that he, too, had broken that facade of professionalism. He deemed the situation hopeless.

But Allison refused to see it that way.

Sometimes when there was no light at the end of a tunnel, you had to whip out your flashlight and make some light. And that is exactly what she intended to do.

With the police station in her wake, she walked back to her car. If Mia had left clues, they were hidden. There were some tire tracks at the scene, weren’t there? If that was all she had to go on, then she was going to see about those tire tracks—and she had Mia’s podcast—two things that pointed to her disappearance… she just had to connect them. Maybe the police could do nothing. But she could. She could poke her head around her best friend’s house. She would know if anything was out of the ordinary. Maybe she’d take Jacob with her. Who knew? Either way, she was never letting this go.

But first, her day job called to her.

Resenting even having to go in when so many other things demanded her attention, Allison chewed on the situation as she drove that familiar route through downtown. The law firm wasn’t too far from the police station—which was normally convenient—but she would have loved an extra minute or two to ponder a new route she could take in this disappearance case. Feeling like she had rehashed it enough times only to come up emptier than how she started, she pulled her car into the law firm’s parking lot and relegated herself to a day at the office. It felt wrong. She should be out doing anything she could to find her best friend, but here she was, working the daily grind.

I’m sorry, Mia.

The weight of the loss hung around her shoulders like chains attached to a boulder as she clip-clopped into the law firm. It was far too early to even be there, but what else could she do? Voices whispered around the corner near where Avery Hart’s office was. So, she was here at this time of the morning? Sounded about right. Her other dear friend never slept either, it seemed.

Allison rounded the corner, slipping her head around the door frame that spilled into Avery’s office. Avery sat in front of her desk, leaning her arm on the oaken surface, and faced her boyfriend. Lance Blair sat close enough to her to let his knees touch hers, her free hand held within his own. When Allison rustled her presence at the door, both sets of eyes turned to look up at her. Avery’s light blue eyes and Lance’s dark, piercing gaze locked onto her, their friendly smiles lit the room.

“Allison!” Avery turned in her chair to face her. “How was the vacation?”

Oh, that’s right. She hadn’t heard. Allison had spent the day yesterday relistening to Mia’s podcast and trying to find leads. She hadn’t even cued her friend and coworker into the situation yet. A sigh deflated her body the rest of the way as her face fell into the melancholy she refused to show in front of certain people. But she could only be strong for so long, and Avery proved a safe place to let out that depression to roam around for a while. “It wound up not happening.”

Avery’s face was struck with a mixture of horror and an attempt to understand why before she asked. “What? Oh, I’m sorry. What happened?”

Lance straightened himself, letting his hand slide from Avery’s. He stood to his feet, gesturing to the chair he had been occupying for her to sit down. Ever the gentlemen, but Allison already hated being the intruder to break up their little get-together before work. She held out a steady hand and shook her head, taking a few steps into the room. “Ah, no, that’s okay. Thank you though.”

Lance nodded, but he didn’t sit back down. Respect deemed it necessary for him to remain standing and soaking in Allison’s story right alongside his girlfriend. Allison directed her focus at Avery. “I landed in the San Jose airport only to get a voicemail from Mia Davis. She said she thought someone was following her.”

Every detail seemed like a movie she had gone to see as she recounted the story. The podcast, the car on the side of the road, Mia disappearing along with the heavy fog that morning. Avery’s eyebrows met her hairline, and her blue eyes widened with an unblinking stare, absorbing every word Allison retold. The story tasted like ash in her mouth as she relived the last few days. She almost felt something like survivor’s guilt but refused to call it that because the thought of Mia being dead was a suggestion she denied the right to exist.

“Oh, my goodness,” Avery gasped. Allison’s heart melted a little. No matter how many cases Avery had taken on as a moonlighting private investigator, she always expressed compassion through her eyes and voice for every new story she heard. This one being personal broke that professional barrier. Avery’s knees straightened, she was on her feet in seconds, and Allison felt herself shielded in Avery’s embrace. These were the seconds that she could let the crack widen in her strong barrier and let herself feel the negative emotions that bombarded her. Determination or not, Mia was still missing, and there was no telling what had happened to her. Avery’s empathy aligned with Allison’s raw emotions, and she stroked her back. “I’m so sorry, Allison.”

Lance took a stride forward, setting a hand on her shoulder before removing it. “That’s terrible.” He acknowledged. “Friend of yours, right?”

Allison sniffed, not wanting her tears to flow but feeling them build up in her eyes nonetheless. “Yes. The best kind.” The question had been the needle to poke the water balloon of her tears, and she let them flow down to soak her face, leaving salty trails through her makeup. “We have been friends since high school.”

Lance’s lips pressed together, and his face said it all: a terrible thing to happen, and I’m more than sorry. He wasn’t a man for words, though, so he nodded to Avery. “I’m going to step out and get us some coffee, give you two a moment to yourselves.”

Avery blinked a grateful expression Lance’s way before he ducked out. “Thank you.”

As soon as Lance left, Avery eased Allison into the chair across from her and snatched the tissues from off of her desk. She pulled one out, dabbed her own eyes, and handed Allison the box. “Listen. I’m going to do everything in my power to help you get her back. The cops can’t do much else, you said?”

The words were torpedoes into Allison’s already wounded heart, and she forced herself to acknowledge their existence by her nod. “Yep.”

“So they’ve said for other cases. And we’ve managed to get those resolved.” Reassurance touched Avery’s lips and she smiled, encouraging Allison to do the same. “I know that you haven’t just accepted the outcome. Have you managed to pick up any clues for me? Other than the podcast episode? Can you forward that voicemail to me? Maybe I can isolate the background and see where she might have been when she called you.”

That would be nice. Allison nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

The tire tracks. They had to mean something. “I couldn’t see them well enough as they were behind the tapeline, but there were some tire tracks behind her car. It looked like they had pulled out and around her car from the shoulder if that makes sense.”

Avery latched on to that. Allison could tell she was already thinking about it by the way her face set into a hard stare. “Okay, okay, good. Sometimes that’s all we need is something small.” The inside of her lip curled into her mouth, teeth sinking into it. “I think Lance and I are due for a little date night tonight.”

Allison blinked her confusion at the abrupt change of subject, and a rather callous one at that. “Um... good for you?”

“I think that while we’re on the way to that fancy restaurant out of town, I’m going to stop by the spot where her car was abandoned and see if I can take a few pictures of the tire tracks… on the way up to that restaurant.” She sent a wink at Allison, asking her to understand.

At once, she did and responded with, “Thanks, Avery. I really appreciate this. Let me know what I can do to help.”

“You have an advantage,” Avery mentioned. “You were her friend, so you know her better than many people. If anyone’s going to track her down, it’ll be you.”

Me and Jacob, Allison thought. Her spirits rose with the sun as it climbed in the morning sky.

Between Avery’s skilled help and Jacob’s problem-solving attitude, Mia wouldn’t stay hidden for long.

They just needed to know what leads to follow next.

Jacob could feel his frustration building to the point of exploding.

He had done everything he knew to do. He had posted her picture on several local social media websites, hoping that someone would recognize those beautiful eyes of ice or her raven hair, maybe the nose ring or her smile, but the endless likes and reactions started to get to him after a while. This wasn’t a post to like and move on. So, he chose to move on himself by printing out posters. Next, he stalked Mia’s social media and got in touch with the people she interacted with on her page. He had even driven past her house, but the discouragement from seeing it empty had weighed him down enough to cause him to retreat back to his hotel, feeling something he hadn’t entertained in a long time.

Defeat.

He had exhausted every effort, but as the sun hovered low in the Monday evening sky, it shed fading beams on the realization that he needed some help. Who else was better to ask than Mia’s best friend? She also held Mia close to her heart and had promised to do some digging in her own time. He hadn’t reached out to her with his number yet, so she had no way of establishing a connection with him if she had found anything. For all he knew, she could have a fresh lead by now.

He reread the number on her business card, checking it twice to make sure he had typed it in correctly before his finger hovered over the call button. Holding the phone to his ear, he counted the rings until a cheery voice answered the other line. “Allison Miller, attorney at law.”

“Hey, Allison, it’s Jacob.” He hunted for words, wondering if he had intruded on her while she was in the middle of something. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”

“No, no, not at all!” The hope that pitched her voice high drove a dagger through his heart. She probably thought that he had found something, but he hated to dash those hopes. “Do you have any updates for me?”

“The well is dry.” His own words corroded like acid on his tongue. “I was wondering the same about you?”

“I spoke with my friend at the law office today. She’s a private investigator on the side, and she is going to look into the tire tracks found at the scene.”

Well, at least she had more than he did. If nothing, it showed her tenacity. “Okay.”

“Are you okay?”

Her unexpected question drew his attention. They were talking about Mia, not him. She shouldn’t be worried about him. “I just wish that I could do more. I’m going to stay in town a few more days.” He looked around the hotel room. It wasn’t something he was accustomed to. Room service had consisted of a woman who didn’t speak his language cleaning the room and taking out the trash. The carpet could use a replacement as it boasted sun-faded ring designs on the floor. The curtains probably hadn’t been dusted since 1930, which is probably what era they were from, and the bed felt like lumps of clay compared to the soft mattresses he was accustomed to. He hadn’t slept in a two-star hotel in so long, he had forgotten what it was like to wake up in the morning feeling like a train ran over you all night.

“Oh, that’s great. Hey, listen. Are you busy tonight?”

He should be. He had been emailing back and forth with his foremen on several projects all day, but he needed the time off to focus on his sister. “I can be free, why?”

“How about this? We’ve both had a weekend to think about this. There’s a little pizzeria downtown. Why don’t we meet there—say, around seven or so—and we can put our heads together over this case? Between the two of us, we might be able to come up with something!”

Her offer seized him and stole the words from the tip of his tongue. Pizza? Why did the thought feel so foreign to him? In his world, no one invited him out for pizza. Any business dealings discussed over a plate of food took place over caviar, sushi, Italian, just not American-Italian. He wasn’t sure the last time he’d even had a slice of pizza that wasn’t from one of those fancy places that boasted the best pie in town. While he couldn’t remember the last time he had been invited for pizza, Allison had managed to slip him the invitation without a second thought… like it was normal for her to invite people to the local pizzeria that probably smelled like oil and grease. Because, well, for her it was normal.

Maybe it would be a nice break.

“Sure. Let’s do it.” He could at least pay for her slice as a thank-you for helping out with this case. Once again, her cheerful voice uplifted his downcast spirit, and he wondered how she managed to stay so peppy when her world seemed empty at the moment. He needed her help… and more than just for his spirits to be lifted.

“I’ll be there.”

Jacob hadn’t felt so out of place since his first years in the industry. No one seemed to notice him as he walked into the pizzeria, the only one dressed in a dress shirt and pants, perfect hair combed back. The restaurant itself boasted the small-town feel that Juniper Springs was known for. Pictures of high school football teams from the local high school lined the walls along with other photos of the cheerleading team and the car show from the festival last year. It was like stepping through a time machine back to his high school years before he had headed off to college. The rectangle-shaped building lined its southern wall with booths and thin tables stained with grease and permanent markers from years of guests. The north wall was home to a large bar counter that ran the length of the restaurant, where two young waitresses were bouncing to and fro, hair done up with hair nets and ball caps, aprons displaying the name of the pizzeria. “The Pizza House” was the oh-so-creative name that they came up with for their little shop. While it would probably do nothing to stand out in a big city, it seemed to do a good job at being the only place in town to get pizza and therefore was very lucrative.

Jacob’s eyes settled on Allison, facing the door as she eagerly laid claim to the booth, waiting for his arrival. The light of recognition lit her face, and she waved him over with a welcoming smile. Jacob nodded to the waitress who approached him, asking how many were in his party. “I’m meeting with her, actually.” He nodded to Allison and began to head in her direction.

The waitress’s face beamed crimson, and her jaw dropped a little bit. “O-okay, sir, go right ahead.”

He got the same reaction from many different places and had chosen to ignore it. He knew that the word about his presence in the pizzeria would spread like the grease they used to cook the dough, but he wouldn’t let it deter him from the reason he was there. Jacob slid into the smooth seat across from Allison, noting how uncomfortable a booth could be with no cushioning. He usually preferred a table himself, but since she had gotten there first, that gave her the right to pick the table. This would do. Jacob wouldn’t inconvenience her by asking for a different table.

“I got off of work, so I came here a little early,” Allison explained, then grabbed her menu. “Are you holding up okay?”

Jacob fought with the warmth that spread through him that despite everything, she asked about his well-being. He reminded himself that this wasn’t about him; it was about Mia who was not okay, wherever she was. “I’ve been okay… more worried about Mia than how I’m doing.”

“I can imagine. I’m the same way.” Allison glanced at her menu for a moment, her shoulders stiff like she was uncomfortable. Maybe being in such a couple’s setting made her feel like this was more of a date, but Jacob wasn’t going to treat it that way. He’d attended so many business dinners before that he knew the difference between a date and a meeting. This certainly wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

Before she could get a word out, the blushing waitress graced their table, the pen trembling back and forth in her hand as it poised over the notepad. “What can I get started for you guys to drink?”

“I’ll take a water, please,” Jacob kept his voice smooth and nearly laughed at how the sound of it added even more color to her cheeks if that were possible.

“And for you, ma’am?”

“A Diet Pepsi for me, please.” Allison grinned across the table at Jacob. “Do you need a moment to look over the pizzas?”

“Uh…” Yeah, he did. They all looked good, and this was probably his one chance to eat at a small pizzeria for a while. “Please.”

Once the double doors swooped closed behind the waitress, Allison aimed a charming laugh across the table at him. “You seem to have quite an effect on her.”

“I can see that,” Jacob chuckled, shaking his head.

“That’s probably not the first girl to stumble over herself while interacting with you.” Allison launched a cute stare at him before tilting her menu up to hide those playful eyes.

Jacob shook his head, mouth creased in a smile with suppressed laughter. “Never ends.”

After a few minutes, Jacob finally decided on the supreme pizza to split between himself and Allison. It had been a while since he’d had pizza, so the variety of toppings sounded most appealing to him. After the menus were cleared away, he folded his arms and leaned into them on the table. He locked Allison into a gaze.

“I’m not going to deny that I need your help, Allison. You are my sister’s best friend. You know her better than anyone—better than I care to admit. If anyone can locate her, it would be you. What do you know about her?” He sat back in the booth, trying to find some support somewhere for his back. “What I really want to ask is, will you help me? I’m not leaving here until I’ve done everything I can to try to find my sister.”

“Of course, I will.” Allison’s statement barreled from her mouth without a second thought or hesitation. She leaned into him, also putting her weight onto her elbows and studied him. “What do you need me to do?”

It was a good question and one that he was asking himself over and over again. “I need you to help me find out who would want to do this to Mia… which proves to be a problem, seeing as how she has that podcast that has probably put her on the hate list of a lot of people.”

“Well, then the podcast is where we start.”

Allison and Jacob cleared part of the table for the waitress to set the pizza down between them. The aroma that drifted off of the delicious pizza awakened Jacob to the appetite he hadn’t realized was lurking. “Here you go.” The waitress took her time in setting a plastic plate in front of Jacob while tossing Allison’s in front of her. “Can I get you anything else?” she asked, looking straight at Jacob.

Allison and Jacob locked gazes. Allison’s eyes held back suppressed laughter as did her lips. “Not for me. This looks great.”

“More water?” The waitress directed her question at Jacob.

He held up his glass. “No, I think I’m good.”

The glass disappeared from his hand into the waitress’s hand, and the only thing she left behind was a smile that boasted of an overeager desire to please. “I’ll be right back!”

Jacob watched in utter amazement. “Why ask…” his voice trailed off, “if you’re going to assume the answer anyway?”

Allison let her giggle escape as she grabbed a pizza slice. “Guess you’ll be getting more water after all.”

“I guess to her, the glass was half empty. I don’t know.” Jacob sent a charming smile across the table and watched Allison struggle to get her piece of pizza without dragging half of the cheese with her. It must have just come out of the oven from the way the blanket of mozzarella smothered the top, not wanting to rip apart. “I’ve always been a glass-half-full kind of guy.”

“I just say that there’s water in the glass. Why get caught up in the small things?” Allison managed to get her pizza slice onto her plate, but not before dropping a bit of Italian sausage on the table. Of course, it didn’t manage to stay on the table, rolling off and spreading its marinara sauce right onto Allison’s lap.

She looked up at Jacob in amused defeat, and he couldn’t conceal his smile. “See what I mean? Clumsy!” she exclaimed, looking embarrassed.

“Now you sound just like the waitress.” Jacob handed her a napkin, chuckling. “Negative thinking.”

“It’s not negative; it’s the truth!” Allison accepted the napkin he held out to her. “Thank you.”

The waitress returned with the water, oblivious to the fifteen seconds of chaos from Allison’s actions. “Here you go.” She settled the water in front of Jacob. “Anything else?”

“No, that’s it. Thank you.” Jacob made sure he got the sentence out this time but aimed a polite smile up at the waitress.

Her footsteps lingered as if she wanted to loiter, but she had other tables to attend to that beckoned her. “Great. Enjoy, guys.”

For once, Jacob mused to himself, it would be nice to not have someone bending over backward for him—to just be left alone with Allison and his slice of pizza without someone begging to attend to his every wish. And it wasn’t just the pesky little waitress whose crush had developed into a mountain range of feelings either.

He crinkled his forehead to raise a teasing eye at Allison. “So, can we eat now, or do you want to continue to feed the table?” The tone of his voice danced like light on the tips of the water, inviting her to laugh a little.

She accepted his invitation with a pouty glare. “You better hush now.”

“Or you’ll do what?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Allison finished dabbing at the sauce on her lap, giving a sigh of defeat. “But in the meantime, yes! Let’s eat! I’m starving!”

His eyes grazed the room for a moment, and he reflected on something his sister had suggested before he left for college: always be aware of your surroundings. Had she been aware of her own surroundings, and that’s what led her here?

Another couple sat a few tables down, more interested in whatever was entertaining them on their little rectangular screens than each other’s company. Jacob felt the weight of their relationship on his shoulders as if it were his own. If this was their idea of quality time, then they weren’t headed for a blossoming relationship. The bell above the door chimed, announcing the arrival of a mother with her three children. The poor woman looked like she had run a marathon, and not because of her yoga pants or baggy sweatshirt. She had the face of someone who ran all the time and never stopped running. What was she running from? Toward?

The flirty waitress greeted her with less enthusiasm than she had Jacob and picked up some menus. She chose to seat them two tables down from Jacob behind Allison… probably another excuse to walk past him, he thought. He chose to ignore her as she strutted by again.

Two slices and a light conversation in, Allison kicked herself for being so clumsy. If something like this were to happen, then of course it would happen to her. But Jacob had picked it up and run with it, somehow causing her to laugh at her mistake. She wasn’t sure if it was the cute, boyish grin that he tossed so casually to her or that she was looking for anything to lighten the real reason why they were there.

She decided she would be the one to bring up the case. They had put it on hold since their dinner had arrived, but she couldn’t let it smolder anymore.

“Here’s what I think.” Allison loved the way that Jacob’s eyes latched on to hers, catching every sentence. She could tell by the way his face locked on to hers that he treated this like a regular meeting, taking the pieces she tossed out onto the table and linking them together until something worked. Maybe he could somehow do the same in this situation. Did he have those skills outside of the real estate world? He had to. The man exuded intelligence just by the look in his eyes.

“There is always a who, a motive, and an opportunity involved,” she continued. “Sometimes crimes can be random—wrong place, wrong time—but it sounds like Mia’s situation was somehow premeditated. She knew that someone was following her. We just don’t know who. If we don’t know the who, we usually start with opportunity or motive. And Mia had a true crime podcast, so any one of the people she podcasted about could have motive to do this.”

“That is where my mind went when Officer Colby questioned me about whether anyone would want to hurt Mia. I can’t think of anyone except one of the people she talked about on the podcast.”

“Well, then, we start there.” Allison put her hand on the table as a final note, spreading her fingers and watching how she pressed a purple color into her fingernails. Funny how the little details snagged someone’s attention when a bigger problem was lurking nearby. “I would suggest that we start with her more recent ones and comb our way back.”

“So, we listen to her podcasts.” Jacob’s expression told her he wasn’t seeing Allison and the pizzeria anymore; he was seeing solutions in his head, connecting the dots, determining a pathway. “I can make a list of people she’s mentioned, but what then?”

“Well,” Allison bit the inside of her lip just like her friend Avery did whenever she was thinking. Maybe it would help somehow. “I work with a woman who does private investigating on the side. She is going to look into those tire tracks for me. Maybe the tread will match one of the vehicles of the people mentioned?”

“That’s a start.” Jacob’s eyes actually lit up. Allison saw the change, as if a flame burned there, a satisfaction that they had actually come up with a suggestion, a trail to follow. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Allison tilted her head to the side, smiling cutely back at him. “What?”

“I’m just…” Jacob set himself to reply, but his eyes drifted over Allison’s shoulder, zooming in on the customers who had seated themselves behind Allison.

“What?” Whatever had drawn his focus seemed important. She turned her shoulders, tipping her head to allow the sound to bounce off the table and into her ears.

“Did it say why it was declined?” She heard a desperate female voice.

The voice matched their waitress’s. “Nope. Never does. You probably just don’t have enough money on it.”

A sigh. “Can you run it again?”

“I did.” The impatience that soaked into the waitress’s tone made Allison bristle. She wanted to look and see what was happening, but she didn’t want to embarrass the woman whose card had been declined. She’d been there once in high school, and it was so embarrassing.

She turned back to Jacob, lowering her voice to hover beneath the discussion behind them. “Card got declined?”

Jacob’s nod confirmed that he’d heard her, but his eyes never left the table.

“Waitress sure isn’t being very nice.” Allison glanced down at the half-eaten pizza occupying space at their table. “It’s not her fault.”

“Single mom with three kids,” Jacob muttered. “What if she were in that situation? She would feel the same way.”

His arms pushed himself out of the booth and away from the table. What? Was he going over there to get in the waitress’s face?

No. He went to the counter. Probably to get the waitress’s manager and report her impatient behavior.

Allison glanced behind her, daring to toss a look over her shoulder. A mother sat with her three children, empty water glasses and remnants of a destroyed pizza between them. They must have been hungry. Trembling hands reached up, rubbing her face. “What am I going to do? My husband’s in the hospital today… I thought I had enough to pay for dinner for me and the kids.”

“Is there anyone you can call?” The waitress’s dry voice grated on Allison’s compassion.

The woman shook her head. “No.”

“Well, let me get my manager. You don’t have any other way to pay for the pizza you ordered?”

“We’re barely surviving,” the woman sighed. “All of our funds are going to medical bills and trying to keep the house. He’s a logger, and he got hurt a while back… hasn’t been the same since.”

Allison’s heart bled tears for the poor woman. She reached for her purse. She didn’t want to embarrass the woman by intervening, but it would probably save her from future embarrassment if she covered their bill...

Jacob strode past her, receipt in hand. Allison’s gaze snapped to him, wondering why he was approaching the table alone.

The waitress, of course, gave Jacob her full attention as he strode up to her. Her cheeks melted into scarlet again. “I’m sorry—I’ll be right with you!”

“I’m actually here,” Jacob held a receipt out to her, “to tell you that the pizza and drinks are paid for.”

The waitress snatched the receipt out of Jacob’s steady hand and read over it. “You... you…”

Allison’s emotion caught in her throat. Jacob’s kindness must have hit a nerve with the mother as she burst into tears. “I promise I’ll pay you back. Just give me your number, and I’ll message you when I can pay you! I’m sorry—I thought I had more on the card…”

It was amazing how a single swoop of Jacob’s hand combined with the shake of his head had the power to cause her silence. His commanding nature offered a softer edge but a flat determination to get his way. Which, in this case, was to offer kindness that probably didn’t mean anything to him but possibly meant the world to the woman and her children. “I’m not worried about it. You just take care of those little ones.”

He left them with those words, his tone warm and his final words the gavel that ended the conversation. The waitress stared at him, mouth open and speechless, but Jacob didn’t give anyone a second glance—not even Allison as he scooted across from her again. His kindness blew her away. Allison had known too many men who had climbed high on the corporate ladder only to forget the struggling third-class members underneath them. But Jacob hadn’t let it go to his head. He might have an ego—understandable for all he had accomplished—but he didn’t let it get in the way of his treating other human beings with kindness.

“I’ve got ours already.” He nodded to the pizza. “Do you want to take the rest home?”

He didn’t even ask for accolades. His good-heartedness impressed her. She stuttered, “Uh, well, I was going to contribute, but you beat me to it.” She added a smile between words to let him know she was teasing. “Why don’t you take it?”

“I really don’t want that big to-go box sitting in my mini fridge at the hotel.” Jacob pushed it toward her. “Besides. There are plenty of toppings left for you to drop on the floor if you were to get bored and need something to do.”

Ah, so now he was pushing his luck. Allison dropped the admiration from her eyes and replaced it with a playful glare. “You had better be careful, or I’ll wind up throwing the rest at you!”

Jacob held up his hands in mock surrender. “Oh, no. Whatever shall I do?”

Allison laughed. “Okay. I’ve got a little time tonight. Do you want to go over a few podcast suspects while we have some time so we can start fresh tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Jacob checked his watch. “You had mentioned you have a key to Mia’s house. Maybe we can go there, see if anything seems out of the ordinary, and listen to her podcast for as long as we can?”

Going to Mia’s house alone with Jacob set off some alarms in Allison’s head, but she knew deep within her that Jacob wasn’t the type to take advantage of a situation like that. It probably hadn’t even crossed his mind. Besides, it was Mia’s house. It was the best place to carry out their sleuthing—the best place to get inside her head. “Sure. Great idea. I’ll meet you there.”

Jacob hadn’t been threatened in a minute.

Even though it had been in jest, involving a pizza of all things, he replayed it like a reel in his head again and again, and each time it ignited a chuckle from him. He could still see Allison, her dimples enunciated by her glare as she made a throwing motion toward him. The way her laughter came so easy… the way she had jumped so quickly to say “yes” when he asked for her help… none of that had changed about her. He remembered how she used to be so apt to say yes to any project. It was a wonder she didn’t work in a homeless shelter.

Jacob pulled his car into the hotel parking lot, feeling her absence, and wondering why the sparkling light of their conversation had somehow dimmed with it. It took him a minute to realize that this was the most relaxed he had been in years… in an imperfect little downtown pizzeria, of all places, imperfections were welcomed as was easy laughter with Allison. Her personality had been a stark contrast to that of the waitress, fumbling over her words, going out of her way to get him to notice her. Allison just didn’t care. She didn’t even care about the money. She just wanted two things: to help him smile and to help him find Mia. Jacob wasn’t used to that.

He didn’t exactly know what to do with this girl who wasn’t bending over backward for him… other than find it extremely refreshing.

“Don’t you just love spontaneous date nights?”

Avery’s fingers laced through her hair. Her elbow pressed against Lance’s passenger side window, warming the chill of the outside air with her flesh. She favored this position so she could angle herself in the car to watch Lance drive. It wasn’t often that she could steal these moments away with him and actually let the evening whisk them away to somewhere outside of their quaint little town. Avery loved Juniper Springs, but she also had an insatiable appetite for adventure, and this was the perfect chance to taste it.

Lance’s handsome frame occupied the driver’s seat. Avery took a few minutes to admire him. It had almost been a year since they had made the commitment to date; she didn’t want the romance to die, so she allowed herself to drink him in every day. Tonight it was easy. Lance’s dark features stood out against the gray button-down he had chosen for the evening. Despite the old wound in his leg that kept him from running very far, Lance tried to keep fit, and it showed in the ripples under his shirt. His face wasn’t accustomed to smiles so much as it was heavy concentration and taking things seriously. But whenever they were together, he let the beam of his delight in her company show by the smile on his lips and twinkle in his eyes.

“This was your idea.”

“I know it was,” Avery replied sweetly.

“And technically you’re still working.”

“Technically,” Avery drew a half-moon with her finger pointing toward Lance. “It’s on the way.”

“Funny you should pick this restaurant,” Lance cracked a knowing look at her out of the corner of his eye, “just happens to be on the way to your new crime scene.”

“You mean this one?” Avery glanced down at her GPS, zoning in on the line that led to the side of the road. Allison had texted her perfect coordinates, and it was a good place to pull over.

Lance eased his car to the side of the road, leaving the heater humming on low to keep it warm for her. Avery grabbed her camera in one hand and slipped her other one into Lance’s and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”

She heaved herself over the console, laying a kiss on his waiting lips before launching herself from the passenger seat. The scene still carried a lingering haunt to it despite Mia’s car being towed off. Avery walked along the white line, eyes scanning the ground of the road’s shoulder.

There it was. Her tire tracks were still there!

She snapped some of the tow truck’s tracks and Mia’s tracks but then noticed the ones that Allison was talking about—the ones that had been preserved by the ground as it hardened under October’s promise of fall in the air. The trees around her, dressed in color, from a withered green to vibrant oranges and reds, released their leaves, letting them drift to the ground to sweep over the tracks. The tracks weren’t gone, nor were they fresh, but they were still there.

Avery clicked several photographs into her camera, making sure she took enough. She didn’t want to have to go back there. The tracks wouldn’t be there forever, and work was piling up on her desk, threatening to keep her busy and away from outside adventures for a while. But she was willing to do it… for Allison and for poor Mia.

Some dog tracks lined the shoulder along with some other footprints probably left by the police, so any tracks Mia might have left would have been pressed out underneath the new ones as the search party attempted to find her. But if the dogs couldn’t find her and no footprints were recovered from her, then the likely explanation was that Mia had gotten into the vehicle that left the tire tracks behind her car.

Avery had helped herself to some of the crime scene photos. Being friends with Chief Scott Simmons of the Juniper Springs Police Department had gotten her some brownie points and sneak peeks into some of their evidence photos. The thing that kept striking a nerve with Avery was that there had been no signs of a struggle. No shattered sprinkles of glass, no torn seat belts, no front seat in disarray. It was almost like Mia had evaporated. The car had still been running, so if she had gotten into her abductor’s car, it must have been someone she trusted.

Avery drank in the scene until she, too, felt the cold desperation sinking in that Allison must have felt. There really wasn’t much to go on except for the tire tracks. Whatever had happened to Mia lay within the tire tracks found at the scene.

She slid her way into the car next to Lance and slammed her door against the growing twilight. “Brrr.” She reached over, jerking the knob to blast herself with heat.

“Find anything?”

“Just the tire tracks.” Avery nodded to the road. “But they’re talking to me.”

“Oh, they are, are they?” Lance let his amusement leak into his voice as he cast a glance over his shoulder, rolling back onto the road. “What exactly were the inanimate prints telling you?”

“They’re not inanimate; they’re very much alive,” she replied intensely. Avery knew it wasn’t a good idea to be saying these things to a doctor, but Lance knew her well enough to know she wasn’t serious. Entirely. “Whoever those tracks belong to, it was someone Mia knew and trusted. Think about it. The girl was paranoid. She sent a podcast and a voicemail to her best friend saying that she felt someone was after her. Following her. She wouldn’t have pulled over for anyone, she wouldn’t have gotten into the car with anyone unless it was someone who had her complete trust. I wonder if maybe she’s trying to outsmart her stalker.”

“How would she do that?” Lance pressed his gas pedal, shooting down the road at a decent speed. His voice didn’t match the speed, indicating he was willing to take all the time needed to listen. He was good about that. A man of few words, he let her vent whatever she needed to him.

“Well, think about it. She’s a crime podcaster. What if she wasn’t abducted at all? What if she called someone to meet her by the side of the road and pick her up and hide her under the radar for a while? Maybe she left her car running to throw us off and make us think she was abducted?”

“That’s pretty smart,” Lance admitted. “But who would she trust more than Allison? Seems like she would have let Allison know the plan by now.”

Avery pressed the back of her head into the seat, hoping it didn’t add unnecessary friction to her perfectly brushed blond hair. And at the same time, not caring if it did. “You’re right. I just hate the thought that she might have been abducted. But, again, it would have to be by someone she knew. There were no signs of a struggle. And she wouldn’t have willingly gotten out of her car and into someone else’s from her podcast. Think about it! Mia’s smart. She would have been buckled in and driven off.”

“Well, maybe you should ask Allison if she had any other friends. Maybe a boyfriend she didn’t know about?” Lance shrugged, pulling his steering wheel to round the curve and keep his truck between the lines.

Avery chewed on this for a while but then realized she was doing it again. Boyfriend. With the local clinic operating smoothly in Lance’s capable hands and her two jobs that ate up most of her time, she and Lance had made a pact to not discuss anything work related when they were on dates unless absolutely necessary. She had broken that pact this time and turned her head to face Lance from her seat. “I’m sorry. I’m getting caught up in work again.”

“It’s personal this time.” Lance’s voice was laden with understanding. “I get it.”

“Seems like the last few big cases have been personal!” Avery listed them off from memory. “Your cousin’s girlfriend. Your mother. My friend’s friend.” Her chest inflated with a sigh.

“We just attract chaos.” Lance’s joke reflected on the true fact that she and Lance were the refrigerator that attracted the magnets of misfortune, usually resulting in pandemonium that endangered someone at some point. Avery hoped they could put this case to bed quickly and find that Mia was really just putting herself into clever protective custody.

“So, the holidays are coming up.” Avery determined to change the subject. “It’ll be our second Christmas together.”

“It’s amazing how time flies.” Lance shook his head in wonder.

“What’s our plan for this year?” She loved making plans with him. They were practically one unit now: wherever he went, she was sure to be there plastered to his side.

“Sidnie is going to want to have the Christmas family get-together at her house this year.” Lance glanced in his mirror, then let his eyes drift back to the road. “Last year at Mom’s house was kind of a tribute to her, so this year, it’s Sidnie’s turn to host.”

“That sounds chaotic.” Avery could only imagine. Lance’s sister was the extra one, always going above and beyond, usually running around like a chicken without a head and stressed to the max. But she always seemed to wear a shimmering smile on her face. It was good to see it coming back after losing her mother last year. The first year was always the hardest. Hopefully this year would be a little better.

Avery listened to the tires rolling over the asphalt and let her mind do the same. While working Lance’s mother’s case last year, she uncovered a journal that Mariann had written. The journal had detailed her desire to enjoy life by going all out with Christmas and fall decorations. Her life had been extinguished by the employee who felt that opioids were more important to steal than letting her live to tell about it.

“Have you read in your mother’s journal that part where she talked about going all out for the holidays?”

Lance’s voice contained the thickness of the air that surrounded them outside: heavy with moisture, promise of oncoming rain. “I have.”

Avery set her gaze directly ahead, watching with almost hypnotic delight as the dotted lines shot one after another under the fender of Lance’s truck, painting the road safe to pass for a distance before melting into solid again. “Maybe we should do that in her honor this year.” She wasn’t sure if she should bring it up, but she wanted to. It was something they could all do for Mariann. She dared to aim a look at Lance again. “Fill the Juniper Springs Clinic with all kinds of decorations to commemorate the holiday.” And in Mariann’s honor.

Lance’s jaw tightened, but not in anger. Avery knew him well enough to know when his jaw was clenching in rage or suppressing emotion. When he spoke, his voice surprised her by how smooth it was.

“I was thinking that same thing. Let’s get together with Ryan, Carrie, and my sister this year and blow the clinic up. Only, not for real this time.” He allowed a chuckle, not wanting to dwell on the fact that the new clinic was a result of Mariann’s killer blowing up the old one with Avery inside. “With Christmas cheer and all of that hocus-pocus.”

Of course, he let his cynicism leak into his words, but Avery allowed a laugh. The idea of doing a decorating party with his cousin and sister promised a dawn of healing for the Blair family. “I think that would be fun. Let’s do it sooner rather than later.”

Being inside Mia’s house carried a burden of emptiness that Allison should have expected. She felt certain Jacob felt it too; the way they had both stopped in the entryway hinted at it. Mia’s scent lingered in the empty air, her absence from the house filling it like thick smoke. It was amazing how the feel of both one’s absence and presence could be felt so strongly.

Allison didn’t let her thoughts linger. She was here because she wanted to replace that absence with Mia’s smiling face again. They weren’t going to do that by standing here.

She leaned against the wall, perking up her smile for the sake of Jacob, who had to be feeling the raw hurt of Mia’s disappearance more than she did. She was a part of him, his family. “You okay?”

The only indication that he was bothered with being there reflected in the azure windows to his soul. He didn’t blink or twitch as he answered in a voice as steady as a commander of an army. “Yeah. Just, the last time I was here, so was she, you know?”

“Me too,” Allison sighed. She wanted to get to work, but she was willing to wait… let him process the tangible pain as long as he needed. After a few seconds, he exchanged the longing look in his eye with a more determined one. “Well, let’s hear what Mia has to say about folks around here.”

Sifting through audio clips of Mia’s voice bringing color to the crimes she divulged seemed adventurous enough, but accompanied by Allison and her helpful attitude, Jacob felt the weight of the situation lift, even if it was just a minuscule amount. But it didn’t lift entirely. The void in Mia’s house due to her absence hung like a ghost in the air, constantly jabbing his mind to remind him that while she should be here, she wasn’t because someone had wanted to harm her. He exchanged the temptation to give in to the sorrow with a harder determination; to let it drive him to uncover some clues as to what may have happened to her. The time on the clock passed in a blur as he and Allison gathered their notes together in separate notebooks.

As the second hand eased past midnight, it brought with it heavy eyes and a bitter end to their search. Jacob had paused the podcast, reminding Allison that she had work in the morning and he had to do some things as well. He felt grateful to live in a time where he could send an email or make a phone call rather than appear at the office, but Allison didn’t have that luxury. She also didn’t have the luxury he did of having no one to answer to, so he tried to respect that.

“Okay, so what have we got?” Jacob pushed his fingertips against his eyes, rubbing life into them until he could return to his hotel and close them to give them the rest they demanded.

“I think we have three solid suspects.” Allison’s nod suggested that she was satisfied with the progress. She picked up her notepad and read off a few of the names and cases. Jacob listened, having heard every detail in the episodes they had dedicated their time to, but wanting to swallow them one more time to let them sink in.

Allison sounded so much like a lawyer when she listed off the names. The straight-to-the-point arrows of her voice anchored the statements and left them wide open for dissection. “We have her most recent podcast case, Kristin Murphy.”

Jacob finished the thought by reading over his notes, his low voice combining with Allison’s higher-pitched one to clash in the static air. “Accused of murdering her husband, Kyle. Mia had her pinned as the main suspect in this case because she was overheard threatening to kill her husband in a gas station the day before he died.”

“However,” Allison didn’t miss a beat, “she’s off the hook with everyone else because the time of Kyle’s death clashes with her alibi by just a few minutes and there was no murder weapon recovered. The Murphys didn’t own a gun, and Kyle was shot, so Kristin is allegedly innocent. She could have some motive, some vendetta against Mia for being so die-hard determined to prove her guilt as the one who killed her husband.”

“Whether she’s innocent or guilty of murdering Kyle, she may feel that Mia is smearing her character,” Jacob added.

“That’s motive if I ever heard one. Maybe she took Mia with no intention to hurt her.” Allison let the hope sting in her voice before returning her eyes to the notes. “Okay. Whatcha got on our second suspect, Joey McCall?”

Whatcha got? A word combination Jacob hadn’t heard since his last visit home during the holidays. In his world, members of a meeting went out of their way to spell out “What do we have?” instead of shortening it. Jacob had to admit that he rather liked how Allison hijacked the word. It mildly lightened the situation, even though it didn’t need to be. It kept them from diving too deeply into their sadness.

“Joey McCall,” Jacob echoed, scraping that name against his bottom teeth, tasting intrigue and deep sorrow. “Like any true crime podcaster, the most harrowing stories are the ones they flock to the most.” He let his sigh fill with emotion while he read off. “On the outskirts of Juniper Springs, the McCall family was found murdered. Mom, Dad, the little sister, and the family dog, all stabbed to death in their home. The knife lay by one of the bodies.” Disgusting. Devastating. Murder was one thing, terrible, horrific, inhuman as it were. But to murder an entire family, going so far as to extend that to the little sister, the dog? That reeked of a hatred that went deep. “This took place in Coupeville, Washington. The main suspect was the older teenage son, Joey McCall, who claimed to be camping with friends at the time, down the road from the house.”

“Mia really was into this story.” Allison’s thumb moved up the list of podcast episodes, their titles disappearing under the top of her phone. “She really believed Joey was the killer. Her last episode said he moved closer to Juniper Springs?”

Jacob shuddered at the thought of having a crazy, deranged killer living so close to Mia, but maybe the boy was innocent too. He hadn’t been arrested, obviously. So that had to mean something. “And the last one?” He was ready to move on from this dark story.

Allison set her phone down, scanning the pages with her amber eyes. “Of all things, an exterminator. Sounds like something from a really bad low-budget film.”

Jacob had to allow himself to laugh at that one. “I couldn’t agree more. Fletcher Robles, accused of poisoning his partner with rat poison.” He set his notes down to wander through the possibilities. “That sounds about right. He’d have access, after all. His alibi is a puny one. He was ‘tanking up’ at the time of the murder and then went right back to work outside the house, didn’t even know that his partner was inside dead?”

“I mean,” Allison’s shrug pushed her flat palm up by her shoulder. Jacob wasn’t sure how she could bend her wrist like that without hurting herself, but she managed. “Have you seen how oblivious some people are? They got their earbuds in, they’ve got their minds somewhere else and wouldn’t even notice if there were a gunman in the area until he started shooting!”

She hit the nail on the head with that one. Jacob’s mind flashed back to some of the guys he hired to work on property sites... how some people could miss the most obvious things were beyond him. “I could give you several examples.”

“I could too.” Allison leaned back, flipping her pen down onto the legal pad where her flowing penmanship aided in making the suspect’s stories come to life. Had Mia taken as copious notes as Allison did? “So, do you want to stop there?”

“The truth is,” Jacob nodded to her phone, “every one of these people has a motive to want Mia out of the picture. She’s digging into their lives, messing stuff up. People react to other people based on what they hear in the news or on social media or a podcast even. You never know when she might help put someone behind bars. Anyone could figure that out and want to silence her.”

That same silence took up too much space in the room, reminding them of how desperate the situation was. Allison ended it quickly, a sigh, a shake of her head, and the matter dropped. “We have to start somewhere, and these are good places to start. These are all her most recent podcasts, so they would probably have the freshest disdain for her.”

“Let’s do this.” Jacob narrowed on a temporary solution. “I will take the McCall case, you can take the Murphy case. We can dig into more details and ask some people questions if they’re willing to talk. Their stories are out there on the podcast anyway, so it’s not like we’re violating any rules unless they’re unwilling to talk. We can compare notes when we get more information and tackle the Robles case. That’ll cover more ground quickly.”

Allison’s hesitation scribbled on her face, and it occurred to Jacob that he was treating her like an employee. “I’m sorry.”

His apology leaked some confusion into her eyes. “For what?”

“I’m being a CEO again.” A sharp laugh escaped from between his lips, and his head shook from side to side. “I didn’t think to ask if you’d be okay with that.”

“No!” Allison’s answer was like a bullet, flying through the air with quick assurance. “Don’t apologize! I was just thinking, that’s all.”

“Are you sure this isn’t going to be too much for you?” Jacob insisted. “I know you’ve got to be beyond busy, and you’ve already put so much into helping me with this. She’s my sister, my responsibility… you don’t have to do more than you can handle.”

“Jacob, I want to.” Allison’s eyes snapped with a determination to get her point across. “That’s why I’m here. I want to help find Mia, and I want to help you too. This is a lot to have on your shoulders. We’ll cover a lot more ground if we work together. My schedule isn’t too busy for this—I promise.”

Her desire to be helpful didn’t just bring him comfort that they would uncover his sister’s location faster. It endeared her to him somehow because for once, she wasn’t doing it out of her own motives. She didn’t stare; she didn’t gawk at him—she was doing this to be helpful, to find Mia, and to ease his burden. That’s it. No strings attached. At least, so he thought. He reminded himself that it would be good to gather in some hesitation because who didn’t have strings attached? Everyone in his world did—that was for sure—except for his family, but that was a different story.

He nodded. “Let’s gather our things and get out of here.”

They left Mia’s house as empty as it had been. A sadness surrounded them as Allison clicked the door closed and slipped her key into the lock. Jacob studied her, focusing on her task with the same attention that she did on the cases she worked. Her attention to detail would be another important factor in helping. She could have walked away—could have told him to go over the cases and let her know what he came up with—but she insisted on jumping in with both feet, hand in hand with him. It didn’t seem like a ploy to get closer to him. If that were the case, then she would be finding ways to spend more time with him, but she was working this on her own time. He could not be more grateful.

He couldn’t resist. In that moment of overwhelming gratefulness, fatigue from the late hour, and the overall semitruck that parked its burden on his shoulders, he reached out, taking Allison’s wrist for a second before releasing her. “Allison, I really can’t thank you enough for this. Really, I wasn’t expecting to get this kind of help.”

“I can’t let you face this on your own.” Allison angled her body to stand directly in front of him, hiding nothing as she flickered her eyes up to meet his. “Besides, I want to find Mia as much as you do. It really is no problem.”

Jacob shivered with the October chill in the night air and retreated into his jacket as far as his arms would let him. “Just... thank you. I know this is hard for you too. She’s your friend, and I feel terrible for dragging you along with me into this mess.”

“You’re not dragging me.” Her eyes sparkled with light humor. “Believe me. No one drags me into things that I don’t want to do. They can’t get past my stubbornness.” She laughed. “But, yes, Mia is my friend. And that’s why I want to do all I can to find her. I can’t sit by and do nothing.”

“Neither can I.” Jacob sighed, glancing toward his car. He took a stride, Allison falling into step beside him, neither one of them in a hurry to get out of the cold. “I just can’t believe this happened to her. She was always so careful. I know her podcast puts a target on her back, but she wouldn’t have allowed herself to go and get kidnapped like this. She was too smart for that. She’s even got security cameras at her house.” Jacob thumbed in the direction of the cameras that captured their every move. “She was smarter than that. That means that whoever managed to get her to disappear is also very smart. And that’s what worries me.”

He let it leak—let it bleed into his voice how worried he was. He was Jacob Davis. He didn’t worry; he kept a poker face even in the most intense situations. But his sister, his precious little sister. Her being missing dragged the worry from the hidden depths of his being, and he couldn’t ignore it. Allison gave him a sense of security, and he felt safe to confide his feelings in her. He glanced over at her, searching her eyes for any glimmer of hope he could hold on to.

Her smile didn’t match her cheerful attitude. She even dropped the chirp in her voice as she reassured him with a single look that somehow spread a peace through him. This time, it was Allison who reached out and grasped his elbow. “Hey. We’re gonna find her.”

He swallowed, giving her a series of nods that increased in speed as he went. “You’re right. You’re right. And when we do…”

“She’ll be happy to see us.” Allison finished his sentence before he could allow himself to go down a dark road.

They reached her car. Her lights blinked at her, ready to carry her home. “Good night, Jacob.”

“Night, Allison.”

Jacob’s headlights did nothing to shed light on the sudoku puzzle in his brain. He had never really spent much time with Allison. These past few days were probably the most time he’d ever spent with her collectively. Even though she was always around while he and Mia were growing up, the girls were always doing their own thing, and he was always with his friends. He let them have their space—never wanted to bother them—except for the occasional time he would tease them. He couldn’t let those moments go. But he did remember snapshots of her character as he allowed his brain to wander through the wisps of memory. That time that mom had broken her ankle, and the house was trashed, Allison had shown up in overalls, strawberry blond hair fastened with a hair clip, and a smile on her face to clean the house with Mia—to make mom feel better. Or that time that Mia’s car ran out of gas on the road—that girl was always running around on empty—Allison had driven thirty miles just to pick her up and help her get gas for the car. Her smile that never left her face or lips, her cute little arm swings of energy, her eyes that burned with a glowing zest for life. Allison had it too. She just didn’t admit to it nor admit that it was her caring for others that made her beautiful.

Beautiful.

It was a word that Jacob usually reserved for the plastic beauties that ebbed in and out of his life. But for some reason, it fit Allison’s profile better than it did theirs. Her adorable face was a little more than adorable to him now. Her dimple hadn’t smoothed out, further adding to the youth in her eyes. She often let her hair do whatever it wanted, letting it blow into her honey eyes when she was outside. She didn’t strive for perfection, didn’t go out of her way to be beautiful, and yet somehow, she achieved it perfectly.

Jacob shook his head. Was he falling for her? Surely not. She was a childhood friend who happened to offer him a helping hand at a time when he needed a friend the most. He would not let himself get distracted by her. He needed to find Mia before he even thought of entertaining feelings for Allison.

So why was that such a hard thing to do?

The law firm didn’t offer Allison a truckload of free time, but she filled each amount of wiggle room it did allow. Jacob had given her an assignment: do some research on the Murphy case. While she wasn’t a detective in the least, she flattered herself that she was good at digging up information. She could turn over unseen stones that looked like part of the dirt and uncover hidden droves of information. Now that she had a lead, she couldn’t wait to follow it.

The first place it led her was to the Juniper Spring Times newspaper office. Avery’s boyfriend’s cousin held the title as the owner, and while he approached his late twenties, his youthfulness didn’t alter the tremendous job he did. He kept records better than an accountant, so if there happened to be any information about Kristin Murphy that Mia hadn’t uncovered in the podcast, Ryan Blair would probably have it.

Allison clicked her key fob to lock the car behind her, and walked the familiar path into the office. She held her friendship with Ryan in high regard as it had aided her in some of her past cases. With only one entrance in and out, it wasn’t easy to sneak in without being spotted by the receptionist or by Ryan’s right-hand woman, Lizzie.

Sure enough, Lizzie greeted her before she could even close the door behind her. “Allison Miller! What’s up, girl?”

She crossed the distance, engulfing her in a hug like they had gone back further than she and Mia had. The newlywed Lizzie was all giggles and smiles, ignoring the ugliness of life and seeing only the joy that her sparkling new wedding band brought her. “I’m fine, Lizzie. How is married life?”

Lizzie uncoiled her fingers. With practiced skill, she held her hand to let the lights of the newspaper office send a tiny beam of newlywed joy up from the diamond. “Couldn’t be better! He is so sweet!”

“I’m so happy for you.” For Lizzie, yes, but that’s where the happiness stopped. It only whispered in her ear memories of one of her last conversations with Mia as her best friend teased her about marrying her career.

My brother’s still single.

Even the memory of the words sent a shot of excitement through Allison, and her heartbeat kicked up a few notches. Why the thought thrilled her so much was beyond her.

It’s because we’ve been spending one-on-one time together. That’s normally what people do when they like each other… but this is different!

Settling the answer in her mind, Allison pressed the issue of her arrival. “Would that handsome boss of yours happen to be around?”

Lizzie managed to dish out a cute but devilish grin out of the corner of her eye. “Don’t let his girlfriend hear you say that!”

“Why? Is Carrie going to uncover some dirt on me and publish it in the Times as a punishment?” Allison sprinkled humor into her talk.

“She just might.” Lizzie sprang back to the rear office and rapped on Ryan’s door with her non-wedding-band hand. In a few moments, the door cracked open, and Ryan, well-dressed as ever, peered his dark features through the door. He looked so much like his cousin, only a younger version and not so intimidating. When he spied Allison, some light entered those dark features, and a smile touched his lips.

“Miss Miller.” He stepped out of his office. Instead of offering a bear hug like his assistant Lizzie, he extended a hand. Allison returned the firm handshake, mind set on her reason for being here. “Whose details are you hunting down today?”

“Actually, this isn’t for a law case this time.” Allison settled into her sigh. “It’s personal.”

“Mm.” Knowledge sparked Ryan’s eyes. “You’re looking for any information on Mia Davis.”

“That…” Allison didn’t even want to read the article that Ryan had typed about her. Or was it his girlfriend Carrie who had written it? Speaking of which, where was she today? Out researching a story, no doubt. “And someone else. Do you have any files on Kristin or Kyle Murphy?”

His brow furrowed with consideration. “The names sound familiar. Come on into the office, and I’ll look them up for you.”

Allison enjoyed the friendship she shared with Ryan which enabled her to ask for any archived story rather than scouring the Juniper Springs Times in hopes of uncovering the stories herself. She sat across from Ryan as he scrolled through his computer. “I’ve got a few articles on those two, yes. Woman who was accused of murdering her husband if I remember?”

“She wasn’t ever convicted,” Allison reminded him. “But I’m just digging into some things.”

Ryan’s printer flared to life with a few clicks of his mouse, and his back met the chair. “I’ve got the articles printing out for you. The printer’s getting tired, so it’s been moving at an atrociously slow speed. Probably still working on printing an article from last week.”

Allison giggled. “I hate printers like that.”

She talked over the scrabble of the pages folding out onto the tray. “So, how are you and Carrie doing?”

Ryan’s eyes ignited with love but didn’t quite meet Allison’s gaze. He wheeled over to the printer, sliding the pages out as they printed. “We are doing great. Carrie is the sweetest girl, and she’s gaining more confidence in herself, which is beautiful to see.”

Allison had met Carrie in passing once when needing to talk to Ryan back in September. The girl had the most striking blue eyes, stalked by a sadness that Allison noticed. When she spoke, her voice was just above a mouse’s and lacked the confidence that Allison had faked many a time. She gave the appearance of a wounded girl, but her relationship with Ryan was helping to draw her out of that shell. Ryan had explained that she had gotten out of a bad relationship that wrecked her self-confidence, so he was taking it slow to allow her to get some of that confidence back. Whenever Ryan spoke about their relationship, it was always about Carrie and never about him, and that struck Allison as special. He cared more for her than himself. They would go far with that, especially if Carrie returned it… which, judging by the love she had for him, she probably did.

“I’m happy for you two.” It was the second time she had said that today, and still it echoed of the conversation she’d had with Mia who had yet to find the love that Carrie and Ryan seemed to share. Would she ever get the chance now? “Is she off today?”

“She’s not in today,” Ryan confirmed. Allison didn’t miss the shadow that passed across his features nor the weight in his deep brown eyes. “She’s taking care of some personal business.”

Allison didn’t pry. It wasn’t any of her business. She nodded, commenting a simple “Oh.” She watched as he pulled the last paper from the tray and tapped them on the table a few times before handing them to her. “There you go. If there’s anything else, let me know. That should include a few notes as well.”

He always went above and beyond, and Allison loved that about him. “Thanks, Ryan.”

She stood at the same time he did and offered a parting handshake. “I hope whatever you’re looking for helps lead you to Mia. From what I hear, the cops have pretty much given up.”

“That’s okay.” Allison stamped finality in her statement. “I don’t need them. Jacob Davis and I have a better chance of finding her this way than they did with their K9s and footprint searches.”

“I believe you.” Ryan chuckled. “You’ve never been a woman to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

He knew her better than she thought. She gave him a knowing wink as she stepped toward the door. “You’ve got that right!”

Normally, Carrie Sweet would feel uncomfortable discussing her personal health concerns with another man other than her doting boyfriend Ryan. But since Dr. Lance Blair was Ryan’s cousin, not to mention one of the pillars that had helped locate her last summer when she had been abducted, she trusted him more than she would anyone else at the clinic.

A chill swept around her emotions, cooling off any positivity that might have existed. Her arms wrapped around her slender stomach, and she wished Ryan was with her now. But at the same time, the fewer people in the room, the better.

Lance balanced a professional as well as compassionate tone as he wheeled his stool in front of her. “So, what do you have going on, Carrie?” He lowered his clipboard to his lap, his chocolate eyes sweeping off of his notes and giving her his undivided attention. “Looks like you’re having some problems.”

The openness to his voice threatened to draw out her tears, but she held back, straightening her body as she did. She couldn’t break down in front of him. She couldn’t. “Yes, I have been going through some stuff.” She didn’t want to say what stuff. Saying it out loud would only confirm that she was going through it.

Lance urged her on with a nod, lips concealing any words he had for her until she was done.

She somehow found the words while keeping her emotions in check. “So, you know what happened to me last summer. About Jeremy taking me and... all that?” She didn’t want to use the strong language that law enforcement had used. Abducted. Restrained. Drugged. Threatened. Attempted murder. Attempted murder? Her? The words still didn’t match up with what she thought about her life, but there it was. Words like that pricked at her tender, healing emotions.

Lance nodded, his eyes half closing. His look told her that he knew where this was going.

Carrie pressed on. “Well, I haven’t really gotten over it. Everything startles me. I have been having some trouble sleeping.” Okay, trouble was a nice word. She couldn’t remember a time that she hadn’t stayed up until one or two o’clock in the morning, just messing around, scrolling, reading, organizing stupid things just so she didn’t have to sleep.

“I can’t even go to the grocery store without constantly thinking that someone is waiting to jump out of the shelves and attack me.” She let her eyelids droop to hide the vulnerability in her eyes and tried to blot out the next part. “The other day, I got pulled over for speeding. I never speed, Lance—er—Dr. Blair.” She was on his territory now. Would he be upset with her for using his first name? She hoped not. Before he had a chance to correct her, she went on. “Never. I guess I just feel like I have to get from the house to work because there’s people at work, you know?” She dared to open her eyes, finding him nodding his understanding. He seemed to empathize with her, more than sympathize. She felt herself relax a little bit. “When the officer drove away, I just started crying because the last time a cop was involved with something to do with me…”

“They were looking for you.” Somehow, Lance encapsulated all of the terrible things she couldn’t say. He was good at that, just like his cousin.

Carrie nodded. “And I can’t help but feel like it was my fault, so I shouldn’t be so scared, you know?”

Lance reached over, setting his clipboard on the counter by the sink and leaned forward. He steepled his fingers between his knees and buried her with his gaze. “Carrie, none of this was your fault. Jeremy Carr’s actions were his own sick delusion. You are not responsible for them.”

“I know that.” Carrie panicked, feeling her eyelids moisten with tears. “But I can’t help but get this feeling. And then Ryan said that another teenage or twenties-something girl—Mia or something—was abducted? I just can’t get it out of my head what she must be going through, and…” A host of memories hit her like breakers all at once. She remembered well what it was like to be in a constant heartbeat-by-heartbeat fight for her life, and she never wanted anyone to go through that again. Her voice faltered, wavered, then broke. Right there, in the middle of a doctor’s office, she let her tears coat her face. She put a hand to her eyes, panicking, trying to control herself. What must Lance be thinking of her? A crazy girl with no control over her emotions? This whole thing was stupid. Why was she in a doctor’s office anyway? She wasn’t sick; this wasn’t serious; she was just dealing with some emotional issues. But Ryan had suggested that she get some help so she could go back to being happy again, and for some reason, that sounded good… at the time. Now? It would be hard to get any more embarrassed.

Lance didn’t seem to care. He reached over to the counter for a tissue and handed it to her. “Here.”

“I’m so sorry.” Carrie dabbed at her eyes. “I really don’t mean to fall apart like this.”

“I know you don’t.” Lance’s velvet voice calmed her. “Carrie, it sounds to me like you’re dealing with a little bit of PTSD.” A haunted look stabbed at his eyes before he returned to normal. “But that’s okay. We can get you some help for that and start to get you feeling better.”

Carrie sniffed. PTSD? “Isn’t that for people who go through traumas?” Even as the words went careening out of her mouth, she regretted them. They sounded cold, callous.

Lance gave a shake of his head. “A person doesn’t have to be in the military and see things or suffer years of abuse to experience trauma. It can be anything distressing that disrupts your life. And, well, he did threaten you.” Lance’s voice took on a cautious tone. “I would say that counts as trauma, wouldn’t you?”

He was right. One’s life being threatened was traumatic. So, PTSD was to blame? She had entertained the idea that it might be PTSD, but she didn’t want that title. She was twenty-three years old; she had her whole life ahead of her and didn’t want to be saddled with something like PTSD. Her chest lifted in a heavy sigh. Well, now that she had it, she had to deal with it. “Okay, well, is there anything we can do?”

Lance picked up his clipboard again, scribbling some notes in that doctor’s chicken scratch of his. “I’m going to go ahead and refer you to a local psychiatrist. His name is Dr. Leeland Webb; he’s the best in town from what I hear. We can get you some help.” His gaze softened, dropping his doctor’s mask, and putting on that of a friend. “Listen, Carrie. If anyone knows about PTSD, it’s me. I spent four years in the Navy and, well, without going into too much detail, I still suffer from nightmares and things that happened during that time. I get what you’re going through, and I’m so sorry you are going through it. There’s nothing worse than reliving something you’ve already lived through day in and day out.”

How accurately his words spoke to the heart of her issue! Carrie sniffed, drying another flood of tears from his kind words. “Thank you, Lance.”

“You’re welcome.” He unveiled one of his rare smiles. “We’re going to get you feeling better soon. You don’t have to live like this.”

Feeling better. The words were a soothing spray to a burn. Carrie latched on to them, clung to them, tucking them tight against her chest. “Thank you.” She whispered her gratefulness. “I appreciate that more than you know. I’ll give this psychiatrist a call.” Anything to help her get to those beautiful words: feel better.

Jacob balanced his time between sending off emails to his office, making phone calls, and diving into his research headfirst. The list of people who could have wanted Mia hurt, or worse, overwhelmed him; but he forced himself to concentrate on the suspect he had under the spotlight: Joey McCall. Even the name had a serial killer sound to it.

It was also amazing how much information one could find simply by surfing the internet. According to Joey’s social media profile, he loved both the outdoors and video games. His video channel consisted of him either vlogging about the next game excitedly or posting clips of him beating the next level in one of his games. Shortly after the time frame of his family’s death, he stopped posting.

The active status on his direct messages informed Jacob that he hadn’t quit social media for good; he just didn’t have the heart to post anymore. Not that Jacob blamed him. Whether he was innocent or not, the internet was a microscope that would scrutinize his every detail, trying right along with Mia to find out the truth and pulverize him if he were the killer.

Jacob tapped out a message to him, hoping that he didn’t read it as spam and disregard it.

Hello, Joey, my name is Jacob Davis. I know you don’t know me, but I have a few questions for you. I’m Mia Davis’s brother. Perhaps you’ve heard her true crime podcast that stems out of Juniper Springs. If so, I would like to have a conversation with you, man-to-man, with no law enforcement involved. I am trying to find the reason for her disappearance and was wondering if you could help me.

Soon after sending the message, a little green light ignited under Joey’s profile avatar, an abstract mixture of some dark-looking video game characters.

The answer that Joey typed back made Jacob cringe. Yeah, i know her why

If Jacob had written emails like this, not giving a second thought to proper grammar or punctuation, he would be collecting trash for a living. Trying not to cringe at the painful grammatical message, he typed back.

I was wondering just how well you know her. This is something I’d like to talk about in person. Can we meet somewhere in Juniper Springs? I’m not setting up a sting operation or anything. I’m just trying to find out what happened to my sister. And I need your help to tell me everything you know. It may help me fill in some gaps.

Jacob tried filling the next half hour with anything to keep his mind off of the message that Joey had kindly left unread. About the time he began to think that he should have taken a different approach with the kid, his phone sang with a new message.

Do u know where bennys is its the grocery store for Juniper springs i work there as a bagger and stuff so maybe u can meet me there b4 my shift today at 4?

It took Jacob a few read-throughs to understand the code that all teenagers used nowadays, but he found Benny’s on his phone within seconds. Well, if he wanted to meet there at four, then his shift probably started at four, so either he was okay with being late or he wanted to keep the conversation short for obvious purposes. Jacob wasn’t going to play that game.

Let’s meet at 3:40. Thank you, Joey. I appreciate this.

His phone buzzed with a most eloquent response. np. Jacob hoped that it stood for “no problem” and wasn’t a mistype of “no,” so he clicked his phone closed and returned to sifting through his work emails.

The spread of grey clouds concealed the sun from view, hastening the dusk to an early beginning in the daylight savings’ hours of October 8th. The 8th. A painful reminder that Mia had been missing for four whole days. The number inched painfully close to a week, which in turn would extend into a month if they didn’t do everything they could. Jacob tried not to let the passing of time physically hurt like a spell, as he eased his car into the parking lot of Benny’s. The road had led him out of the narrow roads of downtown Juniper Springs and into a wooded area, probably where the hunting lodges hid. Somewhere beyond those, the trees emptied out into a clearing, a small parking lot that probably couldn’t house more than fifty cars at a time. He glanced over at Benny’s, a maroon building smaller than a warehouse with a picture of a smiling man on top—a man with a bald head and a mustache, pride brimming from his eyes. He must have been proud to have the only grocery store in town, but it amazed Jacob that the people were able to feed themselves from a store no bigger than their local boutique. Perhaps it was bigger on the inside, but he wouldn’t be around long enough to find out.

His eyebrow raised as a hiss and a rattle filled the air. His gaze landed outside of the passenger window where a beat-up sedan barely made it into the parking lot. Rust coated the side, and thick exhaust poured from the muffler. Worn tires rolled over the sunbaked asphalt. As the engine clattered to a stop, Jacob checked the time scrawled across the navigation screen. 3:43. He should have known that Joey would be late, but at least it wasn’t more than five minutes.

Jacob swung his door open. His foot landed on an old parking lot. Cracks ran through the asphalt, and it was anyone’s guess where the parking spaces were. It was in desperate need of repaving and new painted lines.

The door to the old vehicle opened with a painful creak, and a young man stepped out. A strong wind could blow him over for as little as he weighed. The wind tossed a mop of maroon hair around on top of his head, and a freckled face peered around the parking lot. When he met Jacob’s eyes, assumption raised his eyebrows. Jacob took the lead, striding toward him, trying to ignore the chill in the air. “Joey?”

“Yeah.” The voice was lower than Jacob expected. He was inches away from shaking the young man’s hand until Joey sniffed, running his knuckles underneath his nose. Jacob quickly decided against shaking the young man’s hand and hoped that he heeded the warning in every bathroom stall that demanded the hand-washing procedure of all employees.

“I’m Jacob, Mia Davis’s brother.” Jacob wanted nothing more than to dig into him with sharp talons and ask him outright if he had a vendetta against his sister. But he was more skilled than that. Years of being in business meetings with wealthy clients had taught him to play his cards cautiously, considering every word before he spoke and doing what he could to get people on his side before he addressed the reason for the interaction. He wasn’t accustomed to conversing with kids whose intellect ran with the depth of a shallow riverbed, but he wasn’t in the dark on it either. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I won’t keep you long.”

Joey’s shoulders rolled forward, his hands hiding in his pockets. His stare roamed along the cracks in the pavement. “Sure.”

From the two words Joey had spoken, Jacob drew the conclusion that he would have to lead this conversation around on a lead rope. That was fine with him. He was fine with leading. “Listen, Joey. I’m not a man who jumps to conclusions until I’ve heard the whole story and both sides of it. I know that your name was mentioned on Mia’s podcast a time or two.” Or more, but Jacob decided to leave off the part about how Mia had basically pinned him to the wall as the suspect who had eradicated his family. If that information was crucial to Joey, he would have to be the one to bring it up. If he did, it would definitely mean he had some resentment. “I’m doing some investigating myself into the lives of some of the people she featured. I’m trying to paint a picture of how her podcast worked, and I’d like to get some perspective into how it makes people feel. So, would it be okay if I asked you about your side of the story? How does it make you feel to be mentioned on Mia’s podcast?”

Another sniff and another drag of Joey’s knuckles smeared a post-nasal drip across his upper lip. Or was that perspiration Jacob noticed? It wouldn’t surprise him if it was nervousness. If Joey could retreat any farther into his jacket, he could be a turtle. Jacob wasn’t sure if it could be chalked up to him trying to hide something or being socially awkward. “Do you want me to be honest?”

Jacob hadn’t been expecting such a personal question from him. If anything, he expected a well-fabricated tale. “We’re just two guys having a conversation here. There aren’t any strings attached, other than me trying to find my sister. So, go right ahead.”

“I don’t like it.” Joey’s shoulders raised up to his ears before plopping down in defeat. For the first time, the shy redhead dared to look up at Jacob. An emptiness burned there, something that was far more than just a simple resentment. The kid had lost his entire family and hadn’t been arrested, so on the off chance that he was innocent of the crime, Jacob couldn’t imagine the horror he lived with day to day as his constant companion. It was something that would never leave him, for sure. “She thought she knew so much. But, no offense, she really has no idea what I go through every day.”

“And what do you go through?” Jacob kept his questions open-ended, not wanting to get into the “yeah, nah” trap.

The fires of inner torment flared in Joey’s eyes seconds before he lowered them to the ground again. He dragged his foot along a crack, his voice a low monotone. “I had to move. I wanted to be closer to Juniper Springs, so I moved here, but it was probably a bad idea. Everyone knows me here as ‘that guy.’ But I like it here; I’m not going to move again.”

“How long ago did you move here?” The boy talked in circles which made Jacob dizzy.

Another sniff. “About a month ago.”

A month ago? Just enough time to find out where Mia lives and come up with a plan to get rid of her. “Why did you pick Juniper Springs over… where are you from again?” He knew, but he didn’t want Joey to think that he was the stalker.

“Coupeville.” Joey sighed. “I just needed to move. I couldn’t live there no more.”

Jacob inwardly cringed at the double negative but kept his attention focused on what he was saying. He couldn’t let Joey’s lack of good grammar detract from the important details. Nobody “just decided” to move somewhere.

“Everyone started listening to the podcast, and when that girl... Mia, sorry... started talking about how it was probably me who did it, everyone decided that she was right. I was set free, you know. The cops didn’t keep me. They didn’t have enough evidence because there was none. But no one seemed to get that!” Aggression tightened his fists in his pockets. Jacob noted the bulge that resulted and how Joey’s body went stiff. Defensive? Or desperate? Both, possibly? “So, I had to move.”

He never said why he chose Juniper Springs. In fact, he carefully tiptoed around the answer to that question. Jacob didn’t want to ask it again. That would be too aggressive. “What happened, Joey?” He didn’t want to make him relive the worst moment of his life, but he wanted to know any details and discover what the man was capable of.

Joey stopped moving as if returning to that moment, frozen in time in his memory and icing over right along with it. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t kill my family. I found them.”

Jacob recalled the harrowing details of the story, seeing how his story matched up with what Mia said on her podcast.

“My prints weren’t on the knife.”

Yes, but the knife had been wiped down.

“I hid because I was scared!” His eyes filled with tears and rose swiftly to meet Jacob’s. Well, at least he wasn’t attempting to hide anymore. “What would you do if you got home from camping with your buddies and found everyone—everyone in your family—dead? I knew the cops would blame me, and they did, so I hid. I was scared. But I didn’t kill my family.”

He jerked his gaze away to look at the doors opening and closing to let customers into the small grocery store. “I don’t see how any of this is going to help you find your sister. Unless,” he gasped, then snapped back to Jacob. “Unless you think I did it?”

“I’m not drawing any conclusions,” Jacob deflected. “But is there something you want to share with me?”

His shoulders came up, covering his ears, and he retreated into his hoodie again. He wouldn’t look at Jacob. “Nah. I’m not going to say anything. You already think I did it, didn’t you? I killed my family, right? So why wouldn’t I kidnap that girl?”

That girl. This hadn’t been the first time he’d referred to his precious sister by that term. Jacob wanted to yell at him, to inform him that Mia was far more than that girl, but he had better control than that. He wished he could control the clench in his jaw that bulged his muscle there. “I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, but you’re probably thinking it.” Joey shifted his weight. “Look, I gotta get to work.”

Without giving Jacob a chance to make things right, he bolted in the direction of the grocery store. But he hadn’t gotten three steps away before he turned and pinned Jacob with a gaze. “But don’t go telling the cops that I know where Mia is… ‘cuz I don’t.” He finally took his hands out of his pockets. Jacob couldn’t help but lower his gaze, noticing the cracked skin that covered the peaks of Joey’s knuckles. A rash? Maybe he did wash his hands? Or maybe it was a sign of a fight?

“Did you ever meet my sister?” Jacob sent his question in a resonant wave across the parking lot.

Joey shifted. One shoulder turned toward the exit of this conversation, the other pointed toward the instigator of it. “Nah, I never met her.” He swayed back at forth, ready to bolt again at any second. “And I never cared to either. That girl wrecked my life. I’m sorry. She’s your sister, man, but I owe her nothing but my hate.”

His heel pivoted him around, and he stormed toward the grocery store. Jacob stood there. Along with the sharp wind that pierced his jacket, he let the conversation soak in. So, he hated Mia… and had moved closer to Juniper Springs about a month ago. Right around the time that Mia had released a podcast episode that trumpeted her theory that it couldn’t be anyone but Joey. His life had been wrecked in Coupeville by Mia’s podcast; he was stupid to be so clear about his hatred for Mia, knowing that Jacob had him under the microscope. Unless he just couldn’t help himself. Clearly, the boy was nervous—wouldn’t look Jacob in the eye unless he was defending himself. What did that mean? Did that mean that he was hiding something? His shifty behavior suggested that he was both nervous and hiding something.

Jacob sighed. The cold didn’t do anything to quicken his pace back to his car. Instead, his steps were slowed by his turning the words over and over in his mind. Could Joey really have been the one to abduct Mia? His claim to never have met her shot a few holes into his theory. Why would she have gotten into his car? Mia would never do that—not a possible killer like Joey, the story she was most obsessed with. Maybe she recognized him and had decided to run, and that’s why her car was left running?

Jacob settled himself into the front seat. He wasn’t going to let this go. Even if Joey was done talking to him, he was going to find a way to uncover more details. In the meantime, he called a command to his Bluetooth to give Allison a call.

Allison’s lighthearted voice resounded in the speakers, surrounding Jacob with the warmth of her tone. “Allison Miller.” She didn’t finish with Attorney at Law, so she knew it was him. He decided to try and lighten his mood and play with her a little bit.

“Allison Miller, hm? The number one go-to person for all of your troublesome problems to be solved? I hear you’re good, and I need some advice.”

Her laughter surrounded him, going along with his charade. “I wouldn’t say I’m the best, but I can do my best.”

They shared a small laugh that bubbled down into nothing after a few seconds. “How did the meeting with Joey go today?”

Jacob inflated his lungs with a sigh. “I don’t like what I see. He won’t look me in the eye, he acted very sketchy. Guilty, even. Admitted to hating my sister.”

Allison leaned against her windowsill and closed her eyes. She couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Jacob to stand there and take the hatred from the mouth of one of their suspects. “That must have been really hard to hear.”

“It was,” Jacob bit out. “I wanted to give him a piece of my mind.”

Allison would have liked to see that. She didn’t have to be a professional profiler to draw the conclusion that Jacob could bring down fire and brimstone if he wanted to. “So he admitted to hating her, huh?”

“Yeah. And get this! He moved to Juniper Springs just a month ago—right after Mia highlighted him as the prime suspect. He wouldn’t give me a straight answer as to why he chose Juniper Springs of all the places that he could have gone. He said he wanted to get away from everyone who had him pinned as the murderer, but doesn’t that sound a little too vague?”

“It does,” Allison admitted, thinking the same thing herself.

“I’m going to do some more investigating into him if I can, but I want to set up a meeting with that Fletcher Robles guy. When I drive out there to talk to him, do you want to go with me?”

“Of course!” She wanted to be in on this as much as he was willing to let her be. As it was, all she had was information about Kristin Murphy but no direct leads. “When do you want to go talk to him?”

“I’ll let you know when I can get in touch with him. Are you free tomorrow if it works out that way? I think I remember you saying that Wednesday was a shorter day for you?”

He had a steel trap memory if nothing else. It was sure to come in handy through all of this. “Yes, I am.”

“Great. I’ll try to plan it for tomorrow then. If not, are you free over the weekend?”

Allison glanced at her calendar. “Yes, to that too!” She crossed her fingers for tomorrow afternoon though. Saturday was too far away—not to go out and do some sleuthing but too far from Mia’s disappearance. That would be an entire week! Allison had hoped they would have found her by now. But as the saying goes, all things come to those who wait, so she tried to accept that she needed patience. But a week was a long time for bad things to happen to her.

I just have to hold on to the hope of finding her. That’s all that matters right now.

“I’ll keep reading over the information on Kristin until then. If anything new comes up, I’ll be in touch. I’ll also ask Avery if she can compare the tire tracks.”

“Tire tracks. Well, let her know that Joey drives an old piece of trash. His tires are so bald that he probably wouldn’t have left any tire tracks at all, but I didn’t get a good look at them. He works at Benny’s if she wanted to swing by and casually take a look.”

Good to know. Allison tucked the information away in her mind. “If you need anything else, please give me a call?”

“Will do.”

As she hung up her phone, Allison heard Avery rustling at the door and turned to look at her. Her friend looked so put together, dressed in a grey blazer with a matching pair of pants. Her blond hair fell to her shoulders, framing the face that held a hint of a comforting smile. “Already out poking around, are you?”

“Can’t afford to waste any time.” Allison lifted her nose, cracking a small but determined smile. “How did your date go last night?”

A sunbeam touched Avery’s face. Even though she had set up the date to swing by and photograph the tire tracks from the scene, the time spent with her boyfriend had clearly been a delight… like water bringing a withered plant back to life. The look in her eyes stung Allison a bit, reminding her that she didn’t have someone special in her life. Avery’s connection with Lance held more electricity than the air before a thunderstorm. It made a hollow feeling grow in Allison’s stomach. But the hollowness didn’t last long as a picture of Jacob’s charming smile flashed in her mind. The thought startled her. Why did she catch herself thinking about him so much? It was like her crush had never really faded but had matured into something a little more like attraction. Well, he was attractive, she told herself. Who wouldn’t be attracted to him? The authoritative power that characterized his footsteps, the charming smile that would bring any girl to a puddle on the floor… she was just one of many, she thought.

Unaware of Allison’s inner turmoil, Avery continued. “The date was nice. I was able to snap a few pictures of the tire tracks on the way up. My guess would be that they belong to a bigger vehicle, a truck or SUV, maybe, but I’ll run a comparison just to be sure. You can’t really go much off of tracks, but I can casually let you see them.”

She dropped the photos on Allison’s desk. Allison examined them carefully. The tracks looked wide, spiraling with a specific set of grooves. She held up her cell phone, sweeping her camera over the picture, and snapped one of her own. When she was certain she had a clear picture, she tucked her cell phone away. “Thank you so much for all your help.”

She lowered herself into her office chair, Avery mirroring her actions. “Jacob and I are planning to take a little drive out to Fletcher Robles’s house tomorrow. He was one of the people that Mia mentioned on her podcast. I’ll send you the address when I get it, but Jacob’s going to try to get in touch with him today and see if he is willing to have a friendly little chat about the podcast.”

Avery nodded, soaking in her words, and forming a plan. “Please do. If anything goes wrong, I’ll know where to find you.”

“Oh, nothing’s going to go wrong.” The confidence that Allison didn’t feel pressed into her voice anyway. “We’re just wanting to talk about the podcast, you know?”

“Exactly.” Avery winked at her.

After Avery left, Allison’s phone buzzed with details.

Fletcher agreed to meet with us tomorrow. He lives in a trailer park in the town outside of Juniper Springs, about an hour out. He wants to meet around ten, so I can pick you up around eight-forty-five. Gives us time to get there if that works for you?

Eight forty-five. Only a few short hours until she could see him again and go on this little adventure with him. Allison’s thumbs sped over her keyboard in a hasty reply. Sounds good. She texted him her address and closed her phone. A wave of anticipation carried her heartbeat into a stampeding rhythm. She would be going on a mini road trip with Jacob tomorrow, and the thought thrilled her. She found herself looking forward to it with the anticipation of a teenage girl on a first date. It took her a few moments after texting with him to accept the fact that she looked forward to his company and rather enjoyed it. It made the sting of losing Mia easier to accept when he was with her. They both felt it—both had a hole in their hearts where Mia had been. Allison felt like she was still in denial—still holding on to hope that they would find her. And Jacob’s smile and boyish humor helped make it easier to deal with.

But why was she so looking forward to time with him tomorrow? It was just a passing thing. It had to be. The stress of the situation. And Jacob was good at drawing a laugh out of her. That had to be all it was. She couldn’t let it be any more than that. They were both from different worlds that could never converge. But she might as well enjoy his company as long as she had it.

When Allison opened her front door on Wednesday morning, she felt like she had opened her refrigerator instead. A blast of chilly air hit her, filling her nose with a refreshing, fresh scent. The chill cooled the earth and quieted the usual noise that greeted her ears every morning. It was amazing how a chilly wind could blow through and hush the din of Juniper Springs’s busy life for a few moments in time. The only noise was the wind hushing through the pines, and Jacob’s Mercedes purring as it waited for her in her driveway.

Allison had pressed her nose to the glass, awaiting his arrival so he didn’t have to get out of his car. He still exited the vehicle, however, swinging around the front of the car to meet her.

“We couldn’t have picked a better day to do this!” he exclaimed. “Isn’t this weather delightful?”

Dreary was more the word for it. Allison cracked a smile. “Oh, yes. Did you pack a picnic lunch?”

Jacob snapped his fingers. “Ah, darn. I knew I was forgetting something. Other than the suntan lotion.”

“You won’t catch me getting a tan in this weather.” Allison glanced up at the cloud cover that thickened the air above them. “It might rain on us at any moment.”

“Well,” Jacob clicked her door handle, swinging the door open for her to simply slide inside. The action brought a spark of warmth to her heart at his gentlemanly thoughtfulness. “Let’s get inside before it decides to do that.”

Allison flashed him a cute sunbeam from her lips as she slid into the passenger seat. “My thanks, sir Jacob.”

A chuckle rumbled from his chest. “My lady.” He bowed to her before sealing her inside the warmth of his car.

Soon, the car filled with the sound of his tires rolling down the road, a quiet, dull roar that wasn’t something she usually heard. The seals on his car kept out most of the road noise unlike her own car, so conversation was easily heard between them.

“So,” Allison began, getting right to the point, not wanting to waste any time. “I was able to get some articles collected on the Kyle and Kristin Murphy case. I went to the local newspaper office and also did some digging from some of the sources Mia used to put together her podcast. Want to hear what I’ve come up with?”

“Let’s hear it!” Jacob sounded far too eager to hear the notes of one of his sister’s potential kidnappers.

Allison flipped the file open on her lap, eyes scanning over the pages as she relayed the information in her upbeat tone, trying to keep the mood light despite the dreary, grey day. Allison had determined to do everything she could to keep her and Jacob’s spirits up. “Kristin wasn’t convicted for killing her husband because of a few reasons. There was no blood on her clothes—neither the ones she had been seen wearing that day nor in the laundry—nothing in the trash can either. And there was no gunshot residue. She and Kyle didn’t own a gun—didn’t like them or believe in them. The murder weapon was never recovered.”

“What was the murder weapon?” Jacob tilted his ear up, eyes scanning the road ahead, waiting to hear the answer.

“It was a,” Allison flipped through her notes, dragging out the last vowel sound a bit longer, “nine millimeter.”

Jacob nodded as if absorbing the information. “How many times was he shot?”

“You are really testing how well I did my homework, aren’t you?” Allison flipped one paper over the other, concealing the murder weapon’s information and reading about what it had done instead. “Lucky for you, homework is my job.”

“I kinda figured.” His smile had such a boyish cuteness to it that Allison almost allowed herself to get distracted. Instead, she fixed her eyes with intent on her so-called homework. “Shot twice to the chest.”

“Killer wanted to be sure the job was done.” Jacob’s voice rumbled, along with... was that thunder overhead? In October? Surely it was just the road noise.

Allison ignored the rumble and continued. “No blood evidence or murder weapon could tie her to the case. All they have was her claiming that she was going to kill her husband the day before in a gas station, but she said it was in jest.”

“Because who threatens ‘I’m going to kill you’ when he forgets to take out the trash, right? Or when he accidentally eats all of her chocolate treats she was saving for that ‘special day’?”

Allison chuckled. “You... really know the minds of some girls, don’t you?”

A single shrug and a dismissive smile were her first answers. “It’s not like I’ve been single all my life. I have played the field some.”

Allison felt herself flush with an emotion she didn’t recognize. Why did the thought of Jacob playing the field or spending time with other women challenge her to a duel with her jealousy? She found herself wishing she could be in the other women’s shoes, seeing what it was like to date the great Jacob Davis. As soon as she recognized the emotion, she was astounded. Where was this coming from? She shook her head, trying to remain in the moment. “Well, you have learned well. Most guys can’t say the same thing, and then they wonder why it doesn’t work out!”

Jacob chuckled. “I’m sorry, I interrupted. Go ahead.”

Glad for the change of subject, Allison turned another page in her legal pad. “Okay, so her alibi. She claimed that she had been out shopping at the grocery store at the time of the murder and then drove home. Security footage shows her in the grocery line, then she disappears off the radar for an extra half an hour before calling the police.”

“So, there was an extra half an hour to her commute between when she was seen leaving the grocery store parking lot and when she called the police?” Jacob pursed his lips and tilted his head to one side. “Plenty of time to kill her husband.”

“Yeah, but the time of death clashes with her missing half hour. Time of death puts him around the time that she was shopping, give or take.”

“Curious.” Jacob drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, probably doing the same with his thoughts. Allison felt a little dizzy from looking down for too long, so she lifted her gaze outside the window and settled on the darkening clouds. Funny, the sun had risen, but the day seemed to be darker now than it had when Jacob had picked up Allison. They were probably going to get a shower. That was fine. They probably still had a little time to drive before the heavy rain moved in.

“So, she is claiming to be innocent too.”

“She is, but like everyone else on her podcast, Mia wasn’t convinced. In fact, the last podcast we did together was about Kristin.” The memory had a heaviness to it. The last podcast. If only Allison would have known that it would be her last podcast with Mia... maybe forever, she would have stayed an extra hour, taken Mia home with her, posted a guard at her door. Why did she miss it? How could she have missed it? She could have done more.

Jacob’s silence carried weight. A thousand unspoken words flowed like a river from his eyes as he removed his eyes from the road to lock with hers. His expression was deeper than the midnight zone of the ocean, and with the icy blue that darkened this overcast day, it may as well have been the sea. “You are happy all the time.” Allison could almost hear velcro tearing from itself as he looked back at the road, dragging his gaze away from her. “But you’re bothered too.”

Allison didn’t want to let the words cross her lips. If she spoke them, they’d be a reality, and she’d be letting Jacob see into the crack in her heart. She didn’t like that—didn’t like anyone to see that Allison Miller had a weak, sensitive spot inside. But for some reason, letting Jacob see into her heart’s crack didn’t seem as uncomfortable as she thought it would. She let her lungs inflate with a sigh and lowered the mask of her smile. “I miss her, Jacob. I love your sister like she were my sister, and I am worried sick about her.” She caught herself thinking about Mia all the time. Where was she now? Was she crying, with no one to comfort her? Scared, with no hope of someone consoling her? Wounded and bleeding out, wondering if she would ever be found, wondering if she’d done enough? The despair she must be feeling killed Allison to think about. It felt like a poison dart through her heart to imagine that beautiful girl with the life draining out of her, whether physically or emotionally. Surely there was more that Allison could have done for her.

Jacob’s sigh slipped through his nose. “I miss her too. But what are you always telling me? We’re going to find her.” He volleyed his gaze between her and the road, but not unsafe enough to take his eyes off of it for long. “I know it has to be pretty hard on you. Right?”

The one thing Allison would not do is cry. She couldn’t let him see her tears. Instead, she drew her hair out of her face and turned her gaze to the window, not unlike she had that first morning that they had set out, headlights poking through the fog, searching for any sign of Mia. Allison couldn’t fight the despair that gnawed at her heart. It slipped through her teeth before she could clamp her jaw over her words. “I feel like we’re right back to where we started sometimes. I know that we’re doing what we can, but I still feel so helpless.”

Jacob rubbed his hand over his beard. “Allison,” his voice was drenched in kindness, “You are doing everything you can. And I know when we find Mia—because we will find her—she will be overwhelmed with gratitude knowing you were willing to go to the ends of the earth if you knew it would bring her back.”

“If only it were that easy,” Allison murmured. It would be far less complicated to throw her things into a charter plane and fly to a distant continent than to grasp at straws in the darkness and hope that one of them was right. Meanwhile, the more she grasped, the more Mia slipped farther and farther away.

“One thing I know for sure.” Jacob’s voice broke through the roaring thoughts in Allison’s head. “Mia would never blame you for not knowing the future. You couldn’t have known this was going to happen, and Mia would not want you to beat yourself up over it. So, don’t. I know that in situations like this, people tend to beat themselves up because they ‘should have known.’”

Allison began to wonder if he was a mind reader somehow. She tore her eyes away from the window and set them on him. His handsome face searched the road ahead, but she took a few minutes to admire how much his golden heart enhanced his features. Past the money, past the good looks, beyond anything, Jacob was a genuinely good man. And she would never stop admiring him for that. “Thank you. Now,” she began, trying for a smile, but never letting it take over her face, “stop reading my mind.”

His own small smile confirmed that he’d been trying to put himself in her shoes.

“I just think that I spend so much time helping other people that it really hurts when I can’t help the one that I love most, my best friend in the whole world.” Allison found his gaze too hard to handle, so she settled for the safety net of her hands, twisting in her lap, instead. She used her ears to judge his emotion, not wanting to look at him.

“You are helping her.” Jacob’s voice was an anchor to her. Resonating deep with a hint of authority but mostly friendly compassion. He guided her wayward thoughts toward the light as she had done so often for him. “Tell me what more you think you can do?”

It was a good question. Allison lifted her gaze, noting that the car passed into the town outside of Juniper Springs. Old, run-down trailers lined the side of the road. “If I knew, I would be doing it.”

“Then rest in that knowledge.” Jacob eased his car into a gravel lot. Allison’s heart fell. Was this their suspect’s home? Her body heat dropped a few degrees at the thought of having to set foot in the dilapidated trailer park and grew even colder at the thought of Mia possibly being here. Jacob didn’t even seem fazed as he killed the engine. “Because what you’re doing is more than enough.”

Jacob kept his pace close to Allison’s as he stepped up to the door. Fletcher Robles’s address had to be in the most run-down part of town, didn’t it? And a place where no lady should be. At least he was with her, and Allison did look like a woman who could handle herself, so it eased his anxiety a bit.

He watched where he placed his feet on the rickety stairs that led to the back porch of Fletcher’s mobile home. Upon first glance, Jacob knew Fletcher wasn’t alone in this trailer, even if he had no human company. The termites that had chowed down on the stairs and back deck made up for the lack of companionship in his life, and the neighborhood pit bulls that snarled from their chain link fence indicated that no trespasser was ever welcome.

“Home sweet home.” Allison’s sarcasm hovered below a murmur as she followed Jacob’s careful footsteps up the stairs. Each time she stepped, the resulting creak made Jacob wonder if it could hold the weight of three people. There was no way he was setting foot inside that house. The very atmosphere of the place made the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand at attention. Caution screamed a warning bell into his mind, and he knew he needed to heed it.

“The place could use a few touch-ups,” he answered Allison’s sarcastic droll. His fist collided with a door that sounded empty inside, as if someone had thrown two pieces of scrap metal together, named it a door, and called it good for the day.

The bottom flap of the door came loose and scraped against the toe kick when the door opened. A crack appeared between the doorjamb and the door. A face peered out, no more friendly than the surroundings he called home. “Yeah?”

Jacob needed to take control of the situation and let Fletcher know who was in charge. He wasn’t going to settle for some cold shoulder. He put on his best professional smile and leaned around so he could see Fletcher’s face clearly. “Fletcher Robles?”

“Yeah.” Came the oh-so-open and friendly response. “Who’s askin’?”

Jacob didn’t back down. “I’m Jacob Davis; this is my friend, Allison.” He purposefully dropped her last name. The last thing he needed was this creep stalking Allison. “We spoke on the phone, I believe?”

“That’s me.” The door creaked all the way open to reveal a disheveled man. His face was streaked with years that added to his age; there were clear signs of a smoker and probably other things too. Beer cans littered the dusty corners of the deck. Jacob was sure that there was more than just beer involved in this man’s life. Fletcher’s sandy hair stuck out of all the sides of his head. People with long hair really should keep it tidy, Jacob thought, or don’t have long hair! Probably hadn’t been washed in a few weeks. The baggy shorts and white T-shirt did nothing to improve the man’s appearance, and already, Jacob decided to further heed that repetitious alarm in his head.

Jacob’s palm flattened and gestured toward the few chairs spattering the deck in what he hoped would be taken as a friendly gesture. “Would you mind if we asked you a few questions? As I mentioned on the phone, I am looking into my sister’s disappearance, and I’m looking to get your side of the story.”

Fletcher’s eyes lingered on the deck for a few moments as if he’d never even seen the outside of his house before. What was taking him so long to come up with a single yes or no answer? It shouldn’t have been that hard, should it? A shrug followed his delay. “Sure. Why not?”

Jacob exchanged a look with Allison, trying to read in her honey eyes if she bore the same wariness he did. When the look confirmed that she did, they both stepped toward the rickety chairs and carefully lowered themselves onto them. Jacob hoped the chairs would hold them and was halfway surprised when one of them didn’t splinter and collapse.

Fletcher didn’t seem to notice as he plopped down in the one facing them. Jacob chose to take the one closest to Fletcher in case he tried anything—that way he could protect Allison. The sandy-haired bum gestured to both of them. “Any o’ you smoke?”

Jacob prickled. “No.”

“No.” Allison didn’t show whatever true feelings she had as she merely held up a hand.

Fletcher nodded, his grunt saying, suit yourself. He dug a cigarette out of his jeans pocket and flicked the lighter. “So, what do you wanna talk to me about?” He flicked the lighter again, and this time set the flame to the edge of his cigarette. In seconds, a putrid smoke smell filled the air, and he flipped his lighter down onto the table.

Jacob cleared his throat, trying to concentrate over the discomfort of the guy’s blatant disregard about everything life and light. “I know that my sister, Mia, mentioned you on her podcast. She did along with a lot of other people, and I’m just trying to get both sides of the story.”

Fletcher scoffed. “Both sides of the story, huh? No one has ever cared about both sides. Because the podcaster is never wrong, right?”

It was everything Jacob could do to keep his gaze set on Fletcher and not switch over to Allison to see her reaction if she gave any. Already the hostility built up in the atmosphere, and it made his skin freeze over with adversity. “That’s not always true.” He forced the words from his mouth. But clearly, the guy harbored some hatred for Mia, too, so maybe he could play his mind just a little bit… see if the story lined up. He had listened to Mia’s podcast episodes about this guy, and he was the one person that she had been able to talk to personally. Now that he was here, the thought of his precious Mia stepping foot anywhere near this rat-infested place doubled the acid in his stomach.

Allison took the reins. From her voice and stamina, it was clear that she had far more experience asking these types of questions. “Sounds like Mia really had you pinned as the killer of Craig Tate. She was even emphatic about her suspicions. I’m sure that must have angered you. It would have really angered me if I were in your position.”

“You dang right it did.” Fletcher’s eyes flashed with a snap of flame, bolting to Allison’s gaze. “But it wasn’t me. She thought she knew so much. She thought she was so smart, but that’s not how it was.”

“Why don’t you tell me how it was?” Allison leaned forward, steepling her fingers as her elbows made craters in her knees. “Let’s just get the facts straight, make sure we’re all on the same page here, and then we can accomplish our goals.”

“And what are our goals?” Fletcher bit out. “That you can pin me to the wall not only as Craig’s killer but also as the guy who kidnapped Mia?”

“That’s not our goal.” Allison dismissed his accusation with a shake of her head that sent waves of strawberry blond strands bouncing in the building humidity. “Our goal is to find out exactly what happened to Mia, and we feel that the best way to do that is by going through the minds of some of the people she interacted with.”

“I never interacted with her,” Fletcher growled.

Jacob’s inner antenna stood at attention. “So... you’re saying you never met my sister?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Fletcher’s dark gaze rumbled over to Jacob, and he looked him dead in the face. His lie spilled from his mouth like a poisonous gas.

Jacob sat in silence, drilling into him with a silent gaze that challenged him to come clean. But Fletcher would do no such thing. He ripped his head around to face Allison again. “You’re that lawyer chick that guest-starred with her all the time, aren’t you? Why don’t you tell me what you know? Since you know the story, anyway.”

“Okay,” Allison accepted the challenge and sat back, far too comfortable considering the building tension. Jacob prided himself upon appearing relaxed in tense situations, but Allison’s relaxed stance was impressive. “You and Craig used to work for the exterminator company in this town. On the day that Craig was killed, you and he were supposed to go to a house with rats first thing, but you got called out to go to a house infested with bugs instead and not to the rat-infested home.”

“You remember details as clearly as I do.” Fletcher’s posture stiffened. “It’s almost like you came here, armed and ready to pin me to the wall.”

“Then tell me the rest!” Allison gestured to him, a smile slapped to her face as if she were teasing him, trying to make him laugh. “And make it easy on all of us. We’re not here to pin anyone to the wall. We’re just trying to figure out what happened to Mia.”

“Look, I had nothing to do with that!” Fletcher tossed his cigarette-free hand in the air, the other hand holding the untouched cigarette. “But since you’re so insistent on hearing the story, I’ll tell ya what happened. Yeah, me and Craig were supposed to go out to this place to get rid of the rats first thing, but we were told to forget it—someone else was handling it—so then we were supposed to go to this house that has bugs. It was clear on the other side of town, so I dropped Craig off and went to go get gas. When I came back, I started working outside and didn’t even go in. So, I’m outside working, right, and I hear this screaming after an hour or so. I come running in, and the homeowner is just losing her—” He caught himself from finishing that sentence as if he remembered he was talking to a lady. “She’s just going berserk. I look, and there’s Craig, lyin’ on the floor. That’s all I know. I didn’t even know he was poisoned until they told me.”

Why would “they” tell him? Probably during questioning, Jacob mused. So far, all of his facts except one added up. That was the original story, that he had gone to get gas. The confusing part was why were they called out to a different house on the other side of town so last minute? And the poison in Fletcher’s system hadn’t just been any kind of poison. Jacob could almost hear Mia’s youthful voice on her podcast, announcing the cause of death with a dun-dun-dun tone to her voice:

“It was rat poison! Weren’t they supposed to exterminate some rats that morning? That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, rat poison. And who else would have access to it but Fletcher Robles, Craig Tate’s partner? Doesn’t this whole thing just strike you as odd? What I want to know is, did Fletcher do it with the rat poison he had access to? Or was there another reason they got called out to a different home?”

Memories faded, and Jacob went back to watching Allison battle with Fletcher. Despite being standoffish at first, Fletcher fell in line, quick to defend himself. His eyes snapped with deeper color and fervency. He hadn’t been honest about one thing, though, and Jacob decided to get to the bottom of it.

“So how did you hear about the podcast?”

Fletcher sat back as if the question hit him unexpectedly. He took a long drag off of his cigarette, eyes skimming the top of it to latch onto Jacob, and he blew the smoke out of his mouth before muttering his answer. “My name was all over the internet. It’s not hard to stumble across it.”

“You didn’t hear about it after my sister contacted you with questions regarding the case? She had a lot of private information, stuff that only you would know. Like what call you were supposed to go out to that morning?” Jacob ended his sentence with a questioning tone, offering Fletcher a chance to tell the truth.

Fletcher’s hand clenched over the cigarette, breaking the edge off. “I told you. I never talked to Mia or saw her in my life.”

Jacob was done playing his game. A tilt of his head and a pointed stare proceeded his question. “Why do you feel like you have to lie to me? I heard my sister say in her podcast that she talked to you personally!” Fletcher could deny it, but his sister didn’t lie. She knew she could get caught in a lie like that, so she always stuck to the truth. Not only that, but she was always honest, even growing up. He was not going to believe a scumbag over his dear sister.

A deep, red color spread over Fletcher’s cheeks. His eyes lowered into something dark and deadly, frightening to the average person. This time, Jacob did cast a glance at Allison, whose stiff posture indicated that she had sensed it too.

Instead of the explosion Jacob expected, Fletcher blew the last of the smoke from his mouth and with it, spewed any explosive response he may have given. “Okay, you know what?” His voice smoothed out. “I did see her!”

Bam. And there it was. The truth was out. Jacob folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. This wasn’t a business meeting, so he could allow a little bit of his emotion to leak out. He challenged Fletcher with his eyes, and Fletcher filled in the gap with his words.

“But I only saw her once, and that’s the way I wanted it. I told her to leave and never come back! She ruined my life with that podcast of hers. She has no idea the damage it did to me. I already lost my job because of the strings that attached me to Craig’s murder. But then she had to go and broadcast it, and you know how word travels in a small town! No one would hire me. Everyone thinks I did it, even though there was no incriminating evidence found. So, yeah, I’m a little mad.”

A little mad? The words spat like venom from his mouth, and an inferno raged in his eyes. So, he had lost his job and couldn’t get hired anywhere? Well, it wasn’t like Mia had set out with the intention to hurt anyone.

“But don’t you go blaming me for her disappearance! If you ask me, she had it coming!”

Jacob’s head snapped up, and it took Allison’s gentle touch on his upper arm to draw him back to planet Earth for a minute. Although he kept himself in check with controlled skill, he wanted to rage, dig into this thoughtless man with words and threats of his own, but he forced himself to remain cool. “She never set out to destroy anyone’s lives.”

“No, but you try losing everything you own. Your career, your future—everything—because some girl spread gossip about you on her podcast!” Fletcher rumbled. “Gossip that simply wasn’t true.”

“I think we need to take a deep breath.” Jacob glanced at Allison, reading her expression. “We’re not pointing any fingers here. We are just trying to get both sides of the story to see if we can’t find out what happened to Mia.”

“Well, congratulations, it looks like you’ve got your wish.” Fletcher’s arms folded over his stomach, leaning back in his chair. “I think I can speak for everyone who has ever had their lives destroyed by her podcast. We all wanted this to happen. A girl like that who can uproot someone’s life should be held accountable for her own actions.”

“That’s more than enough.” Jacob wanted to shout the words, but instead, he forced them to be smooth and calm. He didn’t need anything more. He had more than enough. “Thank you for your input. I think we really should be going.”

“I really think you should be too.” Fletcher took a drag of finality on his new cigarette, his gaze locked on Allison and Jacob. He clearly didn’t want to tear his eyes away. “Thanks for stopping by.”

As if the visit with Fletcher Robles could enhance the dark clouds that thickened in the atmosphere, Jacob switched his headlights on to illumine the road before him and Allison. “I can’t believe that guy.” He gripped the steering wheel to keep from snarling the words.

“Me neither.” Allison’s look of bewilderment never left the front windshield. She sat in shock, no doubt replaying the conversation in her head as he had done a thousand times since they left. “I mean, no compassion, nothing but spite for a girl who’s gone missing.”

“My sister, of all people.” This time, Jacob did allow for a growl to escape his gritted teeth. “How dare he? No one messes with my sister.”

He had so much more he wanted to say. He wanted to break down the facade that he had maintained for his entire career to never show how he truly felt about someone—to call this disrespectful man the names he deserved, to threaten to undo his life all over again, like Fletcher had claimed Mia had done. Only worse. Compared to what he wanted to do, Mia’s minor interference would look like nothing more than a gentle slap on the wrist. “I just…” What could he say that wouldn’t reveal his masquerade? “I wonder how he would feel if the same thing happened to him? That is, if he even has a heart to care about anyone in his life. Parents, siblings, a girl, whatever. How would it make him feel if someone he cared about came up missing?”

Allison’s mouth didn’t hang agape, eyes wide, taking in his own vitriol with shock. She let him be himself and show a bit of his heart to her. He appreciated that, finding it safe to confide in her. But still, it wasn’t like him to spill any part of the true feelings he kept inside. “Sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize.” Allison’s voice calmed whatever anxiety he might have had about letting her in. “I get it. I’m frustrated too. The guy was a jerk.”

A jerk. Jacob let his lips lift in a smile. “Yeah, he was.”

Allison let her own disdain for the man boil in her gut as she stared out the window. Fletcher did more than irritate her: his callous words angered her. She turned the situation over and over again in her mind, trying to think of one reason he couldn’t be the kidnapper; but the more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that even though she shouldn’t jump to conclusions, there was no reason to rule him out either. In fact, she fully intended to verbally transcript the conversation to Avery and let her detective friend pick it apart and see if it was worth investigating further.

A splatter against the windshield startled her out of her thoughts, but she quickly brought her thoughts back. “Starting to rain.” She stated the obvious with a sigh. It couldn’t wait until they got home, could it?

Jacob switched on the windshield wipers, scattering a few more droplets into smears across the window. The smell of wet asphalt rose up around them, seeping in through the vents of his car. “Welcome to Washington, where we forget what the sun looks like.”

Allison giggled. She wondered if there was a hidden meaning to his words. He had mentioned before that he was content in his job, but a hollow emptiness filled his gaze at times, and Allison wished she knew what that emptiness consisted of. As they continued to travel down the road, a cloud of mist rose up in front of them, and Jacob’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Oh, boy. We’re about to hit a downpour.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the tiny droplets transformed into a waterfall, washing the dirt from his car, and soaking an even stream onto his windshield. Allison felt her body stiffen, bracing herself for the hair-raising drive back. “Didn’t think to bring the canoe, did you?”

Jacob’s chuckle relaxed her a little bit. He seemed relaxed, like driving in the rain didn’t bother him as it did some people. “There wasn’t room next to the suntan lotion.”

Memories of their first conversation that morning washed over her like the rain, and she allowed a small giggle, despite the situation. It was foolishness to say that she and Jacob were riding in silence. The car was hardly silent. The pounding of the rain on the roof of the Mercedes resembled a drum corps. The constant drumming made her head spin after a while. Torrents of rain surrounded the car, concealing everything but the first few feet of the road from view. The windshield wipers sprang into action, angrily flinging the water streams off the window, only to go back with speed and do the same to the ones that replaced them. Jacob’s hand drifted over to the emergency light button on his dash, fingertips feeling around until he found it and punched it. “I wasn’t expecting this today.”

“Me neither.” Allison reached for the handle on the door to clutch it tightly, as if the tighter the hold she had on it, the safer they would get to their destination. “I saw rain in the forecast, but you never check twice when you see rain in Washington.”

“They didn’t say anything about a waterfall from the sky though.” Jacob released a weary sigh. The car jerked slightly, and a scraping sound sent a jet stream of water against the undercarriage of the Mercedes.

Allison figured she’d help him keep an eye on the road. She feared that the heavy rainfall would lead to other problems for them. Then she saw it. She reached, grasping Jacob’s shoulder. “Jacob, watch out!”

He slammed on his brakes. Allison felt the current of the tiny river on the road pick up their back wheels and pull them this way and that. Jacob jerked his steering wheel back and forth, trying to straighten out his fishtailing car. The nose of the car came to a rolling stop inches away from the flood that gushed across the little dip in the road.

He and Allison stared at the danger for a few moments, hoping that it was just water rushing over the surface of the road. But Jacob’s logic broke through, bringing them both back to reality.

“I’m not familiar with these roads. Are you?”

“No.” Allison didn’t want to admit that she hardly ever left Juniper Springs.

Jacob glanced in his rearview mirror, confirming that no one was coming. “I don’t feel like being stupid today. Turn around, don’t drown, right?”

“Right.” Allison couldn’t rip her eyes away from the sight. Earlier it had been just a simple road as they traveled toward the maniac’s house, but now it appeared that a little river had carved its bed right across the road. Who knew how strong the current was? Or what was in the current?

“I think it’s too dangerous to drive in this much of a downpour.” Jacob glanced over his shoulder, swinging his arm around and setting it behind Allison’s seat. “How do you feel about pulling over and waiting out the storm? You don’t have anywhere to be, do you?”

Allison shook her head, attempting to conceal the thrilling strike that pulsed through her at the thought of spending extra time with him. “Nope. I think it’s better to wait it out too.”

“Then let’s pull over. Maybe we can find a gravel lot. Wasn’t there a parking lot around here somewhere?”

Normally Allison would have kept that information in the foreground of her mind, but her eyes had been fixed to the road ahead of them. Any deviance of her gaze would have resulted in her warning Jacob about the flash flood too late. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to your side of the road.”

“No worries. That wasn’t a reprimand.” Jacob aimed a grin at her as his car began to roll backward. The car carried them away from the flood and onto the shoulder just enough for him to turn around. Allison watched him work the car like a pro, shifting back and forth, back and forth until they were on the opposite side of the road, heading back toward the parking lot that Jacob claimed to remember.

“You’re really good at this.”

“You’d be amazed at the spaces I have to get in and out of for my job.” Jacob’s lips danced a smile as if thinking of a few of those spots himself. “These job sites find every corner to squeeze themselves into.”

“Oh, that doesn’t surprise me.” Allison loosened her grip on the handle of the door.

The car rolled forward a few paces before slowing. Sure enough, the road broke and spilled into a gravel lot that led to somewhere. Allison couldn’t quite make out the shape through the panels of rain that slammed into the ground and held up a grey curtain to conceal a clearer view. “You were right.”

Jacob guided his car into the parking lot. Allison cringed at the feel of the tires sinking into the dirt that lay just underneath the gravel. “I hope this driveway doesn’t get washed out.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Jacob nodded toward her. “Why don’t you see if you can text your friend and let her know where we’re at, just in case we need some roadside assistance when this is over.”

Allison pulled her phone into her lap and opened her screen. “Good idea.” She tapped out a message to Avery as Jacob finished maneuvering into a parking space.

Hey, Avery, we were on our way back but ran into some flooding on the road. We’re pulled over in a gravel parking lot to wait out the storm.

And, send. The dots waved beside her message, informing her that the phone was doing everything it could to deliver her message, but the signal proved formidable.

“Looks like a barn?” Jacob’s question was like a fishing line, drawing her gaze up. The building had no other cars around. The rain cleared a bit, revealing an old, barn-looking building. The polished wood stood out against the rugged backdrop of the forest that stretched out behind it. A cursive sign hung above the door.

Wilson Weddings and Events

“So, looks like we’re at an event center?” Allison fixed her gaze on the barn. “Oh, yeah, I have heard about this place! It’s the number one go-to spot for any event. Weddings, high school reunions, graduation parties. I’ve heard it’s beautiful.”

“When it’s not getting rained on.” Jacob turned the key in the ignition, killing the engine to conserve gas, but the lights that lit the dash reminded him that the battery still ran under the hood.

Allison let her head tilt in cute curiosity. They would be sitting together for who knew how long… might as well make light conversation. She wouldn’t mind knowing a bit more about him anyway. “Did you have any plans to attend your high school reunion?”

A look of displeasure crossed Jacob’s face, and his head moved from side to side at the speed of a tortoise running. “I thought about it. That was this year, wasn’t it? Year before?”

The thought of having a high school reunion sneaking up on her gave her chills. Somehow her twenty-seven years seemed older than it felt. She could only imagine how Jacob felt. He had been, what, two years older than her? “I believe so. The year before, I believe.”

“I thought about it. But I haven’t really stayed in touch with anyone from high school. I left to join a very different world.” His voice fell like the rain.

Allison unbuckled her seat belt and turned to see him better. Her head plopped onto her waiting fingers as her elbow propped against the door. She set her gaze on him, studying him, trying to pick him apart piece by piece. Jacob was a hard man to read behind that charming smile, but she could pick up on some cues now and again. “So, you feel like you’d stick out like a sore thumb if you returned to your high school reunion as different as you are.”

‘I think so, yes.” Jacob’s admittance bore the softness that counteracted the hair-raising drive from earlier. He didn’t meet her gaze but rather seemed to let it wander, perhaps over the grounds where memories were made… she herself had plenty of those; core memories, good pictures, fun times that perhaps he had missed out on for the better part of his life. “I just was good at everything I did, you know? Everything I touched turned to gold.”

Allison cracked a smile. Ah, there was a bit of that ego breaking through, but what he was saying wasn’t exactly a lie. She remembered back in high school—he really had been good at everything he did. It seemed that he couldn’t fail. He never wasted his time like the rest of his friends did, whittling away the hours on a video game all Saturday or spending his summer in front of the television. Projects were his main go-to back then. Allison had been astounded at the number of tree houses or doghouses that went up around the neighborhood with Jacob’s help. Now, it only added to his character, a piece of the charm that made him who he was. “I remember.”

“It made me bored, to be honest.” Jacob let a chuckle emerge as he shook his head. He bumped his windshield wipers one final time, his car still running off the battery. The wipers cleared the windshield of the rain droplets that quilted the surface, clearing the view. The barn had better visibility as the rain changed direction. A deck stretched out over the side of the barn, the planks and railings home to many a happy celebration in the past. Some string lights webbed over the surface of the deck, unlit until the next private event. An awning stretched out over the entrance of the barn, keeping the doorway clear of the blowing precipitation. Allison observed the delightful grounds as she listened to Jacob’s thoughts.

“My friends were always more interested in girls, dating, video games and the like, and I enjoyed making projects. I could never find anyone who wanted to work on a Saturday with me.”

Allison giggled. She would have, but she wasn’t sure if it was because she enjoyed the project or his company. Probably the latter, from the way she relished it now. She was enjoying how easily the conversation flowed between them. No longer the awkward “hellos” of a teen, but rather a heart-to-heart with a friend. “I’m sure Mia would have helped you.”

“Mia?” He let his laughter spill, dousing the conversation. “I love my sister, but her strong suit was creativity with words, not with boards and nails. The one time she tried to help me because I was stuck on something, she wound up smashing her hand with the hammer. Remember that?”

“Oh, yes!” Allison relished in the memory. “When I came over that afternoon, she blamed you for it. Said you didn’t teach her how to run a hammer correctly.”

“Right… run a hammer.” Jacob’s laughter mingled with Allison’s, lightening the dark mood in the car until it settled into silence again. Allison felt his emotions thicken, and before she could say anything, he shattered the silence and rerouted the conversation.

“I’m worried about her, Allison.”

Allison angled herself toward him even more, slipping one leg underneath her as she turned to face him in the seat. “Mia?”

“Yes.” The sorrow in his eyes broke her heart. “You and I both know the odds. Anyone missing after forty-eight hours is more likely to wind up being a cadaver that is found, not a living, breathing human being.”

“That’s not across the board.” Allison dismissed his hopeless jumble with a shake of her head, letting her hair bounce in finality. “We can’t think like that.”

“We almost have to.” His voice filled with lost hope. “We can’t go on pretending that this isn’t a bad situation. If she were alive, she would have found a way to contact one of us by now, and she hasn’t. No one has heard from her. So, either she’s being held somewhere or…”

He, too, couldn’t bring himself to say the word, and Allison was fine with that. She wanted to be the ray of hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. But the truth was, she was worried sick about Mia too. It was always the sweetest souls, the ones who loved with their whole being, that wound up in situations like this. She pictured sweet Mia’s smiling face, the one that lit up her entire complexion; the hair that complimented her pretty face; the nose ring she had gotten to enhance it—a personal touch, she had said. Running her podcast was dangerous, as Fletcher had so coldly pointed out this morning. People probably wanted her dead. Or hurt. Had this podcast cost her the ultimate price?

Allison sighed, sitting back in her seat, and returned her gaze to the venue. “Jacob,” she said, dragging her voice out to keep it from wobbling. “I know it seems pretty dire right now. But we can’t give up. There is still hope. I have a feeling that she’s still out there, alive, and okay.” She forced herself to look at him, afraid that he would see the doubt in her words swimming in her eyes. Instead, the desperate way he looked at her ate her up and forced her to continue feeding that assurance he was searching for. “But we’re never going to find her if we allow ourselves to be bogged down by discouragement. Okay?”

Jacob forced himself listen to her words. His eyes changed from a deep pain to a spark that he could hold on to. His head nods became slow at first but increased in speed as he reasoned with himself to not give up. “Okay. Okay. You’re right.”

She knew she was. After all, her instinct had gotten her in and out of sticky situations many times in the past. She aimed a comforting smile at him and glanced back out the window. The rain didn’t have a single hint of letting up and seemed to be coming down harder like tiny meteors, leaving craters in the ground from where the hard raindrops left their mark. The refreshing air beckoned to her. So cleansing. Cleanse. The word had an inviting freshness to it, something she craved right there in that moment. She could use a cleanse, and quite frankly, so could he. His job, although he seemed to love it, had to drain him of the vibrancy of everyday life. Missing Mia wasn’t helping with that.

A cute smile touched her face. She tilted her head. “When was the last time you danced in the rain?”

Jacob looked like he had been slapped by her question. His head went back, one eyebrow came down, and his nose wrinkled in her direction. “Sorry?”

“When was the last time you danced in the rain?” She felt it was better to repeat her question than to try to explain that she was, in fact, serious.

Jacob let a laugh explode from him. “And just when do you think I’d have the time or the empty brain to do that?”

Of course, he’d be the logical one. She should be too. After all, what person in their right mind danced in the rain?

People who wanted to live and thrive, that’s who. People who refused to get bogged down by what society said was okay. Society said it was crazy to dance in the rain. Yet, children did it all the time, and they were some of the freest people on the planet. Allison decided that everyone could learn a thing or two from children. She didn’t want to mention that the times she had danced in the rain had proved to be very enjoyable. “Sometimes if I’m having a terrible day, I go dancing in the rain. It seems to cleanse me.” She inserted the word into the conversation since it was what started this whole proposal. “To cleanse the soul, to wash away all the bad.”

She tossed a glance in the back seat, then bent her torso into the seat to reach her raincoat. “Come with me!” her voice drenched in invitation. As she reached for it in the back seat, Jacob didn’t move a single one of his manly muscles—except for his mouth.

“You’re crazy.”

Perhaps. Allison acknowledged him with a giggle. “Come on. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Well,” his voice pinpointed the obvious answer, “you could get too wet and cold and catch hypothermia as a result. You could slip and fall.”

Allison shrugged. “Hasn’t happened yet.” She leaned forward, throwing her coat around her shoulders. She plucked the door handle and slipped outside, sliding her arms into the sleeves as she did.

Jacob couldn’t believe it.

He really couldn’t.

He sat there in the front seat of his car watching this crazy woman step out of the dry warmth of his vehicle and spin through the torrential rainfall—the rainfall that had flooded the roads out, making travel impossible for them to return home—a cold, October rain that stole the breath from the lungs just as quickly as it chilled.

Allison didn’t even care. The smile on her face lit a floodlight in the storm that surrounded her. She held her arms out, lifting her face to the heavens, and let the rain pelt her complexion, washing away everything. The makeup she had adorned herself with that morning leaked, resembling cheetah tears down both sides of her face from the trails of mascara. Her laughter rose, inviting him, and her feet spun in and out, in and out of one another, carrying her body in a graceful, rainy pirouette. There were only a few words that came to Jacob’s mind as he huffed a sigh, digging in the back for his own raincoat.

Reckless.

Out of her mind.

Free.

The last word appealed so much to him, but even then, he couldn’t touch it. He pulled his coat on, flipping the hood up to cover his hair. “Allison! Get back in the car! You’re going to get cold!”

Her laughter was the only response he received. She really didn’t care, did she? She reached out toward his hands, grasping them in her own rain-soaked flesh, and pulled him into her dancing spell.

“Allison!” Jacob cried, but her joyful laughter carried over the sound of his concern, and he fell into step with her. His feet slipped underneath him, and he struggled to right himself. “This is too much!”

He could feel the rain soaking through his pants, his socks. A cold seeped into his pores, sending chills up his back. His hood flew off, and the rain made quick work of his hair, sticking the loose strands of it to his face. In seconds, his body became soaked, only dry under the raincoat. He tried to get free, but Allison tightened her grip on him.

“You’re already soaked now, so why not dance with me?”

Jacob let go of his aspirations of staying dry at this point. Why not humor her? He sighed. “All right.” He then took the lead, giving her arm a gentle tug and began to swing her around, arms outstretched. She let out a small whoop, squinting her eyes closed against the needles of rain that jabbed into her eyes.

“How do you like it?” Jacob asked her, being dragged into a dance, like she had done for him. He and Allison were both professionals and yet, here they were, dancing in the rain. Yes, the rain. Not just under a sky of stars or of pure, robin’s egg blue, but rain. It took a few swings, but Jacob realized after a while that there was no one watching. His corporate towers were not glaring down at his conduct with tangible disapprobation; there was no one to stop him but himself. Since when did he let logic get in the way of enjoying life?

Look at her. How free was this woman clasped in his hands, swinging around, and letting the rain wash her into a mess! The mascara trickled down her face, her hair uncurled itself and swung through the air in strands rather than waves. But she had never looked so happy. And Allison was always happy. She didn’t care about how she looked. She was the farthest thing from perfect looking and yet, she didn’t care. It wasn’t just Mia; Allison knew how to get the most enjoyment out of life too. How did she do it?

Jacob finally released her, breathless laughter heaving his sides. Allison had the same effect, her hand to her chest as she struggled to breathe through her laughter. She brought her gaze up to meet his, and he held it, allowing it to be magnetized there for a long while.

Both of their laughter descended into a pondering of each other, one that Jacob hadn’t felt in a long time. Everything he knew about this woman flooded over him like the road that had forced them there in the first place. It wasn’t a realization; it was a fact that gave him a slap in the face hard enough to leave a sting behind.

Allison was beautiful. He admitted that. And her beauty wasn’t the kind he was accustomed to. It wasn’t the striking, plastic beauty that the girls, including Marissa, dolled themselves up with. It was a natural grace that made her beautiful without her even trying. How could she be pretty with mascara streaming down her face, hair splattered across her cheeks? Jacob stepped forward and wiped her hair away. What was he doing, standing in the rain with her after dancing and actually enjoying it? How did this free-spirited girl manage to bring out the best in him without even trying? The thing he loved most about her wasn’t just that she was different from the other girls. Rather it was what made her different than everyone else who threw themselves at him. She had never once treated him like a millionaire. To Marissa and everyone else, he was Jacob the millionaire, the handsome money-machine. To Allison?

He was Jacob. Just Jacob.

She hadn’t laughed like that. Not in a long while.

Allison’s breaths came in heaves, but it wasn’t just from the cold rain or the laughter. Jacob’s touch on her face brought a host of emotions that silenced her. Just feeling. She had shared her heart with him, and he with her; now they had shared laughter together, something crazy that he would have never done if she hadn’t forced him from that car. She let herself be captivated by that ocean of azure in his eyes, the fine jawline, the perfectly formed lips. It wasn’t just that he was handsome. His heart of gold only enhanced those features. Her mind flashed back to when he had paid the tab for the single mom in the pizzeria and hadn’t even brought it up again. How he always opened the door for her, how he considered her emotions and how she felt about things. The reality soaked through past her skin and into her heart. Her feelings for him had never fully died. They had only enhanced.

Did he sense it too?

He held her gaze for longer than he ever had, exploring the depth of her eyes with a sort of curious hunger that she couldn’t explain. What was the next move from there? Would she be the one to break the spell before it got too uncomfortable? They were in the middle of finding Mia, not a breathtaking romance that either of them had planned—which was probably one-sided anyway, Allison told herself—leftovers of the crush she’d had on him as a teen.

Jacob seemed to read her mind as he said, “Well. Now that you’re soaked through and through, you can’t get back inside my car.” An affectionate smile overtook his expression.

“Oh, really?” She tilted her head upward, almost inviting him to dance with her again. “And just what would you have me do?”

“Ah, you didn’t plan for that in your little worst-case scenario question, did you?” Eyes dancing, he took her shoulder and turned her toward the venue. An electric spark shot down her shoulder where he touched her, and she realized that whatever had just happened between them in the rain had changed something. For her, at least.

Jacob guided her toward the awning where they stepped underneath it. The rain stopped beating them to death but continued to pound the ground outside. Allison glanced up at the clouds. “I don’t think this is rolling out any time soon.”

Jacob agreed. “I don’t think so either.” He aimed a smile at her. “Still glad about your idea to dance in the rain?”

“I don’t regret it.” Allison lifted her chin with a smile. They shared another small laugh before Allison’s logic took over again. “I probably should call Avery and let her know what’s going on.”

“Good idea.” Jacob looked up at the door and knocked once. “What are the odds that someone is here?”

“I’d say very few. There’s no car in the driveway.”

“No.” Jacob reached down, yanking on the handles to the big oak doors. To his surprise, the door cracked open. He shared a surprised look with Allison before pushing it open the rest of the way. “Well, what do you know?”

He urged Allison to go on ahead of him, hurrying inside the event center.

The constant pounding of the torrent outside was muffled by the event center’s quietude. Jacob closed the door behind them, stepping into the center and glancing around to pick up on anyone who might think they were trespassing. “Hello?” He called out. His voice was the only response that bounced back to him.

Allison glanced around and said, “Anyone here?”

They welcomed the silence that greeted them as they pressed into the open space that smelled of flowers and fresh wood. Round tables with chairs dotted portions of the floor, set up for whatever event someone had planned. Jacob glanced to his right, noticing a counter that looked like it could accommodate catering and whatever else was needed. To his left, the wall held nothing but windows with no curtains that overlooked the deck of the venue. Smaller string lights stretched over the inside of the cute little venue, offering light to the guest party below. Near the other end of the venue, two or three stairs led up to another area with more tables and chairs that was partitioned off from the rest of the center by a rail with turned spindles. Behind the tulle colors of pink and yellow that draped through the railing, Jacob could see a long table facing the room—for a bridal party, maybe? But for a room set for fifty or so guests, it had an empty feel to it. Perfect, Jacob thought. He didn’t really want company. He also didn’t want the person hosting this event to open the center and find them and think they were thieves here to steal.

“I think it’s just us.” Allison seemed to read his thoughts. Her cold hands pried her phone out of her raincoat pocket and lit her screen to life. “I’m going to try to call Avery and let her know what’s going on.”

“Go ahead.” Jacob’s gaze drifted to the space behind the catering counter. The only other exit from the event center appeared to be a door that led to the back. The door was tucked in the corner, next to the stairs that led to the upper level, so it was out of sight of the bridal party but not by the guests that occupied the main floor. He made a mental note so if anyone came through that back door, they wouldn’t be startled by hearing voices behind them.

Allison’s ringing phone drew his attention to where she stood by the large window; she was holding her phone flat. She glanced over at him. “My phone likes to hang up on people when the screen gets wet. I don’t want my hair to disconnect the call.”

He chuckled. “It’s fine.”

A rustle sounded on the other end. “Hello?”

“Avery, it’s Allison.”

“Hey, girl! I’m glad you called. I was getting worried. The weather is terrible!” Avery’s voice sounded muffled as if she were beneath a roof taking on heavy rainfall.

“Yeah, it’s bad here too.” Allison’s eyes rested on the deck where the raindrops deepened the brown in the boards that made up the deck. “Jacob and I had to pull into this event center, and we’re waiting out the storm.”

“Good. Please be careful when you leave. We’ve got some flash flood warnings in our area, and the roads are a mess.”

Grand. Jacob didn’t need to hear that, so he began pacing the room a bit. He let Allison finish up her conversation with her friend as he admired the architecture of the simple event center. He heard from Allison’s tone that she was nearly finished, and by the time she hung up with Avery, he had paced back to her. “Everything okay?”

“She said to be careful going back.” Allison faced him straight on. “I told her I’d fill her in on our conversation with Mr. Grumps once we get back.”

Mr. Grumps. How appropriate. Jacob let a smile tease his face but didn’t let it quite reach his eyes. It only reminded him of the nasty way Fletcher had spoken about his sister—and how Joey had said cruel things about her as well.

“What are you thinking about?” Allison tilted her head, leaning up against the large oak log that separated the windowpanes.

Jacob gave a single shake of his head. “Joey and Fletcher.”

“Trying to figure out if one of them could be our kidnapper?” Allison probably didn’t notice the way that her nose and chin leaned toward him… as if trying to nudge the answer out of him… did she realize how adorable she was?

“That,” Jacob joined her at the window, choosing to look out rather than lean against the frame like she did, “and how little they know about her. They treat her like she’s some kind of…” He shrugged to make up for his lack of appropriate vocabulary. “Some kind of villain that tried to set out to destroy people’s lives.”

“It is interesting how her podcast affects people.” Allison followed his gaze out to the area that had previously been their dance floor.

“I wouldn’t tell her to give it up,” Jacob began, “but I would highly recommend that she not be so adamant about these people being guilty—at least to follow the ‘innocent until proven guilty’ theory.”

“I think no matter what she does, it will always carry a risk.” Allison’s tone hushed to a softer one, as gentle as the rain tap dancing on the window. “But what is life without risks? A wasted life.”

As she finished her own thought, Jacob chewed on her adamant statement. “You think so?”

“If you never push yourself to take a risk,” her voice rose as if giving a runner some encouragement on his last stretch of the racetrack, “throwing aside the ‘what-ifs’ and plunging into the unknown, then the reward won’t be as great if it were just handed to you.” She demonstrated with her hand. She blinked to meet his gaze. “I feel like you, of all people, would understand that.”

How well she knew him. He had taken that plunge, that risk. Sure, he was successful at everything, but that didn’t mean his road to success was just a cakewalk. It demanded much of him. The risk of a regular guy from a small town, degree in hand, rushing into the big city with determination to make his mark upon the millions of faces that awaited him… long nights, early mornings… sometimes getting no sleep at all… sacrifices and holidays. Allison’s commentary about risk all made sense, and it was worth it. Except for one part of it, but that part he tucked away for another conversation.

Instead, he turned his attention to Allison, watching her sparkling eyes stare out the window as if she had no idea the effect of her words on him. He could stare at her and analyze her all day, but he realized that even with his spending countless hours with her while trying to find Mia, he really didn’t know her at all. What he knew was as obvious as the gloom outside. Allison had the personality of a carbonated drink, bubbly and sweet. But what lay behind that candy facade? What were the ingredients that made up that sweet treat that she was? He realized that she could have a boyfriend that she called every night, and he would have no idea. He hadn’t really prodded into her personal life that much, but for some reason, right now, right here in this moment, it mattered to him to know more about her… the layers that made up Allison Miller.

Before he could think of something to ask her, she shifted into his thoughts again. “Do you ever think about when we were kids, Jacob? On days like this when we’d stay in bed, watching our favorite TV shows or curling up with our latest favorite book?”

“And dreaming about becoming adults?” Jacob reached his hand up, curling his fingers around the wooden windowsill and leaned his weight into his palm, feeling the smooth lacquered wood beneath him.

Allison’s laugh confirmed that he had probably finished her thought for her. “Yes, exactly. How we used to sit around and daydream about what our lives would look like. What jobs we wanted, what we wanted our weddings to look like, who our prince charmings or princesses would turn out to be.”

Dreams. How often they wilted like flowers once the early-twenty-something kids stepped foot across the threshold into the world for the first time only to find out that it was not what they had imagined it would be. He nodded in agreement, then asked her, “What were your childhood dreams, Allison? Have you found yourself achieving them?”

Allison drew in a breath through her nose as if gathering her thoughts required all the oxygen in the room. “I have.” Her nod confirmed that she was pleased with her answer. “I never wanted to be a ballerina or an actress like most girls back then. Horses were my thing… until I realized that I enjoyed helping people. And that’s what I wanted to do while I was growing up. I wanted to go into something that helped people.”

“And do you feel like you’ve accomplished that as a lawyer?” he asked.

“I do. Like I said before, there’s nothing better than justice for the innocent. Even if Juniper Springs is a small town that doesn’t have a lot to offer, there’s always someone out there who needs justice. And I love being the one to help bring it to them.”

Of course she did. She thrived on it. “I can see that about you. You always were the helpful little bee that made everyone’s lives better.”

Allison laughed. “I just didn’t know what that looked like until I got older. Now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” She turned her gaze to him. “What about you? I know you enjoyed building things, but did you ever see yourself going into property development?”

Jacob breathed out an “Oh,” mixed with a laugh. “Sure. Every kid answers ‘property developer’ when asked what they want to do with their lives.”

“You probably did! You didn’t seem like the firefighter type.” Her dimples deepened as she teased him.

“No, I don’t care for fires that much, thank you. Having the courage to run into a burning building is different than the courage to stand up and show the world what you’ve got to offer regarding brains and numbers.”

“Very true.”

“But I knew I wanted to design—not clothes—something bigger. And then one thing led to another which led to another. By high school, I had decided that I wanted to add my ideas to the skyline of Olympia or Seattle—maybe other places in the world. I felt like I was being left out when I had all these wonderful ideas for buildings to better the city and they went on building without me. So, I decided to join in. Then I realized I wasn’t content with building other people’s designs: I wanted to create my own. So, I started my business, and it spread like wildfire. Like I said, anything I touch seems to turn to gold.”

“And then you made your millions and lived happily ever after.” Allison’s voice creased with her smile.

Happily ever after? The emptiness nagged at him again, knocking on the door of his consciousness, begging to be let in. “I love what I do. Love my business, love my designs. But being a millionaire isn’t everything it’s chalked up to be.”

There. He admitted it. Allison’s eyebrows lifted with an expression that hit home. She had been expecting that. She had probably read his expression whenever he talked about his work. It wasn’t the job. He loved the job. But not so much the pressure.

“Once you become a millionaire, everyone knows who you are. You become a celebrity in your home. You are expected to live up to a certain standard.”

“So, dancing in the rain would never be tolerated in your world.”

Jacob guffawed with a shake of his head. “Uh, no. And when you invited me out for pizza…” A tender smile ignited at the memory. “People just don’t do that there. Everyone who knows me holds me up like some sort of famous actor or royalty. Stumbling in the slightest way can cost me clients or deals. And finding satisfaction can be hard.”

“I would think that with all that money, you could find satisfaction.” Allison was drawing him out, inviting him to answer. She knew the answer as well as he did that money couldn’t buy happiness.

“All of the cars, boats, and things in the world can’t make up for the lack of love in one’s life.” Jacob shook his head. “When I go out on a date, it’s either one of two reasons—usually both—why they’re going out with me: looks and money. Sometimes because it makes sense as an alliance of some sort. But in truth, hardly anyone ever wants to date me because I’m, well, me.”

He dragged his long gaze from the window to read her expression. Her face didn’t dim, but the thoughtfulness swept over her features. “Hmm. That must be hard.”

“It can be, but it is what it is. I’m not the only one to deal with it, I’m sure.”

He let the rain fill the silence before daring to venture off into the territory they had opened for discussion. “So, what about you? Do you have a Mr. Right at home, jealous of you gallivanting off with me all this time?”

Her laughter preceded the look of a lost person, searching for the words to say. “Nah, you’re good. I don’t have anyone waiting to slash your tires.” She drifted her gaze onto the deck outside, then upward to watch the string lights pulse in the wind. “I have dated a few times. But no one has ever really been my type, you know?”

He had to bite his tongue to keep from asking what exactly her type was.

“The last guy I was with—he was a long-term boyfriend.” Her eyes went from an amber shade to something deeper, as if weighed down by the disappointment in the story she told. “I tried to make it work. We were together for a few years, actually. But then he started getting really distant from me… said that I was choosing my career over him, so he withdrew.”

“Mm.” Jacob let her words torpedo into him.

“Even though I was keeping regular hours at the time, maybe staying up late for a few nights if I was working a really difficult case, being a lawyer in Juniper Springs isn’t like being a lawyer in—I don’t know—Olympia.” She gestured toward him. “Every once in a while, we would get a big case, but I still tried to keep a good work-life balance. But he just couldn’t handle not having me all to himself—all the time. So, he left. Haven’t heard from him in…” she did the math, “three years.”

“That’s insane.” If anyone understood the challenge of balancing work and relationships, he could relate.

“It’s all right. Looking back, I knew I wasn’t with the right person when I wasn’t even sad that he was out of my life, even after being a part of it for five years.”

Ouch. But she wasn’t wrong. “I completely understand that.” How many girls had he been emancipated from and hadn’t even shed a tear over it? Would Marissa be one? Funny how her name kept coming up whenever he thought about his future—and how her name in his future felt like a large pizza trying to fit into a personal-sized box. He would find a way to make it fit—he always did—but why did it feel so off?

“So, what about me?” Allison asked. “You asked if you were safe or if there was someone waiting for me at home to make your life miserable after spending so much time with me.” Her smile coaxed a laugh from him. “What about me? Am I safe?”

Marissa probably wouldn’t like the fact that he was gallivanting around alone with a woman, but he owed her nothing at that point. They weren’t dating—weren’t a couple yet. They’d gone out a few times… that’s all. His eyes caught his reflection, and with it, he reflected on his life. There was that one part of his life that held emptiness, and yet was still somehow so full. “It’s funny. I can have anyone I want, really. And I’ve dated so many women, so many ‘perfect’ women.” Marissa, with her surgically altered nose, plastic makeup that transformed her into a porcelain doll. “But none of them are perfect for me. I have someone I’ve been seeing, but it’s nothing serious just yet.”

Jacob’s voice had been quiet during their conversation because they had been just barely hovering above sacred ground at that point. Allison had been content, enjoying the conversation. Up until then.

So, he was seeing someone. That she expected. I mean, he’s Jacob Davis. He had admitted himself that he could have any girl he wanted. But the actual point of him admitting to seeing someone was an avalanche of emotional boulders that toppled down onto Allison’s shoulders, crushing her hopes. But her hopes for what? Surely, she wasn’t hoping that she had a chance with Jacob? This conversation had only proved that he was from a very different world, one she could never fit into or try to force him out of. But maybe it was the finality of it that hit her. Maybe a spark of jealousy? Whoever this woman was, she really ought to see him for the true treasure that he was and not just a handsome money machine. Allison suddenly felt like something was dragging her down; she felt like that schoolgirl all over again, crushing majorly on Jacob only to realize that she couldn’t have him because he was dating someone else or was just too perfect for her.

Get over it, Allison. It was just temporary anyway.

“Oh.” She had to force herself to say something and not act like she was disappointed. “Well, I hope she makes you happy.”

His smile looked as forced as her congratulations were. “She does.”

Sure, she did. That’s why his eyes lit up when he talked about her. Oh, wait. They didn’t. Allison hummed to herself and gazed out the window. Now that she had dared to venture into personal territory with Jacob, she felt like she had aired out some things she needed to.

After a few minutes of silence, the rain didn’t pelt the deck so hard and became a gentle tapping. “Looks like the storm is letting up, finally,” Allison commented, hopeful. She had enjoyed the high of being alone with Jacob… and in such a quaint location too. But she couldn’t let the disappointment drag her down anymore, or else it would start to show. She was a professional and a grown woman. She couldn’t let Jacob know how disappointed she was.

His ringing phone drew them both out of their meditative state, and he fished it out of his pocket. “Ah, this is her.” He held his phone up for a moment. Her. Probably the woman he was seeing. Allison forced a smile. “Well, you’d better take it.”

His breathy laugh was her only answer. He swiped the screen, and his voice tone changed into something warmer. “Hello.”

Ooh, the way he said “hello.” Allison would give anything to hear his velvety voice say that to her. Just once.

But she couldn’t.

She pushed herself off the windowsill and began to pace the room. They had stood so long that her clothes had finally rid themselves of the moisture she had previously danced in. She was already due for another dance in the rain if only to wash away her thoughts about this handsome man standing a few feet away from her.

She linked her fingers behind her back, relaxing her arms toward the ground, and eyed the venue. She tuned out Jacob’s conversation with his girl and chose to focus on the venue instead. When would it be her turn? Allison was more than content to have a career, so if she never found Mr. Right, she wouldn’t be a miserable, lonely woman like so many of her friends would be. That didn’t mean she didn’t long for her wedding day as much as any other girl. What would her colors be? Simple like this, or vibrant and outgoing? Perhaps an outdoor venue? Perhaps not. This was Washington State after all…

Creak.

Allison froze, her right foot hovering just over the floor when she heard the noise. She knew it couldn’t be from her feet; the creak was too muffled. Her eyes scampered around the room before settling on the door in the corner behind the catering counter near the upper level. She gently settled her foot on top of the floor and listened.

Another creak.

She cleared her throat, trying to gather the courage to explain that they were just waiting out the storm and not trespassing. “Hello?”

She heard Jacob pause, and his voice became clearer as he looked in her direction. Finally, she heard him murmur, “I have to go. Can I call you later? Thanks, Sugar. Bye.”

Jacob scurried toward her, only hearing his approach as her eyes were steeled on the door. She crept a bit closer, intent on explaining.

“What is it, Allison?”

She dared to glance at him as she nodded her head toward the door. “We’re not alone.”

Jacob’s mouth opened to say something, but before his words could emerge, the room blinked, dousing them in darkness. Allison drew in a sharp breath. Had the storm knocked the power out? Now?

Her eyes adjusted; Jacob became little more than a silhouette against the window. Shadows deepened. The upper level of the event center and the corner behind the catering counter were swallowed up in darkness, offering no fine details. How was it that suddenly being plunged into darkness could have the same effect as hearing a loud noise in the middle of the night?

Allison smoothed her voice out. She had to remain calm.

Jacob’s voice was her anchor. Something to hold on to. “We should probably get going.”

“We can’t go anywhere in the rain!” Allison couldn’t imagine trying to leave while the rain was still making the roads worse. But no solution had time to present itself. The loud noise from her inner dialogue now became a reality. An open palm slammed into the door behind the catering counter where Allison found herself. She yelped as her startled body shot rigid. She only had time to see the flash of a man emerge, covered in black with a ski mask to conceal his face. Another sight Allison wasn’t too keen on seeing.

She stepped back, but the man’s hand shot out, wrapping his bony fingers around her arm, and yanking her forward. She let out a shriek of terror but was overwhelmed with surprise.

“Hey!” Jacob sprang forward, hands at the ready to fight the man. But Allison felt the man pull her body behind him, shoving her into the doorway. The man leaned back, balancing his weight on his right leg while his left shot out; his foot collided with Jacob’s stomach with a very hard thud.

Jacob let out an “Oof!” as he doubled over, hands flying to his stomach. He crashed into the counter which sent him off balance and careening to the floor.

“Jacob!” Allison shrieked.

She felt rough hands on her arms, yanking her back behind the door. The door slammed, and the man twisted the lock behind them.

Allison’s breaths came in ragged heaves as she tried to fight off the panic that assaulted her. Her adrenaline snapped into overdrive as her other senses kicked in. Whatever door her attacker had locked behind her left her in pitch blackness, so she grappled with him in the dark. Her heart battered against her rib cage, and every instinct, every nerve, every part of her body screamed at her to fight. She pushed her hands out, pushing against the body of her attacker who drove her back a few feet. Her legs buckled under his strength, but she managed to regain her balance, placing her feet behind her step by step as the enemy drove her back. She was not—simply not—going to let him take her. She uttered a grunt through gritted teeth and pushed back with everything she had, but her efforts were in vain.

She heard another body slam on the outside of the door. Jacob. He was trying to get in, trying to get to her. Allison gasped with hope that he would rescue her. “Jacob!” she shrieked.

Her call for help seemed to ignite some new fury in the man. He grabbed her upper arms. Allison felt like a carriage attached to one of those gravity rides at the fair as she swung through the air, colliding with the wall. Dull, bruised pain soaked into her back and part of her side, but the man didn’t stop there. She felt his grip on her arm lessen, moving down until he grabbed her wrist. Calloused fingers grabbed her hand and turned it around to let her palm face her shoulder. She didn’t have time to wonder why he was forcing her right hand to mimic a violinist holding their instrument. Allison aimed a kick at him, but his hand forced her wrist in a downward motion, pressing her palm toward the flat of her arm.

Dots began to dance in Allison’s field of vision as arrows of pain shot up her arm, swirling around her wrist and filling each nerve with agony. Allison let a scream of pain rip its way out of her mouth, and her legs instantly buckled with the strain in her wrist. The breath hovered in her lungs; she was unable to push it out except with a cry of pain.

“Allison!” Jacob’s muffled voice was the only part of him getting through the door. She heard him body-slam it again.

In her stunned brain fog, she felt the man turn loose of her wrist and grapple with her shoulders instead. She felt her body slam into the wall again. His presence hovered closer as he pressed himself into her, and a voice penetrated her ears.

“Let it go,” he growled.

The door slammed again. Allison heard it begin to splinter. But the assailant’s words echoed in her ears. Let it go? Let what go? Her lips formed the “w” that preceded her question: What? But she could not force it from her lips. The man didn’t wait. He pressed her shoulders toward the ground, throwing her to the floor. Her hip met the ground hard as the man darted to the right, his footsteps carrying him far away from her. The relief she felt was short-lived. She wouldn’t let this man get away with this! But first, she had to get out of there.

Her wrist throbbed with icy pain. She cradled it against her bosom. Even the slightest movement caused searing pain to rip through her arm.

With a final splintering victory, Jacob burst through the door. A pale light flooded through from the natural light in the other room. In those few seconds that Jacob’s frame came through the door, Allison craved him. Needed him.

“Jacob!”

She saw his face snap in her direction, and he fell to his knees. Gentle hands replaced the rough ones that had thrown her into this pain, and she leaned into them.

“Allison! Are you all right?”

She would be fine. It was just a hurt wrist. But the man was getting away! Her head thrashed from side to side. She found her strength now that he had found her.

“I think I’m okay, but my wrist is hurt.” She released her wrist, feeling the weight of a lead balloon in her injured hand, but she pressed her uninjured hand to his face and turned it in the direction that she had seen the man sprint. “He went that way!”

Allison was okay—at least that’s what she said. He hadn’t missed that scream of pain that occurred seconds after she disappeared from his sight. Jacob mentally kicked himself for letting her get too close to that door. And now, the man had left. Jacob wanted to go after him, to teach him a lesson about hurting Allison and then disappearing. But there was no way he was leaving Allison behind to go after him.

He pressed on her shoulder, giving her full reassurance that he was there for her. “We need to get out of here.”

He reached out for her wrist. “What happened?”

“He twisted my wrist. I think he might have broken it.”

Jacob was furious. This is not how anything was supposed to go. He forced himself to be steady, not wanting to give in to the rage that threatened to spew out. He settled a hand gently on her shoulder, concerned eyes examining her up and down. “We’ve got to get out of here and call the police.”

He took her left hand within his as she rested her other hand against her chest. He helped her get to her feet and swung his arm around her shoulders in a cloak of protection. He was not going to let something happen to her again.

“What about the roads?”

“We’ll figure it out. The rain is letting up anyway.” He guided her toward the front door. The question that filled Jacob’s mind was this: Who on earth had attacked them? If it was the owner, he would have confronted them and not fled. If it was the people setting up for the event, they probably would have simply confronted them too. Someone was hiding out that wasn’t supposed to be there.

Jacob burst the doors open, guiding Allison to the car. They were glad the rain had changed into a gentle sprinkle.

Only, when Jacob saw his car, he stopped short.

“What in the world?”

“Do you have a flat tire?” Allison’s eyes set upon the two tires that faced them. The rims sat on the ground, the rubber underneath the rims flattened.

Jacob glanced around the parking lot, released his grip on Allison, and jogged around to the driver’s side of the car. “Not just a flat tire!” he groaned.

His rage doubled when he saw the deep gashes in the tops of the tires, slicing through the rubber and immobilizing them.

“Who would do this?” Allison asked.

“Probably the same creep who attacked you.” Jacob opened her door. His gaze softened as he saw her standing there with her arm clamped tightly to her chest, her hair starting to stick to her face. “It’s okay, Allison.” He held out his hand in case she needed it as she eased herself into the front seat. “We are going to get some help out here for you. The police, the paramedics. I think I have some painkillers in the car if they take too long to get here.”

Allison gritted her teeth, her face twisting in pain as she slid into the front seat. Once she was in, Jacob clamped a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Try and give Avery a call if you can,” Jacob instructed her before closing her door. In seconds he was on the other side of the car and bolted himself inside, locking the doors to protect them both.

For what seemed like an eternity, Jacob and Allison waited inside the locked car. Jacob’s eyes continually swept their surroundings, ready to fight at a moment’s notice if the attacker came back. His mind swirled with questions that demanded answers: he wanted to know not only who it was but also how had he gotten out here to slash his tires. And why? If they were trespassing in his eyes, he’d want them to leave, not stay. Had he intended to kill them? Why had he run away?

Shortly after the sun began to burn off the clouds, the first of the emergency responder lights appeared. In the fresh smell of drenched earth, the parking lot crawled with emergency crews. Jacob feared it was too late: their attacker had to be long gone by now.

Allison had never been so glad to see Avery and Lance in her life. A familiar face helped soothe the anxiety that had built up in her since the incident. Avery’s face was hardened into a determined mask, ready to get out and do some sleuthing of her own, but Lance stayed plastered to the ambulance where Allison sat.

“Looks like you’ve got a dislocated wrist.” Lance said after examining her. “But they’re going to take you in just to be sure.”

Allison forced out a breath. “I can’t believe this happened.”

“And you didn’t get a good look at his face?” Avery looked ready to tear into the man herself but kept her voice calm.

Allison shook her head in mortification. “He had a ski mask on. It all happened so fast.”

“That’s usually how these things work.” Lance glanced around the parking lot, locating Jacob talking to an officer. “Thank goodness Jacob got you out of there.”

Allison’s gaze drifted over to her knight in shining armor. His handsome face was accentuated by the intensity of his gaze as he related the story to the officer. She studied him, a smile emerging on her face for the first time since everything happened. “He’s upset with himself for letting it get this out of hand, but you know what? He is the one who ultimately got me out of there.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” Lance shot Avery a teasing glance, and she returned it with mock annoyance. Allison knew her friend well enough to understand that Avery was often the same way, probably berating herself for not being there when it happened. She probably wished she had gone out with them to talk to Fletcher.

Fletcher.

Allison tried to remember what Fletcher’s voice sounded like—tried to do a comparison in her head—but the noise evaded her. She was so shaken that she barely remembered what he looked like. The attacker didn’t have a large frame, so his strength had surprised her.

Avery placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her out of her thoughts. “Hey. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. You’ll see.”

Allison smiled her gratefulness. “Thanks.”

Jacob felt like he was retelling the plot of a terrible movie as he recounted the details to Colby. Talking with his old high school buddy was easy, except for the horrid details of their ordeal that tasted like ash in his mouth.

“So, tell me from the beginning,” Colby said, scribbling notes on his notepad. “What happened?”

“Allison and I were waiting out the rain when I got a phone call.” If he hadn’t been on the phone so long... Jacob shook his head. “Allison went back by the door behind the counter. She said she heard a noise, that we weren’t alone, something like that. All of a sudden, the door bursts open, and this guy comes through. He grabbed Allison and started to drag her through the door.”

“Did you see his face?” Colby asked, concern deepening his expression.

Jacob hated that he saw nothing. “He was dressed all in black with a ski mask. I didn’t even hear his voice. Allison did, but I heard nothing.”

“How tall would you say?”

Now that, he did see. “Probably about five-seven, five-eight. He was leaning forward, so difficult to tell. Skinnier guy. Not bone-thin, just thin. Had a lot of energy… strong.”

“So maybe someone younger?” Colby guessed. “Younger as in a range of 20’s to 30’s maybe?”

“I won’t say absolutely, but the energy level suggests someone either well-trained or younger.”

Colby scribbled that down. “Anything else?”

“Well, the guy landed a huge kick to my gut.” Jacob hated that part. It had incapacitated him enough for the guy to get ahold of Allison—something he should have anticipated and avoided. “By the time I got my bearings, he had locked the door behind him and Allison. I had to break it down to get to her.” He held up a hand. “I will cover all the damages; tell the owner he doesn’t need to worry.”

“We’ll get to that in just a second.” Colby kept his tone professional and focused, but aimed Jacob a quick smile. “Still the philanthropist, I see.”

Jacob wanted to get back to the case, but he allowed a small smile to crack. “Well, it’s not like the door was broken by anyone else.”

“So, what happened next?”

“By the time I got to the back, I found Allison on the ground. The jerk dislocated her wrist before he got away. I couldn’t find him; he was gone.”

Colby’s pencil stopped wriggling. His eyes came up off the page, and an unreadable expression crossed over his face. “Dislocated her wrist? He didn’t break it—just dislocated it?”

“I think that’s what the paramedics said, but they’re taking her in just to be sure.” A shadow crossed Jacob’s face. “Why?” Why had Colby snagged on that bit of information like it was life-or-death to the case?

Colby blinked a few times, dismissing his look with a shake of his head, then cleared his throat. “It tells me that we’re working with a trained fighter maybe. I mean, he kicked you in the gut and dislocated Allison’s wrist.” Colby shrugged. “Shows that he knows what he’s doing.”

It didn’t prove anything except that the guy knew how to hurt people. Jacob tilted his head in curiosity. “Colby? Is there something you’re not telling me?” He hoped their prior friendship would compel Colby to divulge something—maybe give him a hint if they had anyone in mind.

“It’s an ongoing investigation.” Colby’s voice turned cold, and he lowered his notepad. When he looked up at Jacob, the expression had deepened into an apologetic pleading for him to understand. “I can’t give out details concerning what might be a person of interest.”

“Do you have a person of interest?” Jacob held his breath. Please, please, you can tell me that! Not who, just that you do.

Colby shook his head. “At this time, no.”

Then why get all worked up about it? Jacob felt his soul deflate. He sighed. “I’m sorry. I just…” He cast a glance at Allison, surrounded by Lance and Avery and some paramedics in the back of the ambulance. He hated seeing her there. Allison didn’t belong in an ambulance. “I just want to know who did this to her and why.”

“We’ve been in contact with the owner of the venue.” Colby’s voice took on a new reassuring tone. Jacob swung his gaze back to Colby, who had put away his professional air. “Off the record, I can tell you that someone was setting up for a wedding this weekend, so we’re going to find out who that is. But beyond that, buddy, I’m sorry I can’t offer anything more.”

Jacob nodded. “Thank you.”

He spent the next few minutes giving a statement, then returned to the ambulance where Allison sat comfortably on the gurney. He lifted his arm, pressing his weight into the palm of his hand on the side of the ambulance and leaned into her. “Hey.”

A groggy smile lifted her face. “Hey there, protector.”

He scoffed. “Protector who didn’t do his job.”

“You did your job.” Avery faced him. Although he didn’t know Avery very well, she seemed to read him rather well. “You got her out and got help. That’s what matters. These things can happen in the blink of an eye, and there’s nothing we can do about them.”

If only.

“Thank you for getting me out.” Allison’s eyes closed, and when they reopened, he saw her gratitude shimmering there. “I didn’t know what was happening, and you didn’t just leave me there. Thanks for that.”

“Of course, I wasn’t going to leave you there!” Jacob smiled down at her. “Not a chance.”

Allison’s expression indicated that thoughts were buzzing around inside her head. Jacob leaned closer. “What is it?”

“Tell them to check out Fletcher’s alibi or something.” Her quiet voice held hesitation.

Jacob blinked. “Fletcher?”

“I wonder if he is the one behind this,” Allison said, hesitation swimming in her eyes. “Think about it. He wasn’t too happy with us for invading his space, and he got really defensive when we were asking those questions. He knew what we were driving, and he is on this side of the flood. He could have easily followed us and gotten in through the back door.”

She wasn’t wrong. Jacob hadn’t considered Fletcher. He thought it was someone attached to the venue—maybe a robber, maybe a squatter—but he hadn’t thought this attempt on their lives could be someone they had been investigating. Though that made more sense.

“You think it’s possible?” Allison’s hushed voice coaxed him to answer.

“I’m not doubting you.” Jacob glanced up. “Where exactly are we?”

“On the very outskirts of Juniper Springs,” Avery answered. “The area that is almost considered not Juniper Springs because it borders the other town so closely.”

“The same area that Joey McCall lives,” Jacob mused out loud.

Avery, Lance, and Allison all dug their gazes into him. The more he thought, the more his brain came alive with the possibility. If not Fletcher, then maybe Joey? Young. Full of energy, even if he didn’t show it that day going in to work.

Colby filtered back to the ambulance. Jacob glanced up only to see the officers getting into their cars. “Are you leaving so soon?”

“There isn’t much we can go on.” Colby’s voice carried a finality to it. “We searched the inside of the venue, but no one was there. The owner said that he’s been at home all day because of the weather, and his neighbor can confirm it. There aren’t any footprints on the outside of either of the doors, so there’s not much we can do. We’ll keep investigating, but as of right now, we’re stuck.”

“So,” Jacob gestured to Allison, “Allie can live the rest of her life without knowing who tried to break her wrist?”

Almost as soon as the sentence was out of his mouth, he caught Allison’s eyebrows lift with the same surprise he felt. Allie? Where had that come from?

Colby didn’t seem to notice Jacob’s use of Allison’s pet name. “I’m sorry, man. We’re going to keep looking into it.” A smile covered up his discomfort. “You were always the determined one, man. I remember that. But sometimes, there really isn’t anything that can be done.”

Keep looking into it?

It’s hard to believe with all this mud that there weren’t any footprints anywhere. If the man wasn’t there, then where else could he have gone? Maybe back home, to Fletcher’s house? He could have easily pulled up, seen their car, sneaked in the back to do his dirty work, and escaped. But not before slashing the tires so Jacob and Allison couldn’t follow him. Allison couldn’t keep the information to herself any longer. She had to tell him. “Officer.” She forgot everything, forgot his name, forgot his status, forgot everything but what she needed to say. “Jacob and I just happened to be talking to one of the guys from Mia’s podcast.”

“Yes, you had mentioned that,” Colby responded coolly.

“Everything was fine at first, but then Jacob happened to ask about Mia and then the guy just blew up. Angry, angry guy. Do you think it’s possible that he could have followed us here? He doesn’t live too far from here.”

“We will send someone over to check that out.” Colby’s promise hung heavy in his eyes.

“And another thing I forgot to mention,” Allison began, “the man said something to me.”

“He did?” Jacob asked. “What did he say?”

“He said, ‘Let it go,’” Allison said, her voice trembling. “Why would he say that? Isn’t that something Fletcher could have said?”

“I don’t know, Miss Miller,” Colby began, “but we are going to get to the bottom of this. However, in the future,” he glanced between Jacob and Allison, “because you’re my friends, I’m going to say this once. You’re bordering on unlawful here, man. Going around, questioning people who are supposedly involved with your sister’s podcast. You’re not cops and not private investigators. I’m telling you as a friend to call this off. I know you’re trying to find your sister, but you don’t want to go to jail for trespassing either, do you?” He glanced at Allison. “Do you?”

He was right. Allison hung her head while Jacob answered.

“Believe me,” he replied seriously. “We won’t be going out to Fletcher Robles’s house ever again.”

Carrie’s fingers were trembling so much that she could barely keep the tip of the pen against the paper. She was tired of filling out the same information at Dr. Leeland Webb’s office as she had at Lance’s office. Her heart pounded and her head felt stuffed with cotton. What was she doing here? Couldn’t Lance have figured out a way to help her on his own instead of sending her to a complete stranger to talk about her feelings?

Carrie took a deep breath, recalling the conversation she’d had with Ryan the night before. After breaking down in his arms, he had stroked her hair and murmured into her ear, “Just remember when you’re at your appointment tomorrow that a psychiatrist’s office is a place where you can feel safe to talk about what you’re going through. They’re trained for that, and they’re not going to judge you for anything you say.”

Carrie repeated these words over and over in her head until a female voice called her back. “Carrie Sweet?”

Carrie tried to ignore the way she felt as the nurse led her to a normal-looking door. Before she could talk herself out of it, Carrie entered the room. It was inviting enough, like a normal living room with a small couch against one blue-colored wall which faced two chairs; there was a small bookshelf against the wall. The window was open, letting the sun shine down on a medium-sized bouquet of flowers sitting in the windowsill; a water-colored portrait was nailed to the wall beside the window. A desk sat behind the chairs where a man, Dr. Webb, Carrie suspected, sat. The sound of a woman’s voice on the radio greeted her when she walked in, giving her a sense of being home rather than in some doctor’s office somewhere.

“Miss Sweet for you, Dr. Webb.” The nurse didn’t have an overly friendly smile, but at least she was pleasant enough. The man looked up from his desk. “Carrie.” His voice was smooth as if he knew she could fall into a panic attack at any moment, so his calm voice was meant to appease that. He rose from his desk, switching off his radio as he did. He came around to greet her, peering at her through wide-rimmed glasses that shielded a plain set of grey eyes.

Carrie’s heart slammed into double time when the door closed behind the nurse. Dr. Webb reached out to shake her hand, and she slipped hers into his. “Oh, you’ve got cold hands.” He offered her a slight smile.

Carrie forced a laugh, dropping her hand to her side. “They say that cold hands have a warm heart. I hope that’s true.”

Dr. Webb’s smiled warmly with his lips and eyes. “I’m sure it is. Why don’t you come in and have a seat?”

Still feeling like the only person wearing hot pink in a room full of black, Carrie stepped farther into the room, gingerly seating herself on the couch. Dr. Webb grabbed his clipboard from the desk and seated himself in the chair across from her, scooting it closer. Carrie wanted to break the ice, ease herself into the visit, so she forced her throat to clear. “I really appreciate you seeing me today, Dr. Webb.” Like he had other options, but she still wanted to show appreciation.

Dr. Webb nodded, keeping his voice the same still murmur, but his lips creased into a smile that lasted. “Of course, Carrie. Feel free to call me ‘Leeland’ if you like.”

Carrie’s lips pressed into a hard smile. Well, at least he was doing everything he could to make her feel at home. She appreciated that. “Leeland.”

“That’s right.” Leeland’s eyes came off the clipboard that rested on his upturned knee. His eyes rested on Carrie without condemnation and reminded her of what Ryan had said. “You don’t have to be nervous or uncomfortable,” Dr. Webb began. “I’m here to help you in any way I can, to help you heal and process and move forward. I know that visiting a psychiatrist can be a scary thing, but you don’t have to worry.” A small laugh confirmed his statement. “I’m not going to grill you or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, and in return, all I ask is that you feel free to be open and honest with me so we can get the best results for you. Can you do that for me?”

His soft voice had a hint of nasality but held an open invitation. Carrie could never fully bring herself to be comfortable, but her stiff posture must have been a dead giveaway to how nervous she felt. She nodded. “Okay. I can do that.”

“All right, great.” His lip curved up into a smile, and he glanced down at his notes again. “So, let’s start with the most obvious question. Why are you here today?”

She had rehearsed the scene a dozen times, but still, words would not flow. She cleared her throat, clapping her two palms together, and rubbed her hands. She focused on the friction between her fingers rather than the tension in her mind and found herself spilling her story.

“Last fall, I was kidnapped.” She still couldn’t believe it had actually happened to her. “I work as a reporter for the Juniper Springs Times, and there were two murders. One happened to be my friend Veronica from high school, so it was really hard to see her dead.”

“Wait—you actually saw your friend deceased?” Leeland took her down that terrible road.

Carrie closed her eyes. “Yes, I did. I was there when she was found.”

She forced herself to walk step by step down memory lane. After finding Veronica’s body, she convinced Ryan to let her write the story of Veronica’s death in the Juniper Springs Times which led to a whole series of events that pointed to the killer being someone who had asked her out on a date that she turned down. Jeremy Carr, who was mentally unstable, had accidentally killed one girl which caused him to snap and kill Veronica. He had abducted Carrie by luring her into the diner across the street where he proceeded to drug her. When she woke up, she was tied up in his basement. Tears pooled in Carrie’s eyes as she recounted how Jeremy had grabbed her to try to force her out of the house. Even though she thought it was too late for her, she begged for her life. If Ryan hadn’t come around the corner when he had... Carrie didn’t want to think about that possibility. She could still feel that knife to her throat… Ryan stabbed and bleeding out on the ground.

“In the end, Ryan had taught me some self-defense. I was able to get myself free by flipping him over my shoulder and getting away.” Carrie sniffed. “It wasn’t the best day of my life.”

“Mm, I can’t even begin to imagine.” Leeland shook his head in wonder as he wrote. “So, what has been going on as a result?”

“I’ve been so jumpy lately.” Carrie hated admitting these things out loud. She never wanted to be one of those people. Some of the bad things that happened to her were because of her poor taste in men—like her ex-boyfriend Jason who constantly demeaned her. She never wanted to be someone with this black smudge on her story. “I cry; I fall apart. I even have dreams of the event.” She never wanted to say the word kidnapping again if she could avoid it. “Stuff like that.”

“And how are you hoping I can help you?” Leeland met her gaze, holding it steady. “What are you hoping to accomplish from our time together?”

There was one thing she was certain of. “I don’t want medication.” She shook her head. “I want to get over this myself, not with the help of drugs. I feel like if I were on medication, I wouldn’t be me anymore, you know?”

Hesitation darkened his eyes for a moment before he nodded it away. “I see. And, I see from your intake paperwork that this is your first visit to a psychiatrist?”

Carrie nodded. “That’s right.”

Leeland offered a smile. “Well, I should be honored you chose me. You’re doing great for your first time.”

Carrie’s laughed nervously. “Thank you.”

“Very good, very good,” Leeland said, reading over his notes again. He set them aside, then leaned forward. “I want to talk about some things that can help you.”

She was so ready for this. “Okay,” she replied eagerly.

“Our mind is a powerful thing.” Leeland pointed to his forehead. The intensity of his voice didn’t match his low tone. His voice never wavered in inflection up or down. “Our imaginations can get out of hand sometimes, and before we know it, we can turn a mountain into a molehill. So, sometimes when our bodies react with fear, we aren’t really reacting to the situation as much as to the situation our minds have created for us.”

Oh, he must be talking about her remaining fears about the situation. The jumpiness, the nightmares, the PTSD as Lance had called it. “So, if we control the mind, then maybe our bodies will stop reacting to what they’re afraid of?”

“Let me finish.” Leeland stretched out his hand. His voice held no hint of anger, but it was enough to fill Carrie’s cheeks with a bright red color.

“Oh, sorry.” She forced her back against the couch, not wanting to speak again until she was told. How embarrassing!

He dismissed it with a shake of his head, continuing on the track his mind had been on. “So, when you look back on the situation you were in, I want you to start working on remembering how much was fact, what really happened, and how much may have been your mind making the problem bigger than it was.”

What? Carrie could have bolted to her feet, but shock numbed her into remaining seated. “Are you saying I imagined the whole thing?”

“Not the whole thing,” Leeland commented. “But think with me. Did he really threaten to kill you, or did he just hint at it?”

“Um…” Had Leeland not heard the entire latter half of her story? “My boyfriend saw the dude hold a knife to my throat. I’m pretty sure that counts as being threatened.”

“Now, I’m not trying to make you doubt what happened. I know that you were kidnapped, and he tried to kill you. But what were the events leading up to what happened? I think a lot of the PTSD you are feeling is stemming from a little bit of guilt. You’re probably asking yourself, ‘Is there anything I could have done to prevent this from happening to me?’ Something like that. Have you ever asked yourself this?”

Well, he wasn’t wrong there. Carrie had asked herself that many times. Especially when she was in the basement, tied up, wondering if anything she could have done could have prevented this outcome. Maybe if she hadn’t taken on the story or had listened to Ryan. Or if she had gone on a date with Jeremy. “I have, yes.”

“And what have you come up with in an answer to your question?”

“Maybe if I hadn’t taken on the story,” Carrie suggested. When he “mm-hmmed” her to go on, she tried again. “Maybe if I wouldn’t have said no to his date?”

“Why did you say no?”

Ooh, that was so personal. So personal that she didn’t even want to utter the words. She glanced down at her tangled hands on her lap. He had asked her to be honest, hadn’t he? “I... I had just gotten out of a bad relationship.” She swallowed. “My boyfriend Jason was... not exactly abusive, but close enough.” No, he was abusive! Just because he never struck her didn’t make him not abusive. “Okay, I take that back. He was abusive, just never physically. He tried to pressure me into doing things that I’m not comfortable with.”

“What kind of things?”

Again, too personal. Carrie wanted to get up and run, but she felt herself warming under the microscope he held her under. “Um.” She licked her lower lip. “Like going too far.”

“Going too far as in…?”

“Physically,” she blurted out. Fine, fine, if he really wanted to know. “I wanted to wait until a special time to have sex, but he didn’t want to.”

“I see.” Leeland stared at her as if he were trying to read her thoughts. “So, you have some pretty high boundaries then?”

“High, but worth it.” Carrie shrugged.

Leeland sat forward, tapping his fingers together before going on. “Carrie, I have good news.”

Good news after all of that personal talk?

“I think what’s happening is that you’ve had some problems in relationships before, and you’re not sure what’s true and what isn’t. You said at first that Jason wasn’t abusive, then you changed your mind to say that he was abusive. I think these people are reacting to the boundaries that you’re setting up, which is fine.” He assured her with an open palm. “Boundaries are good, but it’s important to be with people who respect them. However, when they push those boundaries, instead of walking away from the situation, you have stayed until it goes from bad to worse. I think an important step in your healing process is to forgive yourself for your part in your abduction. What Jeremy Carr did was wrong, but sometimes when someone is pushed to their limits, it can cause them to do extreme things they would not otherwise do.”

Was he blaming her? No, no, it couldn’t be. She had played a part in the abduction, after all. If she hadn’t led Jeremy on, only to turn him down… maybe she gave off the vibe that she was interested.

“So, I would suggest writing down whatever you think could have driven him to this. Forgive yourself for it. Then I suggest that you write down what happened and see if you are remembering it worse than it was. Of course, being threatened is a terrifying thing. If you were drugged, and you probably hadn’t had much water or food that day, all of that can play a part in how you remember a situation. It is important to de-escalate the situation in your mind’s eye. And when we get together again, we can talk about it.”

Carrie nodded, chewing on his words.

“Can you do that for me?”

Sure, she could. She loved reliving the worst day of her life. “Sure.”

“And another thing that helps, too, is to find a creative outlet to express yourself on those really bad days that you’re,” again, he pointed to his head, “all up in your head.” He gestured to the portrait by the windowsill. “Painting can be relaxing, and flower designing can be very zen. Since you’re a writer, maybe try doing some writing that’s not related to work or your condition. Just find something you can do to creatively express yourself, and it should start to re-train your thinking into a more positive direction. How does that sound?”

Carrie didn’t mind that bit of advice. She wasn’t an artist, but she could write. “Sounds good.”

“Great. Now, I know that you said you didn’t want medication. But do you want to get better?”

“Of course.” Carrie didn’t want to be stuck like this forever.

“Well, unfortunately, whether you like it or not, medication is going to be the thing that helps you get better the most. It will calm your mind and get some of those anxiety attacks under control. The only way you’re going to get better is to be willing to do what it takes. Don’t listen to everyone around you who says that medication turns you into someone else. Not everyone reacts the same.”

She didn’t want it. She really, really didn’t want it. What if it made her worse? But she didn’t want to sound ungrateful and stubborn either, so she nodded her acquiescence. “Okay.”

She watched him as he wrote out her prescription, then listened as he explained to her what it would do and possible side effects. When the visit ended and he rose to his feet, she felt like a weight had been added onto her shoulders. “I really hope the next time we meet, you can have a much brighter smile on that pretty face.”

He gave her a smooth smile like he hadn’t just poked a hole in her whole world. She forced herself to smile back. “I hope so too!”

He settled back, clasping his wrist with his hand and stared at her. “You can get with the secretary on the way out for a follow-up appointment. I will be here every weekday except for the fourteenth, next Monday. Any time after that, you’re welcome to book an appointment, and we’ll get you in. It was wonderful to meet with you today, Carrie. It’s terrible that you’re going through all of this, but we are going to get you through.”

Carrie wasn’t sure she wanted to call back, but maybe he was right. Maybe she had played a bigger part in her abduction after all, and she needed to just own up to it. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Carrie slipped into her car, slamming the door behind her. Her mind spun as she sat there, eyes fixed out of the windshield. Leeland had brought up a good point—that maybe she needed to forgive herself. Maybe she had remembered the situation differently. Then again, Jeremy had threatened to kill her.

Right?

Or had she just perceived it as a threat? Then again, the knife. The knife was at her throat. He was trying to kill her.

She turned the key in the ignition and pulled her car out of the parking space in front of the building. It wasn’t that Dr. Webb was a bad guy. He seemed nice enough—a doctor with a smooth monotone, a gentle voice. But it wasn’t that. Carrie finally pinpointed why she felt so awful as she guided her car to the paper office to see Ryan.

She hadn’t felt that way since she was with Jason, her ex-boyfriend.

Carrie knocked gently on Ryan’s office door before entering. She loved the way his face lit up any time he saw her, even with the phone plastered to his ear. He motioned her inside. “That’s great. Yeah.”

Carrie closed the door behind her and found herself standing at the edge of the desk as Ryan finished his conversation. “Great. I’ll have that out by Tuesday… Thanks again, man… You’re welcome, bye.”

He hung up the phone and pivoted to face her, his face entirely too happy. “How is my beautiful girlfriend?”

He came around to her, looping her into his arms, and brushed her lips with a kiss. Carrie found herself returning it half-heartedly. “How did your appointment go?”

He had to ask. But she wanted to tell him. If anyone could relate to her, it was Ryan. “Um.” She swung her hair out of her face. “He was a nice guy.”

Ryan’s frown deepened the dark color in his eyes. “A nice guy... but?”

Carrie sighed, swinging her gaze around the room, embarrassed to even admit it out loud. “I don’t know, Ryan. I feel like he wasn’t really listening to me. He made me feel bad for not wanting to take medicine and blamed me for the fact that I got kidnapped.”

Ryan’s expression darkened even more. Carrie could almost see a hint of red creep into his cheeks. “He... what?”

“Well, not in so many words. But he said that maybe the situation was so intense that maybe I took some things out of proportion and that I needed to forgive myself for the part that I played in my kidnapping.”

“The part you played—” Ryan’s exclamation exploded. “Like you did anything! Carrie!” His hands cupped around her shoulders, and his eyes burned away any feelings of guilt she carried. “Jeremy was a psycho! You did nothing wrong. No woman should ever have to feel like her life is on the line if she says no to a date. I think that this quack is trying to manipulate you.”

Carrie found herself on the verge of tears again. “I’m sorry…” She was so emotional, but she couldn’t help it!

“Aw, sweetheart.” Ryan drew her into his chest and pressed her head there, fingers thumbing through her hair. “Go back to Lance and tell him you need a new referral. Tell him what happened. In fact, I’m about to put this in the paper.” He aimed her a teasing smile, but the thought still made her uneasy. “That will show him to manipulate my girlfriend.”

“No, Ryan!” After all, Leeland was just doing his job. She pulled herself free, wildly gazing into his eyes. “I don’t want to embarrass him, Ryan. I’m probably just being really sensitive right now.”

“Sensitive or not,” Ryan dropped the teasing tone, picking up on the fact that she wasn’t ready to laugh yet, “he made you feel that way. We’re going to have you go somewhere else where you don’t feel like this was your fault.”

How he loved her. Carrie’s doubts still rang in her mind, but she found herself folding her body against Ryan’s again. His hands stroked her back, soothing her. “I’m sorry,” she managed to say.

“Don’t be sorry! Hey!” He pulled her away, looking into her eyes. “How about you and I go somewhere tonight after I get off work? We can get some tasty dessert somewhere and have some fun, just you and me?”

She loved that. And she loved him. She hoped that her eyes reflected her gratefulness, and she leaned closer. “I would love that. I... I don’t know what I’d do without you, Ryan. I love you.”

“I love you too.” He pressed a comforting kiss to her lips. “See you tonight.”

Allison sat at the window in her office, unable to look at the work that cluttered her desk. Her desk surface was no less a mess than her mind was, only with more promise for the future. The clock on her computer and the planner on her desk reminded her of something she would have preferred to ignore. October 14th had arrived. Ten days was too long to go without her friend.

She cradled her wrist against her chest. They told her it was just dislocated, but the pain wasn’t even close to how she felt about Mia’s absence. The hole in her heart grew by inches and feet every day and caused even her smallest hopes to dim.

She sighed, glancing down at her phone. Her fingers found the familiar contact that had popped up so many times in the past ten days. She held the ringing phone to her ear, counting the rings until she heard the warmth of his voice through the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Jacob, it’s Allison.”

“How’s the wrist?” His question popped out before she could even ask hers.

His concern for her well-being touched her but didn’t chase the shadows from her heart. “It’s fine. The pain meds are doing their job, so I barely even feel it. It’s just annoying since it’s my dominant hand and I can’t really use it right now.”

“I bet.” She heard his tone soften. “So, what can I do for you?”

She wished she had news. Good news, only. But her words fell short. “I was wondering if we could talk about the case on my lunch break? It’s been ten days, and I really want to see if any of our leads can help.”

“You bet. I was thinking the same thing. Now that the excitement over the weekend is over, we need to rehash some things. Do you want me to pick you up at your office? I got my tires replaced Saturday at the tire shop. The guy couldn’t believe that he had to replace all four sabotaged tires on such a nice car.”

She was going to see him again! Allison tried to swallow that spark of anticipation. He belonged to Marissa, not to her. But she would sure enjoy his company as long as she had it, however selfish that might be. “Please, if that’s good for you? My lunch is at 12:30.”

“I’ll be there.”

True to his word, Jacob strode through the door at promptly 12:26 p.m. Early, but not too early. Allison liked that. She had her eyes glued to her work when his knock sounded at her door. “Uh, yes, is this the office for Allison Miller?”

Allison giggled and pushed back from her desk. “Maybe it is.”

“Well,” Jacob aimed that charming grin at her that nearly melted her into a puddle. For a moment, her inner green monster growled at Marissa. Internally, she screamed a message to her, wishing she could tell her to her face. You better take care of him, Marissa. He is a good man; he’s so much more than his paycheck.

“Quaint and cute,” he said, looking around. “I’d expect nothing less.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Allison’s mouth creased into a smile.

Jacob shrugged innocently. “It fits your personality.”

“I hope that’s a compliment, Mr. Davis.” Allison couldn’t help but throw his tease right back.

“It is,” he assured her with a wink. “Are you ready?”

“I’ll meet you in the lobby after I send this off.” She moved her mouse to the email that she had yet to edit.

Jacob tapped his palm against the door frame as he slipped out. “You got it.”

Allison made quick work of reading over the email and sending it off before gathering her things and heading to the lobby. Jacob stood talking with the receptionist who had turned on an extra dose of friendly. But at least she wasn’t as obvious as the waitress at the pizzeria. Allison folded her coat over her hands. “Ready? I’m starving.”

The door chimed with someone coming through. Jacob stepped aside to let them pass. It took Allison a few moments to register who it was, but the surprise grabbed her with shock. Eva, the young blond who worked at the flower shop, hid her grand smile behind a tiny bouquet with three red roses neatly arranged in a small vase. Set against a backdrop of fanning out greenery and tiny buds of baby’s breath, the simple arrangement brought a smile to Allison’s face from the sheer simplicity of it.

Allison couldn’t help herself. She looked right at Jacob and said, “Aw, you shouldn’t have!”

Jacob’s eyes mirrored nervousness as if he were hesitant to admit that they weren’t his doing. “Uh, well.” He scratched the back of his head.

Eva shook her head, giggling. “Unfortunately, these aren’t for you, Miss Miller.”

“Ah.” Allison lifted her hands into the air before letting them drop back down in defeat again. The florist interrupted her mental response of disappointed tease. Of course, she knew they weren’t for her. Probably for the receptionist or from Lance to Avery, or—

“They’re for a Jacob Davis.” Eva looked around the room, her eyes alerting everyone that she was equally as confused. Hardly ever did they get flower orders for a man.

Allison’s breath hugged her throat. She blinked a look at Jacob, who returned hers with shock. “Uh... that’s me?” He asked as if questioning his own name.

“Well, here you go!” Eva handed them over with a flourish. Jacob’s fingers closed around the thin vase, hesitant to draw them closer as if the blooms would erupt into a spontaneous explosion. He shot another look at Allison. “Did you?”

“No.” Allison said coolly. They were probably from Marissa—some little gift that said she missed him or something, right?

But how did she know he was here?

Jacob turned on his heel. “Who ordered them?”

Eva’s round blue eyes conveyed her surprise that Jacob wasn’t too pleased with the bouquet. “Um, I don’t know. If you need to know, I can call the flower shop.”

“Will you, please?” Jacob’s tone betrayed his curiosity.

Eva blinked. “Uh, of course.” She fished her phone out of her pocket and swiped her screen open, then she switched the phone to speaker. Allison stepped closer to Jacob, her gaze going from the flowers to the phone, then back to Jacob. He met her gaze as if she had all the answers.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Eva. Can you tell me who ordered the triple vase for Jacob Davis?”

“Sure. Hold on one second.”

Allison could taste the tension in the air as the florist on the other line typed the keys on her computer. Why was it taking so long? Shouldn’t that information come up right away?

Finally, the florist replied, “Eva?”

“Yeah.”

“There is no order for Jacob Davis.”

The news dropped like a wrecking ball on a small boat. Allison couldn’t help but look at Jacob with confusion, and the shock that registered on his face was akin to reading a different language. “What?”

“But,” Eva sputtered. “But there was an arrangement in the back of the delivery van today, and it was addressed to Jacob Davis.”

“What was the arrangement?”

“A triple-rose vase.”

More silence broke through the line. Allison could almost hear the woman thinking. “So, did this arrangement just magically appear in the back of the van?”

“I guess so?” Eva’s mouth hung open.

“Come on back when you’re done delivering, and we’ll figure it out. I just want to make sure we aren’t delivering the wrong arrangement to the wrong person.”

“It said ‘Jacob Davis’ at the law office.”

“Are you sure you didn’t set this up?” Jacob turned his dumbfounded look to Allison.

Allison shook her head. “Positive.” She would never attempt such a thing—especially since he was seeing someone else, serious or not.

Eva hung up with the office and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Davis. I don’t know how the arrangement got there. I’ll go back to the shop, and we’ll try to figure it out. Feel free to stop by or call us in a bit, and hopefully we’ll have some answers.”

“Good. Thank you.” Jacob nodded to her.

As Eva departed, Allison slinked closer. “What does the note say?” If anything, the note would probably give them some answers as to who sent it. Maybe it was her, his girlfriend, under the cover of great secrecy. But how would she know Jacob was at the law office? She didn’t know about Allison, did she? Allison felt the color from her face fade into pallor. What if she had somehow found out about her spending time with Jacob and sent these flowers as a warning?

Jacob opened the small envelope and withdrew a plain card. “It says, ‘They who go feel not the pain of parting; it is they who stay behind that suffer.’”

His brow creased into a deep frown. Allison felt her heart begin to beat harder. Parting? Surely it wasn’t Marissa, right? “You know who it’s from?”

“I have no idea.” Jacob shook his head.

Allison needed a second opinion, a third party who was good at solving things. “Can you wait here a sec? Let me go get Avery and see if she has any idea what this could mean.”

“Okay.” Jacob’s eyes still rested on the note.

Allison walked back to Avery’s office and poked her head in. “Hey, Ave? Do you have a minute?”

Avery’s eyes swept up from her work. “Sure.”

Allison frowned as she gestured to the lobby. “Can you come with me for a second? Something strange just happened. Jacob is here; he just got a flower delivery, but we have no idea who it’s from. Got any ideas about that?”

Avery blinked in confusion. “Uh, no, I don’t. I’ll be right there.”

Jacob didn’t like the sound of it. It was probably some practical joke, he told himself. It didn’t have any deeper meaning, did it?

As Allison appeared around the corner, he threw a jest in her direction. “You thought I got you flowers?”

Allison looked up, rapidly meeting his gaze. “Um…”

“I would have gotten you something nicer than a simple, three-rose bouquet.”

“Oh,” Allison managed as a hint of a blush filled her face. He almost missed seeing it since she looked down so quickly. “Sorry.”

The conversation transformed into déjà vu, and Jacob couldn’t help feeling somber as he remembered the last time he’d said these words about two weeks ago. A sigh rolled from the depths of his soul, and a forlorn look seeped into his eyes. “You know,” he began, his tone hovering under the lighthearted tease of a few moments ago, “this reminds me… I said something similar to my sister recently.” Actually, the exact same thing. For the exact same bouquet. And Mia also hadn’t known who sent her the triple-rose vase. Just then, Avery came around the corner.

Jacob lifted his chin and smiled a greeting, but then ice filled his eyes. “Allison. Avery. Two days before Mia disappeared, she called me to ask me if I had sent her three red roses…”

Allison stepped forward with the intensity of a thunderstorm. Jacob froze at seeing the shock on her face, her eyes filled with emotions… with a knowing… or perhaps remembering something.

She laid a firm hand on his upper arm, whether to get his attention or support herself, Jacob wasn’t sure. She seemed rather flustered. “Jacob.” Her voice sounded starved of air. “We need to listen to one of Mia’s podcasts. Right now.”

“I’ve let everyone know that we’re not to be disturbed,” Avery informed Jacob and Allison as she closed her office door behind her. Allison could not control the tremor in her hands as she set her phone on the desktop. Keeping her injured arm close to her, she took some time to open her phone and tapped on the bookmark for Mia’s podcast. She sat beside Jacob, who leaned forward, his eyes filled with concern. It was too much to explain. He had to listen for himself.

By the time Allison had scrolled down the list of podcast episodes, Avery had scooted her chair around the side of the desk and settled down beside Allison. Finally, the title of the one Allison was searching for jumped out at her.

“Listen to this, you guys.” She selected play on her phone and placed it on the desktop. She leaned back in her chair, her muscles rigid as she listened for what she hoped wasn’t a false alarm.

The peppy music Mia chose to introduce her podcast filled the room until Mia’s voice, just as cheerful, sounded. It broke Allison’s heart to hear how happy she was, not knowing that the same thing was going to happen to her only a year or two from then.

“Good evening, Juniper Springs. It is a beautiful January 1st, 2022, and I’m bringing you a story that will hopefully be the theme of the podcast for the upcoming year. Who doesn’t love a good mystery story? This one is sure to baffle you and challenge your mind for answers just like all the unsolved cases do. This one is different, however. So, grab some popcorn, sit back in your comfiest chair, and let’s figure this out together.

“Come back with me to the late nineties. The date is April 17, 1996. In my very own town of Juniper Springs, there was a young reporter named Annabella McPhearson. You probably haven’t heard of her; she wasn’t very popular, but she was trying to make a name for herself. Aren’t we all?” A smile pressed into Mia’s voice, laced with the hope that one day she, too, would be famous. She went on, retelling the story as if reading a report on her favorite novel.

“She was engaged to be married. Isn’t that romantic? Engaged to a wonderful guy named Darryl Ross. But on the night of April 17th, 1996, Annabella disappeared without a trace. The last person to have ever seen her was a rookie police officer who had pulled her over for speeding. The officer who had pulled her over reported that he had given her a warning for speeding, but when he got back into his squad car, another car zoomed by going at a much more dangerous speed, going in the opposite direction than Annabella was headed. The cop zoomed out after him to pull him over but remembered the spot where he had pulled Annabella over. And this very spot where the officer pulled her over is where Annabella’s car was found.

“So, we have mystery number one. It was like she just vanished from the vehicle with no trace. Her car was abandoned; it was like she evaporated after the routine traffic stop. But! The curiousness doesn’t stop there. Two days before her disappearance, she received a triple-rose bouquet from an unknown admirer.”

Allison saw Jacob straighten, the entire world falling away as he glued his eyes to the phone. The fact that he said Mia received the same bouquet two days before her disappearance reminded her of this episode. It was Mia’s favorite for the entire year until it had fizzled into nothing.

No one spoke, hardly daring to breathe lest they miss something. “Then, ten days after she vanished, her fiancé, Darryl Ross, received the same bouquet. Accompanying the bouquet was an unsigned note that read, ‘Parting is such sweet sorrow.’” Mia’s voice took on a romantic, breathless tone as if she were swooning over something romantic. Allison’s gut twisted, the thrill of the mystery gone and replaced by something worse.

“A few days later, her friends all received wedding invitations—beautifully designed wedding invitations with Annabella’s name, but the groom’s name simply said ‘Anonymous.’ However, the invitations weren’t for a future wedding. Get this: the wedding date on the invitation was April 17th, 1996—the very night she disappeared! What?” Her voice sounded like she had just unraveled some juicy gossip.

“When the florist was asked who sent the flowers to Annabella and her fiancé, they had no idea. The man had paid in cash and had no distinct markings. Just an average guy, they said and didn’t even remember what he looked like. So, let’s try to untangle this web of confusion and deceit. Was Annabella abducted by this guy with a sick sense of humor surrounding her wedding? Or maybe, maybe, she didn’t love Darryl Ross at all, but she didn’t know how to say it, so she came up with this elaborate plot. What if she was just teasing her finance in a cruel manner? Maybe she left and sent these notes to him to cruelly make him think that she went off and married another man the day she went missing. What do you think?”

Her voice softened as she drew closer to the mic. “I think we can all hope that the latter was more of a possibility, but we can’t rule out that people go missing every day and the kidnappers love to play games… to tease. No one knows where Annabella disappeared to. She was never seen again.”

Allison could hear no more. The despairing way that the case ended echoed too similar to Mia’s own disappearance. She tapped the pause button and sat back, letting the silence and burden of knowing sink in. Jacob’s eyes rested on the phone, horror soaking into his chiseled features. Avery shook her head, turning the words over and over in her mind. Every one of them was astounded by the frightening parallels between the podcast story and Mia’s.

After about a minute or two, Allison decided to break the silence. “That’s how Mia knew that she was being followed. That someone was after her.”

“The similarities,” Jacob mused in a monotone voice, weighed heavy by sorrow. “I felt like I was listening to a news report about my sister.”

“Only, she wasn’t engaged,” Avery pointed out. “And you received the flowers.”

“With the same type of note.” Allison wondered if there were some underlying message in the note. “Was that a Shakespeare quote?”

“The one that Darryl Ross received was.” Avery pulled out her phone. “May I see your note, Jacob?”

Jacob held it out to her, his movements rapid, as if he wanted to get it out of his hands as soon as possible.

Avery read over it and typed it into her phone. “Jacob’s note was a quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A poet, not a playwright.” She held up the note. “Can I keep this? There might be some good fingerprints on it that we can run.”

Jacob’s nod was robotic. “Please.”

“So,” Allison tried to clear the confusion on where to start by shaking her head, “do you think it’s in any way possible that this is the same person?”

“I don’t even know.” Jacob’s voice betrayed how lost he was.

Allison shot him a compassionate look. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but she couldn’t think of anything. “Well, if it is the same person, he’s probably twenty-eight years older by now, and we have better technology like DNA testing and all that. So, if it is the same person, we have a better chance of finding Mia than we did of finding Annabella back in 1996.”

“Unless Mia’s right and she wasn’t abducted at all,” Avery mentioned thoughtfully. “Although the parallels are so similar they’re scary, they’re not completely identical. Annabella was engaged, but Mia wasn’t. Annabella’s fiancé received the parting note; Mia’s brother received the note this time. Although, both notes talk about the sorrow of parting.”

“This was a story that Mia aggressively pursued all through 2022,” Allison pointed out. “It helped her establish herself and get more followers. So, maybe if Annabella was abducted, the kidnapper doesn’t like the fact that she was on his trail.”

“But the trail ran cold.” Avery studied Allison’s face. “Didn’t it?”

“Unless Mia found some new clue that she was going to reveal.”

“These are good suggestions,” Jacob said, rising to his feet. “But we have one trail that we can follow. Someone ordered those flowers. Both Mia’s and mine. So, I’m going to talk to the local florist and see if I can get some answers.”

Allison sprang to her feet. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’m going to follow some leads. This is getting out of hand.” Avery picked up her phone. “Let me phone the police chief and see if we can’t bring some people in for questioning. I find it funny that these threats didn’t come about until you talked to Fletcher Robles. You said he wasn’t too friendly?”

“No.” Jacob’s voice was ice. “And he spoke very ill of my sister.”

“Let me get some things in motion, and I’ll see if I can get some answers.” Avery turned back to her desk as Allison and Jacob left her office.

“I just can’t wrap my head around this.”

Jacob closed the door of his Mercedes and clicked it to lock once Allison had closed her door. “If you hadn’t remembered that podcast episode—”

“We might not have a lead,” Allison finished. “Although I’m not sure if this counts as a lead or something else.”

“A monkey wrench sounds more like it.” Jacob hurried up the steps to the charming flower shop. Bella’s Blooms held the corner space in a strip mall in downtown Juniper Springs. Known for its diagonal parking and historic-looking row of buildings, the little shop would have been quaint if it didn’t hold the so-called monkey wrench regarding Mia’s disappearance. Jacob felt determination pulsing through him. Whoever had set foot in this shop and ordered the flowers had to be the one responsible for what happened to Mia.

Two display windows faced the street containing Halloween decorations, fall garlands, and orange and white display lights. Jacob held the door for Allison, eager to get her out of the cold, then himself. The door sealed them into the colorful, fragrant shop. In addition to blooming lilies and roses, there was a hint of vanilla with cinnamon for the fall welcome party. Little display shelves dotted the floor, concealing the front counter from view.

Allison led Jacob through the display shelves. Jacob found Eva behind the counter with two other girls and an older woman who appeared to be the owner, standing at a computer. “Miss Bella?” Allison called.

Bella glanced up with a welcoming smile. Eva’s face lit up with recognition. “Mr. Davis. We were just looking over your order.” A hint of pink crept into her cheeks, but this time, Jacob was able to ignore it completely.

“Hello, ladies.” Allison greeted them with her usual cheerful manner, then turned and pointed to Jacob. “We think you might have some important information that could help us discover why Mia went missing.”

Bella’s face paled. “Mia... Davis. Right. She’s your sister?”

Jacob’s grave nod confirmed the truth.

Bella’s face flooded with sadness for him. “I’m so sorry. Please, anything we can do to help, let us know.”

“Mia received a triple-rose bouquet,” Jacob said, doing the math in his head. The last time he talked to his sister had been two days before her disappearance—a Wednesday. “I believe they were delivered to her house on October 2nd. Can you please tell me who ordered them?”

“Let’s see.” Bella pushed her glasses up onto her nose as she scrolled through some things on her computer. “Girls, do you remember who ordered the flowers for Mia Davis?”

Eva shook her head.

“I don’t even know her,” one florist offered while the other set her work aside and drifted over to the computer to offer what assistance she could.

Jacob watched Bella’s fingers type in Mia’s name on her computer. Her face lit up with the glow from the screen. “Hmm. Okay. Mia Davis, triple vase.” A frown deepened the crow’s feet around the woman’s eyes. “Looks like a man came in and ordered these last August, on the 26th to be exact.”

Jacob and Allison both added their frowns to Bella’s. “They were ordered a month in advance?”

“That’s what it says. ‘Triple rose bouquet for Mia Davis to be delivered on October 2nd.’”

“Does it say who ordered them?” Jacob felt the desperation mounting in his voice.

“Looks like it was a walk-in,” Bella answered. “Typically, we don’t take down names of walk-ins if they pay with cash, which he did. There isn’t a reason for us to… especially since sometimes, guys who send flowers want to remain anonymous in a small town to avoid gossip.”

Jacob groaned and felt his hopes deflate.

Allison did what she could to keep it afloat. “Can you recall if you had seen him before… or since?”

“I think I remember this one.” The florist standing next to Bella pointed at the screen. “I remember because we never get orders this far in advance unless it’s Valentine’s Day or a special occasion, and it was neither. He said something about that he would be out of town at the end of August until after October 2nd, so that’s why he wanted to order so far in advance. I’m sorry though… I don’t remember what he looked like.”

“Did you write out a card message?”

“No. He selected a card and wrote out the message himself, then put it in the envelope and gave it to us. We don’t open the notes for privacy purposes.”

Jacob was glad that if he ever wanted to order flowers from this shop, their privacy policy would have him down as a John Doe if he wanted. He loved it but hated it at the same time. Desperation clawed up his throat. This was their only connection!

Jacob was keeping a strong and determined facade, but Allison could tell he was falling apart inside. It must have been hard, having the bait dangled in front of his nose, and when he took it, it led to nothing. She knew. She felt it too.

“And we’re so sorry, we have no idea how the flowers got in the delivery van.” Bella went on. “Eva always leaves it unlocked and running when she’s running deliveries because it’s hard on the engine to start and stop it all the time. The only thing we can think of is that someone sneaked them into the van while she was delivering inside the school or at one of her other stops. Probably someone trying to get out of the delivery charge.” Her face darkened.

Of course, dishonest people do things like that. But it didn’t help if the guy ordered flowers five weeks in advance. The guy was smart. Sickeningly smart. He knew the flower shop dealt with so many people a day that by the time someone would ask who delivered them, his face would be nowhere near their radar... No paper trail, either, as he paid cash and wrote his own note. But there was one thing that Allison could do. Maybe she could jog their memories.

“Can I show you guys some pictures?” She pulled out her phone. “Maybe one of them can jog your memory?”

“Sure!” Bella’s voice rang out. The other florist took her place at the counter.

Allison navigated to Fletcher’s picture first, him being the most likely suspect. But the staff shook their heads. “Never seen him before. I’d remember a face like that.”

“Unfortunately, I agree with you,” Jacob said.

Allison’s lips turned up in amusement at Jacob’s distaste for the man, and she swiped right to the picture of Joey McCall. Bella and Eva’s eyes went wide, flashing with recognition. “Oh, yeah, he was in here yesterday.”

Allison froze. “This guy?” She held the phone up higher.

Bella nodded. “That’s right.”

“I helped him with his order,” Eva interjected. “He ordered some silks or something.”

Allison and Jacob exchanged a look between them. Allison clicked off her phone.

“Thank you, girls, so much for your help.” Jacob hid his distress behind that warm smile that Allison had grown to love.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t be of more help,” Eva chirped.

“Well, you’ve done all you can, and I’m grateful.” Jacob glanced around the shop, smiling. “I think this place deserves a 5-star review on Yelp, don’t you, Allison? The staff is very helpful and polite; the place is clean and inviting.” He aimed a knowing smile at the women. “I highly recommend it.”

Bella beamed, despite the darkening reality that Mia was still missing. “Thank you, Mr. Davis.”

“Did you hear that? Joey McCall was in the flower shop yesterday!” Allison gestured toward the closed door behind them with her left hand. A painful reminder to Jacob that her right hand was injured.

Jacob stopped at the steps that led down to where his car was parked and turned to her. He took in Allison’s frame, his admiration for her growing. But with the swelling admiration grew a truckload of guilt. She had gotten hurt because of him, and now that the stakes were rising, the chances of her getting hurt again only increased. The poor thing couldn’t use her wrist for a while, and he couldn’t risk her getting hurt again. He wanted—no, needed—her help. But she had already done everything she could.

“Allison,” he began, keeping his tone low and as lighthearted as he could. “I want to meet with Avery to discuss hiring her to take over this case.”

“That’s great,” Allison agreed. “Avery’s great about that. She can smell a clue from a mile away, and I’ve seen her crack the most difficult cases. We can take this to her and—”

“Allison,” Jacob interrupted. He hated this—hated pushing her away. But he had to. “I cannot begin to tell you how much I have appreciated and needed your help on this case. But you’ve already gotten hurt. And I think it is in your best interest if we let Avery go at this alone.” He was going to help, of course, but he wasn’t going to tell Allison that.

Of course, he was worried about her. Allison hated the fact that she had gotten hurt since it only made Jacob think that it was too dangerous for her. “Jacob, I’ll be fine. I’m not going to go near any dark doorways again, and we’re just going around talking to people—that’s all!”

“Colby warned us about taking this further,” Jacob continued. “If anyone is going to get in trouble for going too far in their own private investigation, it should be me, not you. I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

Allison made a point of holding up her wrist, her arm a big L shape. L for loser, she hoped, as he was going to lose this argument when she convinced him that she was fully capable of going along with him. “It’s just a sprained wrist, Jacob, nothing more. He didn’t even break it! That whole thing was just a fluke, and it might not even be related. Please, don’t leave me behind. We’re not even really doing anything that dangerous. I promise you, I will be fi—”

She didn’t get to finish. Her words were cut short when Jacob suddenly shot forward, leaning his face closer to hers and sealing her mouth with a kiss.

A… A kiss.

Allison’s words muffled into silence as she closed her eyes. In that moment, she felt like she was standing underneath a waterfall, the droplets of the river being all sorts of emotions that his kiss unlocked—a sense of wanting to ask What in the world? hit her, but it was silenced by the goodness and utter joy he unlocked. His eyes closed. She let hers close as she savored the short moment in time. He pressed his lips against hers even further, and her breath caught in her throat. Jacob Davis, the man that she had had a crush on since she was a teenager, the handsome millionaire who held her heart as a man, not his paycheck, was kissing her.

Was this a dream?

Leaving her breathless, Jacob pulled away. She met his gaze, exchanging the surprise they felt at the situation, but having no words to speak. His look told her that his kiss was just as unexpected to him as it was to her, though there may have been a hint of premeditation… like he had known all along that he wanted to kiss her. Terror wound up inside of Allison at the thought of Marissa finding out. But the terror soon was replaced by the strong fact that she didn’t regret it… and would never regret it.

And by the look in Jacob’s eyes, as they swallowed her whole, he didn’t regret it either.

“I contacted the police department.” Avery sat at her desk, clicking her pen in and out as she unspooled her thoughts for Jacob and Allison. “Spoke directly with Colby. They brought Fletcher Robles in for questioning. He didn’t sound too happy about being questioned, but maybe we can finally get some answers.”

“That would be great,” Allison replied, sipping a bottle of water. Between her monumental feelings for Jacob developing, and stretching herself to her limits to try to find Mia, taking care of herself hadn’t exactly taken first priority. “Have they gotten anything yet?”

“Nothing yet that I’ve heard. Of course, Fletcher is denying everything. That’s to be expected.”

“He denied meeting my sister too.” Jacob’s voice rumbled from where he sat, legs splayed out in front of him. Even though his chair was a good foot or so away from Allison, she could still feel her senses prickle at his nearness. He kept up a smooth front, never hinting to Avery about what had happened between him and Allison; but whenever he looked in her direction, a knowing look deepened the sapphire in his eyes. She returned it as best as she could, but with her insides turning to liquid gold any time he looked at her, it was hard to keep that calm front like he did.

Instead, she fastened her eyes on Avery as much as possible, but her thoughts lingered on the feel of Jacob’s kiss on her lips. She let herself return to that moment again and again until she could feel his lips pressing on hers… feel the nearness of his body to hers… smell the fragrant cologne that he wore. All of her senses mingled together in one euphoric memory. She told herself again and again not to read too much into it. Jacob was under a lot of stress, after all. But could it be? Could it be that he felt the same about her that she did about him? He was good at hiding how he felt about things. In the face of Fletcher bad-mouthing his sister, he had managed to keep his cool without raising his voice but allowed himself to sternly question the man. When they had been attacked in the events center, he hadn’t given in to panic, only a determination to get to Allison. Perhaps he was equally as good at concealing his feelings for her.

What did his kiss mean? If it was little more than a fleeting moment of passion, but he felt nothing for her, then what did that mean for them?

Allison forced herself to focus. Avery was giving important information that might help them find Mia. They’d had ten days to adjust to her disappearance, but Allison didn’t like the new feeling that came over her. Instead of living with urgency, she was becoming used to Mia being gone. It was becoming the new normal in a way, and she didn’t like that.

“So, there’s nothing from Fletcher that can help us out in the least at this point,” Jacob said as more of a statement.

Avery shook her head. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Well, I’m not going to get stuck on him as the only person who could have done this.” Jacob leaned forward, steepling his fingers as his elbows rested on his knees. Allison caught herself looking at him. Did he have any idea how much masculine essence just oozed from him when he did that? It made her thoughts run wild with the feelings that his kiss had brought about, and once again, she reminded herself to focus. However, she did make a mental note that she needed to talk to Jacob about what happened. She needed to get her facts straight: Why had he done it? Neither of them had broached that topic as they rode back to Avery’s office. And since the flower shop was just down the street, it hadn’t been a long, awkward ride.

Jacob went on. “I also talked to Joey McCall—just happened to meet him recently outside of where he works at Benny’s.”

Avery nodded knowingly. “Of course.”

“He denied having anything to do with it as well, and he didn’t seem to want to talk to me much. Not that the kid had great communication skills. Oh, and incidentally, he was in the flower shop. Yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” Avery leaned forward, scribbling some notes. “The day before your arrangement randomly shows up on the delivery truck.”

“Exactly,” Jacob mused. “He moved to Juniper Springs shortly after Mia announced him on her podcast as the likely killer of his family. Said she practically wrecked his life. If he really did kill his family, I wouldn’t put it past him to hurt Mia.”

“But if he didn’t,” Avery pointed at Jacob with her pen, “then that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t go out of his way to try to silence her. If he’s innocent, the last thing he would want is some girl destroying his innocence. It doesn’t matter what the courts say because no one listens to them. People listen to what social media says.” Bitterness crept into her tone. “People rely on social media to tell them how to think anymore.”

“And the guy who attacked us?” Allison put in. “Didn’t Colby say that he suspected he might have been young because of his energy and strength?”

“Or someone very fit,” Avery confirmed. She gave a nod of her head, narrowing her eyes to focus on something. “Do you think Fletcher fits that description at all, Jacob?”

“Fletcher?” Jacob pondered. “I mean, I would never underestimate anyone. Allie could be a blackbelt—for all I know—and just hides it well.”

Allison shared a secret smile with herself. Allie. There’s that name again.

“But if I had to guess,” he shook his head, “no. Not in the messy state of his life. He doesn’t care. His trailer and lifestyle scream apathy. It’s not impossible, but I just don’t think so.”

“So, someone like Joey might be a bit more inclined to learn how to fight like your attacker did,” Avery mused. “Now, let’s not rule out that the guy who attacked you may not even be related to your investigation of Mia Davis.”

“Also true.” Allison sighed. She leaned back in her chair, pressing herself against it, trying to coil her frustration. “I just feel so lost.”

“Tell you what.” Avery flipped her pen over, landing it on the legal pad with a clunk. “Let me do some investigating. I’ll clue Colby in on the fact that Joey was at the flower shop the day before you received those mysterious flowers and see if we can bring him in too. I’ll sleep on it, see what we find. Who knows? A new lead could very well present itself by morning. But maybe we’re looking too hard. Have you ever looked for something so long you can’t see it, even if it’s right in front of your face?”

Allison leaned her head back, letting her laughter break up the tension. “My coffee mug, the other day.”

“Exactly.” Avery’s eyes shone with a tease. “So, you know what it’s like.”

“I agree with Avery.” Jacob’s eyes brimmed with disappointment that there wasn’t more they could do. But he and Allison both knew it was the right strategy. “We need to give it a rest. Today was very full.”

Allison nodded, masking her disappointment with a smile. “I agree.”

A gentle tapping attracted the attention of the group toward Avery’s open door. Dr. Blair poked his head in, eyes marked by weariness but delight to see Avery. “Hey, beautiful. Hope I’m not interrupting?”

Avery shook her head, a smile touching her face.

“Not at all.” Jacob nudged Allison. “We just finished, actually. You have perfect timing.”

“So, I’ve been told.” Lance grinned, leaning against the doorframe, and aimed his next words at Avery. “Are you still planning on coming tonight?”

Had Allison kept Avery from something? She snapped her gaze back at Avery. “Oh, have we kept you?”

“Not at all.” Avery shook her head. She placed her palms on the desk and pushed herself up. “Lance, his cousin and his cousin’s girlfriend were just having a little decorating party for the clinic.”

“It shouldn’t take long.” Lance held out his arm to welcome Avery into his embrace and glanced over at Jacob and Allison. “Would you like to join us?”

The last thing Allison wanted to do was celebrate. She already felt bad that she hadn’t been successful in finding Mia. Every suspect had a motive, but they still had so many holes in their theories. And they were still no closer to finding her, even though her kidnapper had now resorted to sending clues. That was the part Allison hated the most. Whoever he was, he hadn’t made a mistake, and now, he was just teasing them. “No, thank you, Lance. I’ve had a long day, and I’m ready to go home and wind down.”

“Same here.” Jacob stood to his feet while Allison followed like his shadow.

“All right, then.” Avery gave them a final smile. “Don’t lose heart, you guys. I’m going to do everything I can to help you find Mia.”

“We appreciate that,” Jacob said.

With the office door closing behind them, Allison let the silence hang heavy in the air as she slipped her keys into the lock. She pressed her hand against the door, checking to make sure the lock was secure and turned to stroll out onto the sidewalk. Her breath became a vapor, rising into the night sky and disappearing before she could stare at it for too long. The silence between her and Jacob was heavy. Never had silence with him been so uncomfortable.

“I knew it was the right choice.” Jacob’s voice held the hesitation of a deer in headlights. “Letting Avery in on the case.”

“She’s a good detective.” Allison pressed her hands into her pockets, pulling her coat down and her shoulders with it. “If anyone will find something, it’ll be her.”

She turned to face him in the starlight and found herself being pulled toward him like a magnet. As much as she wanted to deny it, their kiss had changed things between them. She still didn’t know how things stood between him and Marissa, and that held a trap of hesitation for her. Still. She needed to know… needed to understand.

“Jacob, about earlier.” Better just to blurt it out before there was no going back.

“I’m not sorry.” His words shot a fresh sense of hope and desire into her. She tried to push it down, but his words weren’t allowing her to breathe. Jacob looked at her, up and down, his eyes never blinking once. “It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing; it was something that I meant.”

Words evaded her. Allison moistened her lower lip, trying to add some thought into something she could say. “I…” Don’t regret it either. No, if she said that, that was too forward. He had Marissa to go home to. But she had to be honest, right? She was a lawyer—paid to defend the innocent on the stand who swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. A vow… a price to be paid for lying. But what if she were the one on the stand? Rather, her feelings on the stand. Her feelings condemned her and made her guilty, but was it a guilt she was willing to own up to?

“I,” came her oh-so-eloquent response. “I admit I was a little surprised.” There. The half-truth. “And I found myself wondering what Marissa would think.”

Jacob’s lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes appeared let down. “I’ve never promised anything to Marissa,” he stated. “She and I are just seeing each other, but nothing serious. Quite frankly, after these two weeks, I’m not sure I want it to be serious.”

What was he getting at? Was he saying that he preferred her—over Marissa? The vapor of Allison’s breath faded out and ceased. “You’re not? Why? She’s perfect for you, isn’t she?” She tried to recall what he had told her on the way home from the hospital. How she’d asked because she needed to know, and he’d relayed information to her as if he were reading a status report. “She works in the same field, at the same company, she’s beautiful, she’s…”

“No, she’s not.”

Allison snorted a laugh. “Not beautiful? I’ll have to tell her you said that.”

“No,” Jacob breathed a laugh, realizing how that must have sounded to someone who wasn’t in his head. “No, I mean, she is beautiful but... but it’s not a natural beauty like yours. And what I meant was, she’s not perfect for me.”

Allison didn’t even try to counter that one.

“The truth is,” he continued, “she never brought out the best in me. Only…” He hesitated, knowing that his next statement would set off an entire minefield of things they weren’t sure they were ready to explore. “Only you have done that.”

Boom. There it was. So, he did have feelings for her.

Jacob wasn’t afraid. He was never a man to look at the fear factors, only the truth. Jacob was a man who weighed the risks, took the risks, and hoped for the desired outcome. Granted, his heart had never been on the line before. There was a different risk to revealing his true feelings to Allison than breaking up with someone he never regretted letting go. Even if Allison refused him, he could never let her go on thinking he didn’t care for her.

He did. A good deal.

“Allison.” His breath hovered above the intensity that he felt as the moment deepened. He buried himself in her eyes, not knowing how his words would hit, not knowing if she would turn him away and run as fast as she could or embrace the moment. He didn’t even know where this was going from here. All he knew was that he had to tell her. “I’ll say it again. Whenever I’m around you, you bring out the best in me. You have never once treated me like a millionaire. Just a man. You’re not drawn to me because of my money. Just me. As a person.”

Her face softened into a glow. Jacob wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw relief in her eyes like she had wanted him to realize how she felt. “Oh, Jacob. I do see you as the amazing man you are. How can I not? You have a kindness about you that’s rare… among so many other things.”

Jacob could contain himself no longer. He took a single step toward her and cupped her face with his hand. “That is why I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

He saw it on her face. It made sense. Of course, it made sense now that he confessed it to her.

The static in the air danced between them, threatening to draw them closer. Even though the evening darkness loomed, they both felt as alert and alive as if it were noon. Allison’s body curved toward him, and her eyelids drooped over those golden eyes of hers. “I’m not ready to say goodnight,” she said.

Allison felt the approaching goodbye, but not the goodbye of him going back to his hotel for the night. The goodbye of him returning to Olympia and leaving her behind here in Juniper Springs. To continue on with his life without her. The moments ticked to a close, but she couldn’t just let it end like this. She wanted to savor the little amount of time they had while knowing how they felt. His words only drew her in. She brought out the best in him? She hadn’t even tried. She thought it was the best version of himself, not that she was drawing it out of him. He had always been wonderful.

Jacob leaned closer, and she felt the caress of his presence. He leaned his face closer to hers. Was he going to kiss her again? The way his eyes explored her features suggested it, but he spoke instead. “I’m not either.”

But they couldn’t hang out here. Not on the sidewalk. And Allison couldn’t stand the thought of him going back to that lousy hotel he was staying at. She wasn’t sure how her words would be taken—hopefully the way she intended them—meaningful and inviting, but not manipulating. “You’re free to go somewhere else, but would you like to come back to my place for a while?”

His smile told her that he took her words as she had meant them. “I would love that.”

“Follow me.” She flashed him a smile and then turned to head toward her car. Once the door had sealed her inside her sedan, she watched him get into his car, then finally released the breath that had been cramping her chest. She had done it. He had confided his feelings in her, and she returned them—invited him to stay, not for business, but for personal matters. As she pulled out of the parking lot, one thing became clearer to her: she loved him. And that was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Allison’s house was tucked away inside a neighborhood on the nicer edges of town, just a little drive down the road, past the cul-de-sac on the edge of the neighborhood. Jacob let his car idle behind Allison’s while she pulled her car into the garage. He pulled his car into the driveway after her, killing his engine. Allison strode out of the garage door, closing it behind her, then stopped at the mailbox on her porch. Jacob swung himself out of the car and breathed in. The fall air was crisp with promise. While the forest was usually alive with sounds during the summer, the autumn breeze had cooled off the forest life. He only heard the rushing, soothing sound of the wind whispering through the pines and perhaps the wind blowing across the slopes of the mountains that surrounded the town. He calmly approached Allison standing on the porch, thumbing through her mail. She held a manila envelope, balancing all of her other mail on top of that. “You have a lovely place.”

“Thank you.” Allison gathered her mail together in her arms and unlocked her door. “It’s just country enough to be quiet, but not in the middle of nowhere.”

“In the middle of nowhere, like the rest of the town?”

Allison’s eyes shimmered. Perhaps it was just him, but it seemed like they were shimmering more than usual. “Hey, now, you have to admit it’s a cute place to live.”

“Cute.” He shrugged. “And lonely.”

“Hardly. Everybody knows everybody.” Allison stepped inside her house, closing the door behind Jacob.

The smell of a new house greeted Jacob, with a hint of sweetness dancing in the entryway. The entryway was a hallway that spilled out into a living area. Behind another wall lay a kitchen, custom pine cabinets lining the cupboards, and an island at the center. “Are you thirsty?” Allison asked, flopping her mail down onto the island.

“Please.” Jacob strode up to the island. There was no way he would let her get the water with her wounded wrist. She had been using it all day, and she deserved a rest. He stepped beside her as she reached the counter where the glasses were kept. “Let me get it.”

“I can get it.” Allison aimed an adorable smile at him, but he overpowered her with his own. He took the glass from her hand, then reached above her to get another one. “I’m not helpless, you know.”

“I know you’re not.” Jacob closed the cupboard. “But any chance you get to rest that arm is good, right?”

She stared at him for a few moments before her face broke out in happiness. “Very well, my knight in shining armor.”

He rather liked that name. “Anything for you, milady.”

Allison opened her refrigerator, her eyes scanning down the shelves. “I’ve got water, wine, some soda, some juice.”

“Water is fine.” Jacob didn’t want anything too fancy.

Allison closed the door. Jacob poured some water into each of the glasses. He nodded to the island. “Have a seat.”

Allison rolled her eyes playfully, but she didn’t protest. Jacob followed her, setting her water in front of her at her place. He slid in beside her on one of the stools that sat at her island, glancing around. The tidiness of her house didn’t surprise him, even if she was never home. Allison didn’t strike him as a woman who let her housework outrun her. “You spend much time here?”

“More so at my first home. The office.” She plopped her chin into her hands, staring at him with dancing eyes. “But I like to hang out here on occasion. Weekends are nice.”

“Weekends?” Jacob lifted his water glass to his lips to take a sip. “What are those?”

“They’re these really nice things that workers get once in a while where they don’t have to go into work or bring their work home with them! They don’t happen often, but when they do, they blow by at the speed of light.” Allison teased, taking a sip of her own water. Jacob couldn’t help but notice the way her lips closed around the rim of the glass. Now he knew how those lips tasted. Marissa had a kiss that tasted like kids’ taffy—a strong taste, but made you wonder if you were enjoying something real or fake—something maybe enhanced by lipstick and surgeries. But Allison’s lips tasted like maple syrup right from a spigot on a tree. Natural, perfect without having to be enhanced by anything. Their realness had washed over him, even in the short amount of time that their lips had met.

And he wanted them to meet again.

Allison caught him staring at her lips, and she lowered her glass. “What is it?”

Jacob leaned toward her, asking her with his eyes if he might go further. Allison leaned the rest of the way, giving him full permission. Jacob brought his lips over hers, feeling her press up against him. Without the element of surprise as before, the time allowed them both to savor the taste of one another, the sparks igniting from their kiss soon flaring into an unquenchable fire. Allison wasn’t aggressive, but gentle, as if she tenderly cared for his emotion as much as he cared for hers. When their lips broke apart, Jacob’s gaze flickered, getting lost in her eyes, the color of honey, perhaps reflecting her heart of gold.

He should feel guilty. Marissa deserved to know how he felt. Sure, they called and talked on the phone, but her main question was never how he was, only when he was coming back and how much she missed him.

If you miss me so much, come down and see me. Show me you care.

Then he realized the truth: there was no way he could go back to Marissa. Not after experiencing such realness with Allison. Not after tasting her true love in the form of her smile, her joy, her openness… how she treated him like the man he was. But what did that mean for him? Would he have to move here? Perhaps somewhere close to Juniper Springs so it wasn’t a long drive to either Olympia or here, to see Allison. If he hung around her just a little bit more, he was sure he would discover a willingness to uproot his life for this woman who had shown him a real face, nothing fake—a true, natural beauty, unaltered by what the world of money promoted as beautiful. He could not, simply could not, leave that behind.

Allison’s gaze rested on his hand when he leaned back. When she glanced back up at him, there was a hesitation in her eyes, one that hadn’t been there before. “I’m sorry, Jacob.”

Sorry? What on earth could she be sorry for? “For what?”

Allison sighed and swiveled around on the stool to face the island. She straightened her elbow out onto the counter, still cradling her right hand against her. “I know that you have something going on with Marissa. Whatever you would call your situationship, she’s still there.”

But she wasn’t there. That was the issue. Jacob settled into a sigh, the truth seeming raw and coarse as he tasted it. “It’s really nothing, Allison. We’ve talked on the phone, we’ve had dinner a few times, but I’ve come to realize it won’t last. The truth is, I’ve never met anyone as real as you. Not even Marissa.” Admitting this out loud made all the hesitation he felt about a future with Allison become as clear as day. And even though his world and Allison’s world were completely opposite, he couldn’t let her go. Allison was part of a world where people went dancing in the rain, where you could chase after clues and not be bound by the status quo of where you were from… a world that she had helped him to see, and yet, a world that he could only exist in if she were present.

He had to ask. Maybe nothing serious for the moment, but he had to invite Allison to be a part of his world. He leaned toward her, the words dancing on the tip of his tongue, trying to emerge. Would you ever consider going on a date with me, Allison? Why were those words so hard to utter? So hard to push off of his tongue, form with his lips, come from his heart? Once Mia’s disappearance had been settled, whatever the outcome, he needed Allison to be part of his life.

Allison couldn’t read his thoughts, so she looked down at her mail. The mood changed, bringing his questions to a halt that screeched so loudly in his own head that he mentally winced. Allison’s brow creased across her eye, and she reached for the manila envelope she had brought in. “I didn’t even bother to look twice at whatever this is. I didn’t order anything.”

Allison loved this—loved talking with Jacob—but she needed to break it up for a moment. Needed to breathe. All these childhood dreams were rushing at her like a tornado, and she had to gather her wits about her again. Besides, the envelope had been staring at her since she turned back to her island, teasing her curiosity. She slid it toward her, figuring it was probably something a client had sent her, maybe some new evidence for one of her court cases.

No return address? That’s weird.

The package had a bit of weight in one of the corners, but it didn’t feel like it took up the whole package. Allison tore the strip off and reached into the envelope. Her fingers closed around what felt like a thick piece of paper, and she pulled it out.

“Well, that’s a rather fancy envelope,” Jacob commented, nodding to the fine silky paper in her hands.

The paper had the weight of resume paper and the fancy embossing of…

“A wedding invitation?”

All the sparks from the fire Jacob had been kindling between them faded. Allison jerked her head up to meet Jacob’s gaze as the realization slapped him in the face. A wedding invitation had been one of the elements in the Annabella McPhearson case.

Allison couldn’t get the envelope open fast enough. It didn’t help that it was taped down—smart move by the kidnapper who knew he could leave DNA behind on a licked envelope. Peeling the tape back layer by layer, Allison set it aside for possible fingerprints for Avery. The card inside had an embossed oval that circled around another embossed rose, stained light pink in the center. Allison flicked the cover open and covered her mouth in horror.

It was the first she had seen of her friend since her disappearance: a picture taped to the right side of the envelope. The picture depicted Mia tied to a chair somewhere, a gag digging into the sides of her mouth. Her eyes stared right into whatever camera device was used and reflected nothing but fear and terror. Her arms twisted behind her back, and she sat on a regular, everyday chair.

Allison gasped, flipping the invitation open all the way. Flowing, cursive handwriting touched up the left side of the card. It would have been considered extraordinary penmanship if not for the picture attached. Short. Simple. To the point.

If you want her to live, you will do exactly as I say. Come to the information center. 8:00 p.m. October 14th. If I see any cops or investigators, anyone else other than you two, you will never see Mia again, and she’ll wish she were dead. Bring Mia’s laptop and put it on the bench. Then turn around and leave. Thanks!

Behind the overly passive-aggressive note, a smiley face was drawn. Allison felt the terror gnawing the inside of her throat as she looked up at Jacob for support and answers. “Oh, no.”

The manila envelope! It had something else in there. The invitation, or whatever this was, wasn’t heavy enough to cause the weight in the bottom. Allison grabbed it and slammed her fingers into the bottom of the package, feeling around until her fingertips closed over a cold, metal item. Allison plucked the item from the package, and a chill swept over her. Between her fingertips was an empty bullet cartridge.

“Oh, no,” was all she could repeat.

Jacob reached for the cartridge, forgetting everything about fingerprints as he smudged his own over the surface. “9mm.” Realization struck his face. His mouth hung slightly open from the shock of it. Allison knew he had to be on to something. “Allie... didn’t you say Kristin Murphy’s husband was shot by a 9mm?”

Allison could hardly think with the influx of information pounding in her head all at once. Yes. Kyle Murphy had been killed by a 9mm. The handwriting was beautiful; it could be considered a woman’s handwriting. And who was the last podcast episode about? The last one that Mia had ever published by herself without Allison guest-starring?

Kristin Murphy.

The choking revelation turned her insides cold. The kidnapper they had been looking for all this time wasn’t a “he.”

It was a “she.”

She and Jacob had been so caught up in the involvement of Joey McCall or Fletcher Robles that they had forgotten about Kristin, but the woman had motive. Fresh motive. Mia was poking at her life and messing things up. How could Allison have forgotten to look further into Kristin?

The truth must have blossomed for both of them at the same time. Jacob’s face changed into determination as Allison stated, “It’s Kristin! Kristin has her!”

Her hair flew as she snapped around to look at the clock. 7:30! Was that enough time to swing by Mia’s house, grab her laptop, and get to the information center? In half an hour, Allison didn’t have much of a choice but to do exactly as the note said.

“Let’s go!” Jacob leaped to his feet, reaching for his jacket. Allison bolted for the door.

Allison knew Avery would be at the decorating party with Lance and the chances of her hearing her phone were slim. Not to mention, the note detailed the importance of no police presence. Even Avery’s accompaniment would mean death to Mia. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t share her location.

She navigated to her location and shared it with Avery’s phone. There. At least that covered her tracks.

Allison flattened Mia’s laptop in her lap as Jacob pushed the speed limit as fast as he legally could. Sweat began to form on her brow, and she found it hard to sit still. “I’m scared, Jacob.” She let herself crack, let him into her feelings. After what they had shared, she no longer felt the need to keep up the hopeful facade, but the hope that had died rekindled with the note. At least for now, Mia was alive. Maybe Kristin didn’t know that they’d figured out it was her. After this, she could get on the phone with Avery or Colby and let them know what had happened. Maybe they could track Mia’s laptop.

All the maybe’s faded into one dazzling whirlwind, and Allison forced herself to breathe. “I’m scared,” she repeated.

“It’s going to be okay,” Jacob said, grabbing her hand with his. Now it was his turn to do the reassuring. His ocean eyes peered at the clock, reading the time. “We’re cutting it close, but we should get there.”

Just as the clock switched over to 7:59, Jacob scattered the gravel of the information center under his tires. He barely parked his vehicle straight as he leveled it with the information center. Allison’s trembling fingers plucked the handle of her door, and she slid out. Jacob made sure to climb out at the same time and jog around to the front of the humming vehicle. A blast of warm air filtered through the engine’s grill, adding the only bit of warmth to the situation.

An eeriness hung in the air around them. Allison could feel the scrutiny of Mia’s kidnapper even from her place at the information center where she was carrying out exactly what she was told. It made her skin prickle, the hair that coated the back of her neck and arms practically standing on edge with anticipation. The static in the air had even frozen their cell phone signals, cutting off all communication with the outside world.

“We’re so close,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “So close.”

No other purr of a car’s engine sounded from either side of the road. The only other light that was offered was the light that hung from the eaves of the information center. They were completely alone. Just them and a vicious psychopath out there in the middle of nowhere.

Allison carefully settled the laptop onto the bench. She straightened, taking a step back and angling her body with Jacob’s. “So, what do we do now? Just drive off?”

His eyes begged for another solution as they stood there, glancing around. “I guess we have to.”

Maybe they could go up the road a little way, then turn off their lights and watch Kristin come out and get the laptop, then follow her. Maybe they could pull over and see if she drove by them…

Their thoughts were sliced in half by the sudden sound of a dull ka-boom. The sound bounced off the mountains that formed the little canyon where the information center lay, nestled. Jacob grabbed Allison’s arm and stopped her from taking another step forward. A tiny rush of rapid air swept by them. A hole erupted in the side of Jacob’s car where the gas tank was. It only took a second. Rolling yellow flames curled upward, igniting the inside of Jacob’s car; for a split second, the world was silenced by a combusted blast that caused Allison’s eardrums to cower under the magnitude. A wave of heat slapped both her and Jacob, just as he lunged for her.

“Get down!” Jacob screamed, wrapping his hands around her arms, and forcing her to the ground before the flames could reach them. The force of the explosion yanked one of the doors off the car, carrying it high into the air, spinning like a top before slamming back down to the earth.

Allison let out a scream as her body made contact with the ground, partly from the pain that shot up her wrist, and partly from the sheer terror that ripped through her. And if the explosion wasn’t enough, a bullet tore through the wall of the information center right behind where they were lying. Her ears rang, muffled by the explosion.

Jacob curled his body over hers, linking his fingers over her head. “Stay down!”

Allison’s breaths came in heaves and cramped up in her chest. Her heart pounded strongly into her temples as bullets began to rain down on them like hail, punching into the side of the building. The glass from the light above them shattered, sprinkling down on them. With each shot, anticipation of taking a bullet reverberated through Allison, but the bullets only shredded the bushes above them.

Any minute now, one of those tiny, lead missiles was going to tear into their bodies and then they would have a situation on their hands. Both of their cell phones were in the car which was now consumed by flames. Allison thanked God that Jacob had gone with her, rather than sitting in the car waiting for her to drop off the laptop.

The sound of bursting wood and whistling bullets was nothing compared to each bang made by the gun. They weren’t coming from just one single direction; the pops surrounded them, bouncing off the walls of the mountains, sliding down each slope only to echo a couple more times before reaching their ears.

“Where is she?” Allison was on verge of tears.

She felt Jacob shake his head, calling to her over the noise of the fire. “I don’t know. There’s an echo! Just stay down; we’re going to be all right!”

Once the hailstorm of bullets finally ceased, the echoes of the firing gun lingered in their ears. Jacob waited a few moments, not about to give in to a false sense of security. It was everything he could do to keep from noticing the figure of Allison’s trembling body beneath him and how sweetly she fit into his arms. But now was hardly the time.

He poked his head up and looked around. Even through the glow of the flames, he saw nothing. “I think it’s clear.”

He released his hold on her and rolled to the side, pinning her between the wall and himself should the firing start again. Allison sat up. Her hair stuck up in all different directions from where she had covered her ears and where he had held her. With each hard beat of his heart, he realized how close they had come to death and how foolish it was to not tell someone where they were going.

“I don’t get it!” Allison looked with despair at the burning car. She probably had the same thought he did. Their cell phones were burnt toast by now, and Mia’s laptop had suffered a few bullet holes itself. “Why didn’t she take the laptop? It’s what she wanted!”

“It was a setup.” Jacob bit out, grinding his teeth together. Kristin had raised a red flag of hope, waving it in front of their eyes to hint that Mia was still alive… then she yanked it from them. Now, they had no guarantee of anything. Where was this woman?

He glanced over at Allison. Her sides and chest shuddered in and out as she tried to catch her breath. She was alive. That’s what mattered for now.

Jacob wrapped Allison in his arms, pressing her head against his chest. “Hey.” He whispered softly to her. “It’s okay. It’s over—it’s all over.”

Or was it? Who knew? Perhaps Kristin was reloading or moving closer to them so she could shoot them up close and personal. He had to get Allison out of here.

The way he saw it, there were three options. He could take Allison into the forest, but he had no idea where Kristin actually was. The echo in the mountains had made it impossible to determine the exact location of the shooter. Although he could look at the bullet trajectory, there was no telling what wildlife they’d run into in the forest. So, that option seemed dangerous. The second option was to stand on the side of the road and flag down help. Being on the back road, the chances of someone coming by at this time of night weren’t enough to stake Allison’s safety on. Plus, the person driving by could be Kristin. That wouldn’t work either.

Their third option was to stay there. At least then he could get a clear view of where Kristin might be coming from. Maybe she thought she had killed them—and took off.

“We should stay here.” He stroked his fingers through her hair. “Someone is bound to have called in this explosion and the fire. Help will be here soon.”

Allison smoothed her head against him to look up at him with imploring eyes. Before the words could form on her lips, another gunshot split the air, and Jacob moved her down again.

In seconds, a shower of bullets began to rain down on them again. The wood above them splintered, and Jacob paid better attention.

It seemed as though the bullets were coming from the other side of the road, the west side. So, if they ran east, it would take them into the forest but away from the shooter who clearly wanted them dead.

He ducked down, calling to Allison. “Listen to me! I need you to crawl around to the other side of the center. When we’re on the other side, as soon as she stops to reload again, we need to run into the forest.”

Allison bit her lip, nodding her agreement.

Jacob waited, counting the seconds that seemed like days as each bullet destroyed something else. He helped Allison crawl along, realizing that they would be sitting ducks if they stayed put. He did notice one thing though: Kristin wasn’t a bad shot for a woman, and the time she took to reload was pretty remarkable. She must know how to handle the gun very well.

Finally, the gunshots echoed into silence. Jacob tapped Allison’s shoulder. “Come on. Run! Zig-zag!”

Allison did as she was told. The dust cloud spread under her feet as she pushed herself up from the dirt. Jacob hung tight at her elbow, running at her heels. Both of them separated for just a moment before their zipper pattern brought them back together again. Jacob’s legs pounded his feet into the dirt below. Allison stumbled a little bit, probably a little disoriented from all the shooting… or from the fact that she had chosen to wear heels today. She kicked them off as best as she could as they darted toward the woods.

The forest line grew nearer and nearer until Jacob and Allison plunged into the trees. They didn’t stop there. Jacob wove his way around the spiny trunks of the pines and leaped over a few fallen logs that stretched across their path.

Once they had gone far enough into the forest where the glow of the fire dimmed with the foliage between them, they stopped running. Allison placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Jacob panted, grateful for the hours he spent in the gym to keep fit.

“What…” Allison breathed. “What was that?”

He read the meaning in her question. What was that all about? Clearly, Kristin suspected that they were investigating the case and tried to stop them in their tracks. She obviously was a genius from the way she figured it out. The echoing gunshots didn’t start back up again. All that was left was the wind in the pines and the crunch of bark, twigs, and the gloriously colored leaves beneath their feet. He reached for Allison, again wrapping her in his arms. Allison clung to him with all the desperation of a child and closed her eyes.

“We’re going to be okay,” Jacob whispered to her. They were out of the shooter’s range for now, as far as he knew. If they kept going, they’d find help. “We’re going to get out of this. We’re going to be okay.”

Lance had selected an assortment of fall-scented candles that filled the clinic with the comforting smells of spiced pumpkin, apple pie, and something reminiscent of Avery’s trick-or-treating childhood. A few members of the staff along with Carrie and Ryan had knocked out the decorating in an hour and now were working on hanging the finishing touches. Although the evening had been replete with joy-filled laughter and the excitement of the upcoming holiday season, the gears in Avery’s mind still turned with the events leading up to today. Now that Jacob had handed her this case on a silver platter, serving up all the leads he and Allison had managed to come up with, none of the tangles made sense. What did the flowers have to do with anything? Was it a cover-up? Was this related to the man that had attacked Allison, or were they unrelated?

Both Joey and Fletcher had been defensive about being questioned, and Joey seemed withdrawn, pointing to depression and someone who had hit rock bottom. Their standoffish behavior didn’t mean they were guilty, but it didn’t exonerate them either. Avery found the timing of Allison’s attack at the wedding venue curious, having only talked to Fletcher an hour or so before. But then, Joey McCall had been in the flower shop only yesterday. Why? Why was he there? What was the connection?

Avery tried to take her own advice. Think about it, sleep on it, and look at it with fresh eyes tomorrow. She strode over to where Carrie stood on a ladder, working on stapling some ghost and pumpkin string lights around the receptionist’s window. Avery hadn’t talked to Carrie much and figured she could see how the young reporter was liking Juniper Springs so far.

Lance seemed to have the same idea. He came out the door that led to the clinic, another ream of staples in his hand. “Carrie, aren’t you afraid of heights?”

Carrie’s laughter trickled down, warming Avery’s heart. “Nah. I used to go rock climbing when I was a kid. This is nothing.”

“I can tell. Here, hand me that stapler.”

Carrie passed the stapler off to Lance who folded the cover back to restock the staples. Carrie’s fingers pressed the wire against the wall, the orange and white light reflecting off her face in the low glow of the clinic. Lance passed the stapler back to her, and she resumed her work, pounding staples on either side of the wire. “I can’t believe it’s almost Halloween already.”

“I know it.” Avery grasped at the light strand, holding it up to alleviate the weight on the strands. “What are your special plans for the holiday?”

“I think I’m spending Thanksgiving with my Aunt Ashley and her daughter, Shelly.” Carrie’s face lit up brighter than the lights. Avery matched her smile. She had been there when Carrie had made amends with her aunt over the summer, and it was a beautiful thing.

And speaking of?

“How have you been holding up lately?”

Carrie sighed. She pounded the last of the staples into the corner of the window and climbed down the ladder. “I thought I’d be doing a lot better.” She glanced at Lance, a shadow crossing her face. “By the way, Dr. Blair?”

He inclined his face toward her.

“I don’t know if I should bring this up in an appointment with you or not, but the psychiatrist you referred me to?”

Lance’s face darkened with concern. “Yes?”

Carrie’s crestfallen face alarmed Avery. “So, he wasn’t all that great,” Carrie began. “He actually made me feel guilty for the part I played in the whole event, and he kind of manipulated me into feeling like I had to take medication that I didn’t want.”

Lance looked like a volcano about to explode. His eyes narrowed at her, and the muscles in his lower jaw trembled. Avery knew the telltale signs of his anger. “How did he manipulate you?”

Avery listened as Carrie detailed her visit to the psychiatrist, how he was calm, seemed like a nice enough guy, but he also didn’t really help her. He prescribed her medication, even though she didn’t want it. She explained how he had made her question if the situation was really as bad as it sounded.

“Sounds a bit like gaslighting to me,” Avery grumbled.

Lance shook his head. “Carrie, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’m sorry that this happened to you. Come in next week, and I’ll get you another referral. I will look into that myself. If he’s abusing his clients psychologically, this needs to be addressed.”

“Should I cancel my appointment?” Carrie asked. Avery noticed Ryan drifting toward her, probably noticing the anguish on her face from across the room. Once he reached her, he slipped an arm around her as she continued. “My next appointment is on Monday, October 21st. I set it up for Monday since that’s my day off currently.” She aimed Ryan a grateful smile. “My amazing boss knew that I needed extra time off because of all this.”

“Mondays are stressful as it is.”

Lance nodded. “Yes, you should cancel and don’t go back.” He paused, glancing at the calendar. “Did this happen today?”

Carrie shook her head. “No, last Thursday or so. I probably would have gone today, but he said he was out of the office, so we set up the next appointment for a week from today.”

Today, the 14th. Avery couldn’t keep her thoughts from drifting back… so many strange things happened today. Ryan was right. Mondays were stressful. But this Monday in particular. She still couldn’t wrap her brain around how a florist didn’t know there were extra flowers in the van. How did they get there?

The more she thought, the more she went back to the idea that the case was related to the abduction of Annabella McPhearson. The similarities were too similar. Avery wondered if anyone had received any wedding invitations yet like the friends of the bride had in the podcast.

Suddenly, a thought sprang into her head. It latched onto the word wedding invitation, and suddenly, like the rains cleaning off a dirty windshield, something became clear. Avery froze, narrowing in on that single thought, pondering it, turning it over and over, wondering if it could be that simple.

“Honey?” Lance’s voice broke into her thoughts as he tilted his head. His hand rubbed up and over her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Avery licked her lower lip. As she slowly raised her head, she realized that Carrie, Ryan, and Lance’s eyes were all fastened on her. When she finally found her voice, it sounded hoarse, scratched. Unsure as she felt, her thoughts made sense, and it was the first thing in this case that made any sense at all.

“I... I think I know where Mia is.”

The cold in the night gnawed through Allison’s layers. The farther they got from the burning car, the more the chill soaked into her and Jacob’s flesh. She could almost feel her blood moving slower through her veins as her fingertips began to harden with cold. Between her and Jacob, the vapors that marked their labored breathing became thicker the further they walked into the forest.

“Temperature’s falling,” Jacob remarked.

Allison nodded. She could feel the frost in the air chewing away at all her exposed areas—the tips of her ears, the edge of her nose, and her hands. Each breath sucked in a lungful of frosty air, crystallizing in her lungs. “How cold would you say it is?”

“Thirties, at least,” Jacob replied. He glanced over at her. She must have looked pathetically cold from the way compassion crossed his face. “Here.”

He rolled his shoulders back and slipped off his coat. Allison gasped and held out her hand. “Jacob, no, I’m f-fine!” She hated that she had to shiver right at that moment.

Jacob shook his head and swept the coat around Allison’s shoulders. “You’re in a skirt, and that coat doesn’t look very warm. I’ll be fine.”

“But you don’t have anything now!” Allison protested, trying to remove the coat to give back to him.

“Allison.” His voice chilled her even more than the frostbitten air. “Take it.”

She couldn’t argue. Not when the warmth from his body spread around her, adding an extra layer of heat temporarily. Jacob wrapped his arms around himself, tucking his fingers into the crack that his arms made against his body.

Allison felt wobbly walking across the forest floor in the one-inch heel that she had never changed out of that day. Today, of all days, was not the day to wear her pin-striped pencil skirt and heels. Of course, when she had picked her outfit out that morning, she’d had no idea she would end up running for her life or traipsing around the forest that surrounded her little town. Even now, it stunned her to believe that they’d been shot at and somehow survived.

“Where are we going?” she finally asked, her jaw shuddering up and down. How was Jacob not shivering?

His voice sounded strong as if the cold hadn’t seeped into his very bones like it had for Allison. “I’m trying to find the way back to the road. I want to keep us in the forest for a little while, until we pop out a ways away from where the shooting took place.”

The shooting. It made another chill creep up Allison’s spine and rob her of any warmth she garnered from Jacob’s coat. A twig snapped behind them. Allison uttered a sharp gasp and thrust her hand out to grasp Jacob’s arm. But he’d heard it too. He spun around, eyes navigating the shadows behind them. None of them moved. Were they being followed?

Allison hated this. A deranged killer was on the loose, quite possibly following them, and they hadn’t even thought to bring any sort of self-defense. With every heartbeat, her headache hammered even harder, but she hardly noticed the pain it was causing. Even the shrunken white flesh of her cold fingertips seemed to pale in light of the impending danger.

“Who’s there?” Jacob demanded. At his voice, a scurrying snapped the twigs and rustled the leaves of the bush where a small skunk crawled out from.

Allison and Jacob cast a glance between one another and shared a small laugh. “Glad we didn’t happen upon him sooner.” Allison couldn’t imagine adding the filth of skunk smell to her growing list of discomforts. Getting blasted with skunk smell would surely tell the shooter where they were.

“Agreed.” Jacob took her shoulder, turning her around, but still cast the occasional glance over his shoulder.

Allison shook her head as she walked, the guilt from the situation deepening. “Look, I’m really sorry about your car.”

“You didn’t shoot the gas tank,” Jacob said soothingly. “It’s not your fault. I wanted to find Mia as much as you did. No one was quite expecting this to happen.”

Allison’s ankle twisted underneath her when her foot landed wrong on a rock. Her body also fell into the twist, nearly sending her lurching forward. Jacob reached out, catching her, and added a sprinkle of laughter. “Whoa, there.”

“Sorry. These stupid shoes.” Allison righted herself, sighing. She glanced over at Jacob and pressed her lips into a smile. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Jacob threw a wary glance in all directions. “I need to get my bearings.”

“What are you going to do? Use the stars to navigate?” Allison laughed lightly.

Jacob chuckled. “I wish I were that good.”

No, instead, he surveyed the area, listening with intensity for any signs of road noise or danger. Allison did the same, trying to help. Looking out for danger would be up to both of them. Another bush rustled, this time right next to them. Allison’s body jerked as she was startled, sending her nearer to Jacob out of reflex. He stepped up beside her, holding his breath, and stared at the brush. A nocturnal bird sprang from its nesting place in the bush, flying away and cooing with each beat of its wings.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Allison huffed.

Jacob nodded his agreement. “Let’s start to make our way toward the road if we can,” he said, looking out over the woods. Finally, he narrowed in on something and pointed. “That. Is that a light over there?”

Allison craned her neck in the direction where his finger pointed. “Yes! Yes, I think it is!”

“Let’s not get too excited.” Jacob slipped his hand into hers. It felt like two ice cubes colliding, trying to warm each other up. “It could be Kristin’s hideout.”

“You think she’s up here? In this area?” Allison wondered.

Jacob shook his head. “I don’t know. Anything’s possible. Why else would she choose the information center as the rendezvous place?”

“Simple,” Allison answered. “It’s on the outskirts of town, in the middle of nowhere so she can shoot at us without alerting anyone. No cell service. Nowhere to go but the woods should we escape.”

She glanced down where her feet were trodding. A log lay across her path, a small clearing appearing over it. Through the clearing, the ground appeared to be covered in tiny rocks that reflected the light off of somewhere.

Jacob crouched, peering through the clearing. “Allison. It’s the event center.”

“What?” Allison bent her torso down to follow his gaze. Sure enough, the barn that had been the last place where their lives had been threatened stood, offering light from the light post next to it. While the string lights weren’t lit, they still recognized it was the same place.

“Do you mind if I sit a moment, now that we’re in the clearing?” Allison nodded to the log.

Jacob kicked at it, checking for wildlife or arachnids. After determining there were no unwelcome visitors, he nodded. “Sure.”

Allison settled herself onto the log, her feet relieved. She wasn’t sure how long they had walked, but prancing through a forest in heels wasn’t exactly a massage for her heels, legs, or back. Jacob opted to stand beside her, scanning the area for threats.

How funny it was, Allison thought, that their lives had been threatened both here at the venue and up the road at the information center. It made her hopes both rise and fall, thinking that Kristin could be lurking in this area frequently. And if Kristin were here, maybe Mia was too.

But her thought snagged on one thing—one she spoke aloud to Jacob as she mused. “I wonder if she’s working with someone.”

“Hmm?” Jacob tilted his gaze down at her.

Allison rubbed her hands together, begging her fingertips to thaw. “There was a man who attacked us in the event center. Do you think it’s related? Someone who wants to get us off the case?”

Jacob drew in a breath, about to answer, the same musing expression on his face. But this time, there was no mistaking what they heard behind them.

Footsteps. The even crunch of a person walking at a steady pace behind them in the woods. Following their footprints, perhaps, or maybe even returning to their hideout. Allison shot to her feet, willing her eyes to adjust back to the darkness, seeing if someone was coming.

“The event center,” she whispered, “would have a phone. We can call for help.”

Jacob nodded. He grabbed her hand in his.

Crunch. Crunch. The footsteps halted for the briefest of moments. Then resumed their approach, faster this time.

“Come on,” Jacob whispered to Allison. They bolted across the open gravel lot.

“Too loud.” Jacob steered her in the direction of the grass that surrounded the gravel parking lot. They raced until their feet were silenced by the grass, not alerting their presence by the crunching gravel. Allison was tired of running, but she knew there wasn’t a way to fight back. They had to take cover and try to call for help; they had to get to the venue.

Instead of heading for the front, Jacob guided Allison around the back. Although the inside of the event center would probably house more options, such as a phone or a makeshift weapon, Allison preferred to stay out of sight. And if putting the building between them and their pursuer was the way to do it, so be it.

The light faded behind the barn, and the runners were once again engulfed with shadows. But Jacob didn’t slow his pace. Allison struggled to keep up, balancing her weight on her heels. They sank into the soft grass, probably leaving a great trail for Kristin to follow, but she didn’t care. She needed to put space between them.

Jacob guided her into the wooded area behind the venue to hide. Allison focused, wanting to get to the other side of the venue…

“Whoa!” Jacob’s voice followed a yank on her arm as he fell forward. A thousand worst-case scenarios flooded Allison’s mind at once. Had he been shot? She didn’t hear a gunshot, but why else would he drop like that? She gasped and whirled around, setting her hand on his upper arm to help him up; but then she realized that nothing bad had happened—it was just Jacob’s turn to trip. There was a random extension cord stretched across their path, leading from the venue to a small storage shed tucked between the trees out back.

“Are you okay?” Allison’s asked breathlessly.

Jacob nodded, noticing the storage shed. “Maybe we can hide in there.” He tugged Allison’s arm, this time more gently than when he had tripped over the extension cord.

“Or maybe there’s something in there we can use to fight or defend ourselves.” Allison prayed that they would uncover something, anything to help them.

They came to a stop in front of the storage shed. It seemed big enough to house at least a small lawn tractor, maybe something tall from the way the barn-shaped roof curved down. Allison’s eyes snagged on something strange: the door had a deadbolt fastened to it, locking the door from the outside. A deadbolt? On the outside? Underneath it, another master lock fastened a chain around the handles of the door. Although the deadbolt was locked, the master lock hung idly from the chain, keeping it together but not locked.

“That’s strange,” Allison mused. “Why would there be a deadbolt on the outside of the door? Aren’t deadbolts supposed to keep things... inside?”

“Maybe the door likes to open on its own, warped by the moisture or something.” Jacob took the master lock in his fingers, slipping it through the links of the chain. He weaved the chain around the door handles, causing a noisy rattling as each link hit the curve on the handle as it slid through.

“Well, we’ve officially told Kristin where we are,” Jacob groaned. “Let’s hope there’s something inside here that can help us.”

He reached up and unfastened the deadbolt with a clang. The door didn’t creak as he swung it open, but he didn’t have to open it very far.

Indeed, there was something inside—something that whimpered in expectant fear. It took Allison a few seconds to fully comprehend what exactly that something was, but once it hit her, it took her breath away. Her heart nearly shuddered to a stop, then she let out a loud shriek at the realization.

“Mia!”

“There is a storage shed in the back of that venue.” Avery’s foot pressed the gas nearly flat onto the floorboard, accelerating once she rounded the corner. Ryan and Carrie were in the back seat, and Lance occupied the front passenger seat. The car’s dancing red and blue lights did a fine job at lighting the road ahead of them while the siren scared off any wildlife. “I know because we found a bunch of illegal drugs out there one time. It wasn’t the owner’s fault. It houses summer equipment, so he never goes out there in the wintertime. He had no idea.”

Carrie felt her excitement begin to grow. Maybe not for the unfolding story that was sure to find its way into the Juniper Springs Times, but for Avery’s assurance that she might know where Mia Davis was. It was a long shot. But as she had practically flown into her car, she had sputtered something about a wedding invitation sparking a reminder of the wedding venue just outside of town where Allison and Jacob had been attacked. The wedding invitation might be some sort of connection, with the word wedding being the string that held it together.

“Think about it!” Avery had said as she started her car. “The creep sends flowers to Mia and her brother. Weddings have flowers. Jacob and Allison were attacked at a wedding venue, and the story that the kidnapper chose to copy involved wedding invitations.”

“You don’t think he kidnapped Mia to force her to marry him... do you?” Carrie felt sick at the thought.

Now, as Avery’s car drove into the night, Carrie couldn’t help but pray silently that Avery was right—that Mia was alive and being held somewhere behind the wedding venue.

As the squad car rounded the curve, it mixed with a dominant red spinning light up ahead. Carrie’s face creased into a frown as she looked out the window. “What on earth happened here?”

The car shot past too quickly to see why fire trucks were pulled over at the information center. The center itself wasn’t on fire, but it looked like a car had flames coming out of it. Just as quickly as they came upon the scene, it flew past, curtained by the trees that spread out to the freeway.

“If it’s been known for illegal activity before,” Lance’s voice demanded, “then why didn’t Captain Webb check it before leaving that day that Jacob and Allison were attacked? I have never seen a captain so eager to get away from a crime scene before.”

“He said they didn’t have anything to go on,” Avery replied.

“He didn’t even check the surrounding areas!” Lance protested. “He checked the inside of the venue and outside the doorways for footprints, but the lack of footprints was the deciding factor. They didn’t search the perimeter or the woods around it. He barely even did his job before calling his officers off the scene. And we haven’t heard one word from him as to how the investigation is going either, have we?”

Lance’s frustration with the police department was mounting. Carrie could feel it. And she couldn’t blame him. Whoever this Captain Webb was didn’t seem like he deserved the title captain if he was half-hardheartedly searching out crime scenes.

Wait.

Lance hadn’t said, Captain Webb. Had he?

“I’m sorry,” Carrie’s face beamed with red, hoping that her question didn’t sound accusatory. “Did you say Officer Webb?”

“Yes, Colby Webb was the leading officer in that particular case,” Avery answered.

Carrie couldn’t help but blurt out her question. “As in, any relation to Dr. Leeland Webb? My psychiatrist?”

The silence that followed her question hung heavily in the air. Carrie could cut through the thick atmosphere as no one uttered a single word. But she was right. Ryan gaped at her, a light kindling in his eyes. “You don’t think... you don’t think Captain Webb is behind this. Do you?” He shot a look at the front seat, begging Avery to give him a negative answer. “In our own police department?”

“Carrie said that Leeland was gone today. This is the day that Jacob received the flowers.”

Carrie tried not to think about that day at the psychiatrist’s office. It had left her feeling embarrassed, vulnerable, and ashamed that she was dealing with PTSD. But just for tonight, for Mia’s sake and no other, she forced herself to go back to that day.

Try to find a creative outlet to express yourself, Leeland had said as he pointed to an arrangement of flowers on his windowsill. Flower arranging would account for a random triple vase in the back of the delivery van if he had made it himself.

Carrie remembered when she walked in. One detail that had seemed minuscule now seemed monumental.

She leaned forward on the seat. “You know, he was listening to something when I first got there. And it sounded like a podcast… with a woman’s voice.”

Avery grabbed her phone, shoving it at Lance who seemed surprised by her abruptness. “Dial Colby’s number. He’s not on duty tonight, but I need to talk to him. We need to get this whole mess straightened out immediately.”

Seeing Mia bound and gagged in a picture was one thing. Seeing her in the same state in person was quite another.

Jacob scattered tools in search of something to cut her bonds while Allison wrestled the gag from Mia’s mouth. “Are you okay?” her breathless voice asked.

Mia gasped. “Allison? Jacob?”

“I’m here, Sis.” Jacob’s firm voice drew both girls’ attention.

Allison set a hand on Mia’s shoulders and swept her over with concerned eyes. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” The words weren’t just refreshing. The assurance that Mia was alive and okay was like the dawn breaking on a hopelessly black midnight. She was alive!

Jacob picked up some garden shears stashed away in the back corner of the shed and began working on Mia’s restraints. As soon as her arms were free, Mia threw her arms around Allison. Allison folded her close, tears washing her face. Jacob tossed the tool aside, enveloping both girls in a hug. Mia pulled free from Allison’s grip and threw Jacob into a hug, her face streaked with tears. “How did you guys find me?”

“It’s a long story,” Jacob evaded. Allison agreed with him. Mia didn’t need to know about the attacks on their lives or the fact that Kristin was still out there.

Allison pulled back, cupping Mia’s shoulders and staring at her again. The heater attached to the extension cord that Jacob had tripped over did a good job of bringing warmth to the small space where Mia had been held for nearly two weeks. It made Allison’s blood boil so much she didn’t need a heater to warm herself. “I cannot believe she did this to you.”

Confusion crossed Mia’s face. “She?”

“Kristin Murphy,” Jacob confirmed. “She sent a note, a cartridge…”

Mia’s head shook over and over again. “It wasn’t Kristin. It was a guy. Someone I’ve never met before!”

“What?” Jacob and Allison said in unison, confused.

“He had a nasally voice and glasses, but he wasn’t one of the guys I talked about on my channel. I’ve never seen him before in my life. He has some sort of SUV with lights, and he pulled me over, pretending to be a cop. When he got out of his car, he made me step out of mine, and he kidnapped me. I tried to fight, tried to get away, but he was strong and very fit.”

Allison exchanged a look with Jacob. “That sounds like the guy who attacked us.”

“Maybe it was. This is the same venue,” Jacob replied.

Well, no matter the case, they didn’t have time to stick around and figure out who it was. “Mia.” Jacob drew her close to him. “We need to get you out of here.”

Allison took one final look at Mia. The ligature marks on her ankles and wrists and the small scabs in the corner of her mouth appeared to be her only injuries. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Thank God, no, he didn’t.” Mia confirmed. “He kept saying something about ‘I need to keep you here until I’ve done everything,’ or something like that.”

“Everything,” Jacob mused. He reached for the door, but the sudden noise coming from the outside halted him from swinging open the door: hard, crisp footsteps through the gravel lot.

“He’s coming!” Jacob pushed himself back inside. He snapped around to face the girls, his eyes wide with determination. “Listen to me now. I’m going to burst out of this door, tackle him, and surprise him. When I do, you girls run, you hear me? Run and go get help.”

“But Jacob…” Allison hated the idea of Jacob being alone, defenseless with a man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.

“For Mia.” Jacob aimed a pointed stare at Mia. She returned his gaze, reflecting Allison’s same fear. “There isn’t any time to protest.”

Jacob could handle himself. Right? Allison pulled Mia close and gave a firm nod to Jacob.

The whole reason they had come out here was to find Mia, and right now, it was their job to protect her. It was their mutual number one priority.

She tucked Mia close against her as a terrifying voice filtered through the boards that made up the door. A nasally sound, just like Mia had said, permeated his voice, but he was able to raise it loud enough to sing-song his torment to Mia.

“Oh, Kayyyyleeeeee! Oh, Kayyyyleee!”

Mia shuddered. Her lip quivered, and she buried herself in Allison’s chest. “That’s him,” she whispered.

Allison had never seen her so terrified. Poor girl was so traumatized by all this, and Allison would be too.

Jacob held up a finger, motioning for them to wait. He crouched down, grabbed the shears he had used to cut Mia loose, and stood upright again. The footsteps crunched on the gravel, then they heard softer steps from the kidnapper’s feet on the grass. “I to-old them, but they did not li-isten!” He sing-songed some more, making the hair on Allison’s neck stand up. Her nerves stood at attention, and her heart pounded; she was ready to pounce from their hiding place and run as fast as her legs could take her. “Maybe the game is over now,” he droned.

The intensity in Jacob’s eyes bore an anger that Allison had never seen in him before. But the protectiveness behind those angry eyes gave her courage.

The voice drifted close enough, and Jacob slammed the door open with a force that startled both Allison and Mia. As soon as he was clear, Allison heard his body thud against the kidnapper’s and a grunt of surprise from the man. This was it! She grabbed Mia and sprang forward, the two girls shooting from the shed like released birds from a cage. Mia was free!

The man had glasses that shielded a surprised gaze. “What—”

Jacob wasted no time. The shears swung through the air, colliding with the wrist that held the gun. The gun went flying through the air, bouncing through the grass only to land somewhere out of the kidnapper’s reach. They were almost too late! He might have been planning to kill Mia had they not stumbled across her!

The kidnapper had a wild look in his eyes, the look of what Jacob would expect a serial killer to have. That deranged insanity soaked into his gaze and the smile that creased his lips. “Well, now, who are you?”

“I’m the brother of the girl you kidnapped!” Jacob narrowed his eyes and his voice and swung the shears again.

“Oh, I see.” The kidnapper ducked under the blow, and when he came back up again, his strong hands gripped Jacob’s right arm. A single sweep of the kidnapper’s leg collided with the back of Jacob’s calf, and his knee buckled, sending him to the ground. The man swung Jacob over; he landed on his back, and the shears flew from his grip. Jacob grunted at the impact on the ground, the air in his lungs threatening to freeze up with the collision. The kidnapper landed on his knees by his side, pushing him into a bed of grass and dirt. Jacob’s fingers clawed through the grass, finding his shears again, and he clamped a fist around the handle. The weight was a little bit off, but he brought them up and thudded the edge against the kidnapper’s head. As metal smacked into flesh, the man grunted, loosening his grip, and Jacob pushed him up, aiming a kick of his knee for his side. The kidnapper lost his control but rolled onto the grass as if he had given up at that moment. “You just had to interfere, didn’t you?”

The man was insane! Jacob wrestled his way on top, pinning the man’s shoulders to the ground, as he looked around for some sort of restraint. The chain on the shed doors maybe? Jacob refused to dignify the lowly human with an answer, but the kidnapper continued on.

“Everything was going along perfectly. Aligning perfectly with the story. And then you and your little girlfriend had to come along and interfere! By the way, did you like the flowers?”

“No,” Jacob growled. The kidnapper’s hands came up, linking fingers behind his neck and yanked Jacob’s head down. Before he could resist, his head collided with a deafening thump against his opponent’s, and an instant pain radiated through his skull. It was enough for the kidnapper to cause him to lose his grip, then he rolled out from underneath Jacob to the side where he got to his knees. Laughing.

“Oh, really? That’s disappointing. I put a lot of thought into them. I design flowers myself, you see. I snagged a second card and envelope for myself that day I ordered Mia’s flowers. Those girls at the flower shop didn’t even notice.”

Hearing Mia’s name on his lips infuriated Jacob. How dare he say her name? Jacob rubbed the pain away in his head and shot to his feet. Like a mirror image, the kidnapper followed. “Then all I had to do was find out where you were and sneak the flowers into the back of the delivery van while the florist was delivering that huge load of flowers inside the funeral home. She had no idea the flowers weren’t designed and put there by someone else… as many bouquets as she delivers a day.”

Fascinating. Well, that solved that mystery. Jacob held his ground, ready to spring on the man if he tried to flee, but Mia’s kidnapper didn’t seem interested in fleeing. He seemed more concerned about explaining how he committed the crime, which worried Jacob a bit. Did that mean he didn’t intend to keep Jacob alive? His eyes scanned the ground for the gun. Where had it gone? He must have really hit him hard with the element of surprise; that gun was long gone by now. At least it was out of the kidnapper’s grasp, he hoped.

Before he knew it, the sound of police sirens split the air. Jacob didn’t have time to feel grateful. The man looked over, his eyes growing wide with—what was that—panic? And maybe a little bit of bewildered hate? “You brought the police? I specifically told you not to!”

Jacob lunged. He sprang toward the man, grabbing him and slamming him into the shed that had been Mia’s prison for so long. The man struggled to fight back, but Jacob made sure his strides were spaced out so the man couldn’t drop him again. “You hurt my sister,” he growled through gritted teeth. “And you are going to pay.”

“I didn’t hurt her!” The man aimed a punch for Jacob’s cheekbone, splitting it with pain, perhaps a little blood. “But I’m going to hurt you!”

Jacob needed to hold him until the police arrived. Adrenaline pumping strong through his body, Jacob pulled the kidnapper toward himself, only to slam him forcefully back into the shed again.

Avery’s mouth fell open. She could not believe the admission of corruption that Colby Webb was sharing through her phone. “How did you know it was your brother?”

“It was Allison’s dislocated arm that tipped me off,” Colby sighed. “She’s not the first one that Leeland has done that to. He did that to a prior girlfriend and then another kid back in school. But there were signs. He’s always had an unhealthy obsession with the Annabella McPhearson case. So, when Mia disappeared and left her car on the side of the road, I wondered… I wasn’t sure, so I went to his office the next day and asked him if he was involved. Leeland would not give me a straight ‘yes or no’ answer, so I kept wondering. And then things kept happening—the flowers delivered to Mia two days before, the flowers that Jacob received—it all started lining up.”

“So, you knew all of this. You suspected it was your brother, and you didn’t come forward with it?” Avery asked, burning with rage.

“I didn’t.” Colby’s voice sounded heavy with conviction.

Avery guided her car into the gravel parking lot of the wedding venue. “So, tell me. Did you try to cover for him? By telling Jacob and Allison to get off the case? By not bothering to search the grounds here at the venue? By pinning the blame on Fletcher with no evidence other than his possible motive to want Mia hurt?”

The silence on the other line gave her the only answer she needed.

She gripped the steering wheel, parking her car. The other police cars that had been following them pulled to the side, swiping the area with their blue and red patterns, bathing the peaceful venue into the crime scene it had become. “You have no idea how much trouble you’re in, Colby.” Her voice was served to him on ice, and she abruptly ended the call.

“So... Dr. Webb is the kidnapper?” Carrie’s eyes were wide with emotion.

Avery pulled on her door handle, jumping out of the vehicle. “It’s looking that way.”

Lance, Ryan, and Carrie scampered from her vehicle. Avery surveyed the lot in seconds, noticing a Chevy Tahoe parked near the corner. How hard was it to buy police lights online nowadays and stick them on the inside of the windshield to look like an unmarked police car? Not very hard; she had researched it herself out of curiosity. It wouldn’t surprise her if Leeland had put the lights inside his Chevy Tahoe and pulled Mia over that night when he kidnapped her. It made sense. Allison had said it herself: She was paranoid. She wouldn’t stop for anybody.

Anybody but a police officer. It was the law.

Men’s grunts and the thudding of bodies attracted her attention as a few officers sprinted down the hill where the shed stood behind the venue. Avery raced after them. She recognized the man who seemed to be in control as Jacob Davis. Had they found Mia already? Avery thought they’d gone home. What were they doing here? Then again, she had seen Allison’s location come up before it had disappeared again.

Avery’s shoes dug into the grass, scattering mud everywhere. She brought up the rear just as Leeland kneed Jacob in the stomach, doubling him over. Leeland broke free from Jacob’s grasp and sprinted around the other side of the venue.

“Don’t let him get away!” Avery heard one of the officers yell. Some of them pursued him while a few remained behind with Jacob. Avery didn’t stop to see what they were doing. She pivoted on her heel, pointing to the Tahoe. “Stop him before he gets to the Tahoe!”

Lance nodded his understanding as he and Ryan raced toward the Tahoe. Carrie stayed behind, wrapping her arms around herself, and remaining close to Avery’s car.

Just as soon as Lance and Ryan approached the Tahoe, Leeland burst around the corner. Seeing the two guys, he jumped into the passenger seat. Avery’s feet just reached the gravel lot when she heard his car start up. The transmission gears ground together as the car was thrown into reverse. Lance and Ryan barely reached the Tahoe when it jerked backward, spraying gravel under its wheels, and scattering small projectiles toward the two. Lance reached for the door handle, only to have the car slip from his grasp.

The car jolted forward, scattering more dust and rocks. The roaring of the engine filled the air as the car did a figure eight in the driveway, drifting around until the nose pointed at the road. Leeland stepped on the gas, leaving nothing but donuts in the driveway behind in a cloud of dust. Just as he exited, Avery noticed the dash come alive with tiny red and blue lights.

So that was the vehicle he used to pull Mia over.

The officers wasted no time as they jumped into their vehicles in pursuit. They shouted at one another and called dispatch to update about the situation. “In pursuit of the suspect, heading northbound….”

As a few of the officers pursued Leeland, Avery realized that she had three other people to consider. She glanced over, seeing Lance run to Jacob’s side as he strode up to the gravel lot. Even with a large purple bruise forming on his cheekbone and the hunched way he walked, he still had a commanding presence and a snap to his eyes.

Avery couldn’t hear what Lance asked him, but she could see Jacob’s stubbornness from a mile away. “I’m not hurt that badly; he just got in a couple of blows. But Mia and Allison, we’ve got to find them!”

“Where did they go?” Lance’s voice matched Jacob’s urgency.

“The guy had Mia in a shed. She and Allison got away while I distracted him. Probably got out into the woods, but I don’t know where they went.”

“Well,” that was something that they could do, Avery thought. “Let’s go find them!”

Moonrise wasn’t until eleven or so that night, so by the time the moon began to shine over the tops of the trees, Jacob’s concern grew as cold as the air around them. Thank goodness he had given Allison his coat to keep both her and Mia warm, but it could only do so much against the falling temperatures.

He walked with Avery and Lance, wondering if Carrie and Ryan, who had opted to drive up the road and look for Allison and Mia had seen anything. The biting, frosty air penetrated his shirt, and he shivered. Lance had done what he could for his wounds, but he ached where Leeland had gotten a few blows in. But he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that he had just found Mia. He wasn’t going to lose her again.

Not only that, but he wasn’t going to lose the woman he loved either.

“Allison’s a smart girl.” He talked to try to keep his jaw from freezing up and his teeth from chattering. He stepped over a log, wondering if it was one of the same ones that he and Allison had seen when they had fled from the burning car.

“What would her plan of action be?” Lance stepped over that same log and reached to help Avery who barely noticed as she hopped over it.

“I feel like Mia would want to avoid roads at this point. She was kidnapped on the road, after all, and for all she knows, Leeland is still out there.” Which he was. He chided himself for letting that creep get away. He had shied away just enough, knowing that it would hurt if Leeland landed his blow where he intended, and that caused Leeland to break loose and run. He stopped for a moment, glancing around the space. Avery and Lance came to a stop behind him, waiting for him to gather his thoughts. “Come on, Allie. What’s your plan b?” He asked into the air as if she were standing right next to him.

The only answer to his question was a lone howl of a wolf somewhere out in the wilderness. It drew the direct attention of everyone present, filling them with anxiety.

“Is that…?” Avery’s tone held undertones of something else. Of course, it is.

The wolf howled again, yapping to proceed a low, mournful howl that penetrated the night air with a chilling haunting song.

Jacob couldn’t wait any more. He lifted his hands to his mouth. “Mia! Allison!”

Avery and Lance followed his lead, raising their voices to hover above the wind, pausing to listen for a reply; but when there was none, they tried again. The forest felt both oppressive and empty somehow, and Jacob was sure that the girls were nowhere near the vicinity.

They came to a thick grove of trees that intertwined into one big thicket. Not wanting to waste time by going back and retracing his steps, Jacob thrust his arm through, forcing some of the thick brush aside. “Mia!” He called once, forcing himself through. The bare twigs scraped his face, pushing pain into the bruise that formed on his cheekbone. The stab of pain made him growl, more out of a reminder than pain.

Avery had mentioned something about the kidnapper being a guy named Leeland—Dr. Webb—the guy who had the audacity to be a psychiatrist. He had been obsessed with Annabella McPhearson’s story, and the thought peeved Jacob more than anything. So, his sister had been kidnapped for no other reason than for some lunatic to act out his sick fantasy over a story he was obsessed with? And what would have happened once the fantasy ran out? The wedding invitations were sent which, as far as Jacob knew, was the last part of the Annabella McPhearson story. What would have happened then?

He plunged through the thicket, stumbling a bit to get his balance. The forest opened up, and he found himself standing on the shoulder of the road. With little grunts and hisses, Avery and Lance crawled through the trees that lined the road and glanced around. “Well, how did we wind up here?” Avery inquired.

Jacob was wondering that same thing, except for the fact that they hadn’t really planned any route other than scouring the forest and calling out for the girls. But it had yielded nothing! He glanced up, looking at the stars, and wondering what Allison would think. If he were Allison, where would he take Mia for safety? Well, that was her priority, wasn’t it? She wouldn’t have stuck around at the scene, risking that Leeland would break away and come after them. Not as defenseless and weak as Mia was. No, she would want to go somewhere to get help. And there was one place Jacob could think of that would have help.

“The information center.” He turned to Avery and Lance. “Leeland blew up my car at the information center. At first, I was going to stay there with Allison, but he kept shooting at us, so we had to run. I knew someone would see the fire and call it in.”

“They did!” Avery’s voice held a hint of hope. “We saw it as we were driving to the venue. There were emergency crews there. You think she’d head there?”

“It’s very possible. She’d know that there would be people there to help them.” For the first time since setting out on this excursion, Jacob felt hope spring up inside of him. “Which way?”

“This way.” Avery, who must have driven this road quite a bit, probably recognized where they were. “It’s not far from the venue. They probably already made it!”

Another wolf howled in the distance, a low, mournful howl that carried on the wind and matched with another one. So, now it wasn’t just one wolf, it was two. Jacob quickened his pace. “I hope so.”

Avery took out her cell phone. “Let me call Carrie and tell her to meet us there.”

As they walked as fast as they could along the shoulder, Lance clapped a hand to his back. “Aside from that, sorry about your car, man.”

“Oh, it’s fine. Cars are replaceable.” The two women he loved most in this world, however, were not.

Allison felt like she weighed twice as much as she usually did, the extra weight being made up of nothing but the fatigue that clawed at her. She and Mia had pushed deeper and deeper into the forest until she got her bearings, but they were still so far from any sort of help. The only place Allison could think of was the information center, where she hoped emergency crews would be putting out the fire of Jacob’s car. But a vehicle fire wasn’t like a structure fire. Unless they had seen the place riddled with bullets, they might be gone by now. Surely, they hadn’t missed it.

She had long since given Jacob’s coat to Mia, grateful now that he had given it to her as they were walking through the woods so both she and Mia could have some sort of warmth. The night had turned from cold to ice, a mist settling into the atmosphere to trap the freezing chill beneath the clouds and press it ever closer. She felt her fingers begin to harden with the cold again, and her toes ached with numbness. She kept her arm clamped tightly around Mia’s shoulders and pressed her on into the woods.

“I’m so cold.” Mia breathed more than spoke, speaking her words with a sigh.

“We’re almost there!” Allison tugged her extra close for a second or two to reassure her. Actually, she couldn’t remember how far away it was, but when she and Mia had taken off into the woods, it didn’t take Allison long to find the trails that she and Jacob had formed when they went through the first time. Allison had grown up in Juniper Springs with many a camping trip under her belt and knew a thing or two about getting lost in the woods. While staying put where they were was out of the question, she found the vacancies through the brush that she and Jacob had made when scrambling through the underbrush. A broken twig here, a footprint that matched Jacob’s shoe there, she assured herself they were on the right path. After a little while, she turned and examined Mia. She hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to her since they found her, and she wasn’t even sure how her friend was. “When was the last time you’ve eaten?”

“This morning.” Mia’s voice dragged out with despair. “He’d come and see me every day and ungag me long enough to force me to eat something. He’d just sit there, talking, going on and on about some story that he wanted to relive. But I have no idea who he is!”

Allison knew she needed to redirect Mia’s thinking. “Come on, let’s keep going.” She pulled her friend forward. “Watch this log.” She helped Mia over it. “You know, I am so proud of you.”

“Why’s that?” Mia’s voice shuddered with cold.

Allison felt the tip of her nose turn to ice and continued. “You left me breadcrumbs to follow in order to find you. And you’re such a strong girl! I don’t know many who would have survived something like this.”

Mia’s voice was colder than the icy air. “I know of too many girls who didn’t survive situations like this.”

“But you did!” Allison refused to let her friend think about the what-ifs of the situation. “And that’s what matters.”

As they walked, a lonesome howl carried on the wind, sounding close. Allison and Mia froze for a moment, trying to pinpoint the direction of the howl. While Allison couldn’t come up with an exact location, it lingered too close for comfort.

“Well,” Mia’s voice held an oddly chipper note. “If there wasn’t a more perfect time to use the phrase, we’re not out of the woods, yet, I don’t know what would be.”

Allison had to laugh at that. “Oh, Mia.” She was glad her friend still had a sense of humor… however ill-timed it might be.

One howl was joined by another, and soon the haunting noise circulated through several more wolves, the distant sound carried close on the edges of the icy wind. Allison couldn’t tell if they were drawing nearer or getting louder, but the concern grew like a shadow in her heart. She took one look at Mia, seeing her eyes wide with the same terror that she’d had when hearing her kidnapper’s voice. Allison gave her a comforting smile, hiding the fear she felt inside. “Hey.” She took Mia’s shoulders, forcing her to look at Allison and not around at her surroundings. “Hey. We’re going to be okay.”

Mia buried her gaze in Allison’s comforting stare and forced herself to nod. As a certainty began to dawn on her face, Allison drew her closer again and started to pick up her pace, looking around as she did. She was going to make sure that her promise came true. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to Mia… not after all she’d been through.

Voices. They filtered through the brush, hung from the branches of the tree, and beckoned to Allison to listen. A whole group of people had gathered together nearby. They had made it to the information center!

“We’re here!” She urged Mia on. “Just a little bit more. Past these trees!”

The chasing siren lights decorated the surrounding trees as Avery, Jacob, and Lance reached the event center. Emergency crews had finished dousing the shell of what used to be his car. The blackened charcoal against the night sky blended in perfectly, if not for the white smoke rising to the heavens. A few police cars lined the road, flashlights and K9s filling in the small space.

“There’s Carrie.” Avery pointed to her car pulling into the gravel lot. She jogged toward where Carrie and Ryan were exiting her car while Jacob and Lance followed her.

“Still no sign of her?” Carrie’s worried eyes scoured the area.

Jacob shook his head. “Nothing yet.”

Carrie nodded. “I disappeared once too. And they found me.” She nodded her head backward at Ryan, Lance, and Avery. “Coupled with your determination, they won’t stay lost for long.”

Carrie smiled at Jacob and stepped away to her boyfriend’s side, but it was enough for Jacob to break out a small smile of hope before setting his face against the surrounding forest. Now the question is, where should they start? Should they go out looking for them or stay here and see if Mia and Allison showed up?

Almost as if answering his silent question, a voice broke through the air. “Hey!” It split the stillness of the night with a warm familiarity. “Hey! We need help!”

Bushes rustled. Not in the same area that Jacob and his small search party had come from, but a few paces beside it. Jacob’s attention snapped over to the area where a figure emerged from the trees. It was a woman, holding another woman’s arm over her shoulders.

Allison and Mia!

“They’re alive!” someone shouted, but Jacob didn’t wait. He sprinted toward the two girls. The moment Allison and Mia met his eyes, all the worry disappeared, and his admiration for Allison reached insurmountable heights. She’d managed to get Mia to safety, avoid the wolves they heard in the woods, and go somewhere she knew would be safe… and all this after doing everything she could to find Mia.

Mia released her arm from around Allison’s shoulders, and they both took off running to meet Jacob. Jacob felt Mia slam against him and held her up in his strong embrace. Mia buried her face against his shoulder, and Allison nestled herself into his side. Jacob let his relief flow even as Allison and Mia did so with their tears. “You’re alive.” He kept whispering, drenched in gratefulness. “You’re alive.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Avery taking in the scene with joy overwhelming her features. She turned to the group gathered behind her and raised a hand in victory. “We found them!”

A shout of joy from the small, makeshift search and rescue team replaced the silence of the night.

“Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen.” In the few weeks it had taken her to recover, Mia’s voice had regained its youthful excitement, perhaps with a touch of experience as she spoke into the mic. “Thank you for sticking with it and doing everything you could to find me when I came up missing. I never thought I would be talking about myself and my story on my own podcast, but here we are! Many of you are wondering what happened to me, and I feel like talking about it is the best way to move past it, so here goes!

“As many of you know, on October 4th, I was kidnapped and was missing for ten days. After I uploaded the episode where I said I was being followed, I was trying to leave town when I got pulled over. Turns out, the guy who pulled me over had altered his car to look like a police vehicle. He told me to step out of my car, and that’s when he took me. He tied me up and locked me in a shed behind a wedding venue; he visited me once a day with food and water and set a heater on automatic to keep me warm.

“The guy turned out to be a local psychiatrist, Dr. Leeland Webb, who had been listening to my podcast for years and was obsessed with the Annabella McPhearson story. He wanted to relive it, and that’s why he kidnapped me. I heard from some friends that he did everything—from sending flowers to me and my brother to mailing out something like wedding invitations. And as a special guest, I have not one, but two speakers on my podcast tonight—the two people who stopped at nothing until I was found.”

With a bright smile of gratitude, she turned to gesture to her guest speakers. “Everyone, say hello to my friend, Allison Miller and my brother, Jacob Davis.”

Allison waved to an unseeing crowd while Jacob just nodded. “Hello.”

“Jacob, Allison,” Mia began, pausing. She took a long pause while she swallowed the depth of emotion welling up in her throat. She breathed an awkward laugh. “I owe my life to you guys. Thank you so much for not giving up on me. I am so grateful to be alive, and it’s because of you that I’m sitting here today. A simple ‘thank you’ seems like such a cheesy thing to say for saving my life.”

Allison was on the verge of tears, her emotions colliding like storm clouds inside her, so she relied on Jacob to be the strong one which, of course, he was. “We love you, Mia, and we weren’t going to ever give up on you. I’m just glad we found you, unharmed and alive!”

“Can you tell my listeners just how you accomplished that?”

For the rest of the episode, Allison found herself volleying back and forth with Jacob as they recounted how they had talked to a few people from Mia’s podcast, how they drove all over, spent time going over the leads they had, and finally how Jacob’s car burned during a shoot-out in the wilderness. Mia’s freshly done nails pressed against her lips as she listened to the last part, not having heard the entire story until now. Allison couldn’t believe this wasn’t just another episode on the podcast. This was something she had eye-witnessed from start to finish.

“And there you have it, folks.” Mia sat back in her seat. “It all started with Allison giving up her vacation to come home and find me, and my brother taking off from work to come down to a small town like Juniper Springs and work with Allison to find me. Tell me, Allison, are you planning another vacation after this? I owe you one!”

Allison’s laughter bubbled. Oh, how happy she was to be talking with Mia again! While she may have taken it for granted before—the cozy home, the time with her best friend while doing the podcast—she never would again. She would treasure this time and do everything in her power to appreciate even the small moments with the people she loved. “Goodness, I need one, but maybe later.”

“It’s also amazing,” Mia went on, pressing her mouth to the mic but keeping her gaze on Jacob and Allison, “how my disappearance set many things in motion. I heard the police are digging up new evidence regarding the Craig Tate case. Stay tuned for more on that in a future episode. And we found out that Joey McCall, while suspiciously lurking in the flower shop the day before your flowers showed up, brother, was just there getting silk flower arrangements for his family’s graves.”

“That’s right.” Jacob’s tone lowered.

“Mm. How sad.”

“It certainly has set a lot in motion.” Jacob cast a glance at Allison. She tried to read his gaze as it danced with something knowing—something that told her he was thinking about how the disappearance of his sister had not only helped other cases but had brought them together as well.

After expressing her heartfelt thankfulness to Allison and Jacob again, Mia switched her computer off and turned to them, dropping her tone from the cheery customer service voice to something more real. “Seriously, you guys. Thank you for everything.”

“You should know something.” Allison leaned forward and pressed her friend into another hug. “I will never leave you behind. We haven’t been friends since high school only for me to ditch you when you need me most, right?”

“And the same goes for you.” Mia sniffed back her tears.

“Oh,” Jacob rolled his eyes in jest and moved toward the two emotional women. “You stop that crying, now, both of you!” His voice held the lighthearted tease of a big brother and a friend. Perhaps more, Allison thought? “Haven’t we cried enough? It’s time to be happy now because you’re back!”

Mia and Allison shared a laugh.

“Seriously, now, you’re keeping the tissue companies in business.” Jacob slid a box of tissues over to them. “Now, cut it out,” he said with a tender smile.

“Just let us have our moment, would you, Jake?” Allison tore a tissue from the box and dabbed her eyes with it. She was grateful for the chance to hide behind the tissue. Jake? Was that an affectionate term that just escaped her lips?

Mia seemed to notice, and a curious smile spread across her face. Indeed. The case had set things in motion now that would change their lives for the better forever.

“Isn’t it great to see Mia so happy?” Allison strolled beside Jacob as they headed toward her car.

Jacob couldn’t agree more. “I think she’s going to be all right. She may have some mental struggles, but she’s a tough girl. She’ll make it through just fine.”

With perfect timing, as usual, Jacob’s ringing phone blared into the comfortable conversation between him and Allison. With a sigh, he fished in his pocket for the thing that connected him to his life back in Olympia… a life he may soon be returning to, but not without strings attached here.

“Marissa.” He read the caller ID.

Allison’s face hardened into something unreadable, and she stepped away. “I’ll give you two some space.”

He didn’t want her to. He wanted to throw his cell phone away forever and just take Allison into his arms. But, of course, he couldn’t do that. He swiped his screen, holding the phone to his ear. “Hello, Marissa.” The name “sugar” had long since disappeared. “Allie” was so much more natural to say.

Marissa’s velvety smooth voice seeped through the speakers. “Hello, Handsome.” A small giggled punched through her nose. “I heard the podcast. You’re a natural.”

“Ah, thank you.” Jacob couldn’t help but glance over at where Allison was admiring the spider webs in Mia’s bushes that billowed around her porch. Did she even have any idea how attractive she was?

“Are you okay?” Marissa’s voice held a hint of something more than concern.

Jacob nodded. “I am, thanks to finding Mia. She’s doing well.”

“Good, good, I’m glad. So, when do I get to see you again?” Her seductive tone no longer caused him to react to her. It made him want to run.

Now was the time, wasn’t it? Jacob couldn’t let her hold on to hope that they would one day be exclusive. She needed to know. He let a sigh shake him to his core and began in an even tone. “Listen, Marissa. Can we talk?”

A hesitation on her part indicated that she knew exactly what was coming. “Okay?”

Jacob raised a hand as if holding it out in friendship to her, but then let it fall to his side. “I want to be completely honest with you. You’re a wonderful girl. You’re gorgeous; you’ve got a great career, and life, going for yourself. The time we spent together, well, it was fun and enjoyable.”

His words hung suspended until she reconnected them. “But?”

“But I don’t want to be unfair to you. I don’t see a relationship between us working out in the long run, and rather than stringing you along, I wanted to let you know so that you can be free. You really are a wonderful person, and I hope the best for you.”

The expected silence from her end gutted him, and he held his breath, ready for words of anger or a complete meltdown intended to make him feel bad. But when she spoke again, it surprised him.

“You know, Jacob. I feel it too. I mean, you’re a tremendous guy, and drop-dead handsome, but if you don’t feel like it would work out, I’m glad you told me now. Thank you for being honest.”

The relief that settled onto Jacob’s shoulders freed him of the burden he’d been feeling. She understood. Maybe there really wasn’t much on her part after all. He sighed with relief. “Thank you, Marissa. And I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“No, no, that’s fine.” Her voice sounded disappointed but not near tears. “Hey. How many girls can say that they almost dated the great Jacob Davis? Hmm?”

It only reminded him more of why he had fallen for a small-town, real girl… a girl to whom he wasn’t Jacob Davis: he was just Jake. Her shortened version of his name had only warmed his heart, reminding him why he belonged with her if she’d have him. Olympia wasn’t that far. It was a hop, skip, and a jump, and he’d be back in Juniper Springs any time he wanted. “You’re right.”

“So, see you at the office?” She laughed at how awkward it would be, and Jacob joined her. It would be awkward at first, but he didn’t care. He cared more about being with the woman he loved. “See you then.”

“Bye, then.”

“Goodbye.”

His finger hovered over the end call button, and with a tap, that chapter in his life closed. He turned, and strode back to Allison as he buried his phone in his pocket. She swiveled around to face him, and he couldn’t help but feel the draw to her again. The dimples on her face deepened when she aimed that adorable smile at him, and it made him melt. “What was that about? Why did you let her go?”

She should know by now, but he humored her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and drew her closer. How well she fit against him… how the feel of her body near his awakened a joy and a sense that he had never felt before—no matter how many girls he had dated. His charming grin appeared, aimed directly at her… to draw her out. “I think it’s safe to say that I have found the one that my heart belongs to. She’s a spunky, small-town girl who helped me rescue my sister. Now, how can I turn that down?”

A light kindled in Allison’s eyes that took over her entire face. She moved closer to him, returning his embrace around his back. Moving as one, like a dancer or a figure skater pair, they turned and headed toward her car.

Dear Reader,

Three books in and if you’re still here in Juniper Springs with me, know that I love you for it. When I first started writing this series, I wasn’t even sure I was going to share it. I wrote these stories at a time when I really needed to feel something different. Something softer, deeper, and a little more chaotic in the best way. I’d been carrying the idea of Juniper Springs around with me for years, just waiting for the right time to let it spill out onto the page. And now here we are, three books later, tangled up in missing persons, complicated pasts, and a small town that keeps growing in ways I didn’t entirely plan for (but definitely love). I hope you’re loving it too.

If you’re already wondering what’s next for Juniper Springs, let me give you a little sneak peek. The Surprise is up next, and it’s a story about heartbreak, long-buried secrets, and the kind of second chance that could either save everything or blow it all sky high. Emily Cromwell is a single mom and schoolteacher who thought her past was firmly behind her…until Spencer Huxley, the boy she once married and left behind, shows up again. Oh, and did I mention there are a few life-altering surprises she’s been keeping from him? With Avery Hart back on the case, and a suspicious death that kicks everything into motion, this one’s packed with emotional twists, small-town scandals, and a romance that refuses to stay buried.

As always, I’d love to hear what you thought of this book. Whether it was a character that stuck with you, a twist you didn’t see coming, or a scene that made you reach for snacks and keep reading way too late, your thoughts mean the world to me. Leaving a review or sharing the book with a fellow reader helps more than you know.

And if you ever want to chat books (or just need a place to geek out over fictional people), come hang out with me in my reader group, Coffee and Cases with A.J. Rivers. It’s where the best kind of bookish chaos happens. With a side of caffeine and cozy vibes, of course.

Thanks for spending more time in Juniper Springs with me. I’m so glad you’re here.

Yours,

A.J. Rivers

P.S. If for some reason you didn’t like this book or found typos or other errors, please let me know personally. I do my best to read and respond to every email at mailto:aj@riversthrillers.com

P.P.S. If you would like to stay up-to-date with me and my latest releases I invite you to visit my Linktree page at www.linktr.ee/a.j.rivers to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free copy of my book, Edge of the Woods. You can also follow me on my social media accounts for behind-the-scenes glimpses and sneak peeks of my upcoming projects, or even sign up for text notifications. I can't wait to connect with you!

Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries

Season One

Book One—The Girl in Cabin 13*

Book Two—The Girl Who Vanished*

Book Three—The Girl in the Manor*

Book Four—The Girl Next Door*

Book Five—The Girl and the Deadly Express*

Book Six—The Girl and the Hunt*

Book Seven—The Girl and the Deadly End*

Season Two

Book Eight—The Girl in Dangerous Waters*

Book Nine—The Girl and Secret Society*

Book Ten—The Girl and the Field of Bones*

Book Eleven—The Girl and the Black Christmas*

Book Twelve—The Girl and the Cursed Lake*

Book Thirteen—The Girl and The Unlucky 13*

Book Fourteen—The Girl and the Dragon’s Island*

Season Three

Book Fifteen—The Girl in the Woods*

Book Sixteen —The Girl and the Midnight Murder*

Book Seventeen— The Girl and the Silent Night*

Book Eighteen — The Girl and the Last Sleepover*

Book Nineteen — The Girl and the 7 Deadly Sins*

Book Twenty — The Girl in Apartment 9*

Book Twenty-One — The Girl and the Twisted End*

Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries Retro - Limited Series

(Read as standalone or before Emma Griffin book 22)

Book One—The Girl in the Mist*

Book Two—The Girl on Hallow's Eve*

Book Three—The Girl and the Christmas Past*

Book Four— The Girl and the Winter Bones*

Book Five—The Girl on the Retreat*

Season Four

Book Twenty-Two — The Girl and the Deadly Secrets*

Book Twenty-Three — The Girl on the Road*

Book Twenty-Four — The Girl and the Unexpected Gifts*

Book Twenty-Five — The Girl and the Secret Passage*

Book Twenty-Six — The Girl and the Bride*

Book Twenty-Seven — The Girl in Her Cabin*

Book Twenty-Eight — The Girl Who Remembers*

Season Five

Book Twenty-Nine — The Girl in the Dark*

Book Thirty — The Girl and the Lies*

Book Thirty-One — The Girl and the Inmate*

Book Thirty-Two — The Girl and the Garden of Bones*

Book Thirty-Three — The Girl on the Run

Book Thirty-Four — The Girl and the Last Scene

Ava James FBI Mysteries

Book One—The Woman at the Masked Gala*

Book Two—Ava James and the Forgotten Bones*

Book Three —The Couple Next Door*

Book Four — The Cabin on Willow Lake*

Book Five — The Lake House*

Book Six — The Ghost of Christmas*

Book Seven — The Rescue*

Book Eight — Murder in the Moonlight*

Book Nine — Behind the Mask*

Book Ten — The Invitation*

Book Eleven — The Girl in Hawaii*

Book Twelve — The Woman in the Window*

Book Thirteen — The Good Doctor*

Book Fourteen — The Housewife Killer*

Book Fifteen — The Librarian*

Book Sixteen — The Art of Murder*

Book Seventeen — Secrets in the Acadia

Book Eighteen — The Forgotten Girls

Dean Steele FBI Mysteries

Book One— The Woman in the Woods*

Book Two —The Last Survivors

Book Three — No Escape

Book Four — The Garden of Secrets

Book Five — The Killer Among Us

Book Six — The Convict

Book Seven — The Last Promise

Book Eight — Death at Midnight

Book Nine — The Woman in the Attic

Book Ten — Playing with Fire

Book Eleven — Murder in Twilight Cove

Book Twelve — Under the Mask

Book Thirteen — Hidden Intentions

Book Fourteen — The Great Betrayal

A Detective Riley Quinn Pine Brooke Mystery

Book One —The Girls in Pine Brooke

Book Two — Murder in the Pines

Book Three — Strangers in the Pines

Book Four — Shadows in the Pines

Book Five — Letters in the Pines

A Juniper Springs Mystery

Book One —The Girl in Juniper Springs

Book Two —The New Girl

Book Two —The Search

Bella Walker FBI Mystery Series

Book One— The Girl in Paradise*

Book Two— Murder on the Sea*

Book Three— The Last Aloha*

Other Standalone Novels

Gone Woman

* Also available in audio