Her hands shook as she lifted the warm, steaming plate from the counter. Her old boss’s words rang in her ear from this morning.
I urge you to rethink this decision. You may need to accept that she won’t be found.
She swallowed and sucked back the wall of tears that had built behind her lashes. Leslie was a kind and thoughtful boss. For three years, the Leslie Thom Art Gallery had been her second home. In February, she had been promoted to a senior fine arts consultant. She missed her job, and she hated having to officially resign. Abandoning her career had left an ache in her heart. What choice did she have? She couldn’t return to Boston. She couldn’t leave Beaufort without finding Hanna. How could she possibly pick up where she’d left off? It was simple, that part of her life was dead…at least for now.
Hanna’s disappearance last month had torn her world to shreds. Forgetting about her old life would serve her better. Finding Hanna was her sole purpose. She couldn’t think about her past now. Everyone in town crowded the inside of the restaurant.
She forced a smile and slid the pile of pancakes beneath the eagerly waiting child’s nose, and filled the grandparents’ coffee.
Jenny passed her in the aisle, her hand outstretched with the diner’s cordless phone.
“It’s Jean,” she said. Riley’s stomach bunched into knots. If Hanna’s mom was calling her at work, it couldn’t be anything good. Unless she was calling to check up on her. Jean and her husband Theo had been devastated by the break-in the other night. She accepted the device and pressed it to her ear.
“Jean, is everything okay?”
“Hi, dear.” Her warm, calm voice made Riley relax her shoulders. “I’m so sorry to bother you at work, but I seem to have misplaced your cell number. We’d love to have you for a visit when you’re free.” The last word came out on a slow tremor and Jean cleared her throat.
The knot in her stomach expanded, making it hard to breathe. She nodded slowly and guilt swarmed through her. She’d made a few visits to see Hanna’s parents, but she’d been so consumed by her search for Hanna that she hadn’t visited in more than a week.
“Of course.” Her schedule ran through her brain. It was Wednesday and she was scheduled to work all weekend, but Tuesday she’d be done by six. “I can come by Tuesday evening if that works for you.”
“Absolutely, dear. Be sure to stay for supper.”
Riley accepted and disconnected the call. Jenny’s eyebrows bounced at her. “You okay?”
Riley brushed a thick strand of hair away from her cheek with the back of her wrist. “I’m fine. Jean just wants me to visit. I feel bad that I haven’t been in a while.”
Jenny closed her hand around Riley’s bicep and gently squeezed. “I’m sure they understand. And it’s probably hard on them to visit you at Hanna’s place. I can’t imagine how they must feel seeing all of Hanna’s things.”
Riley’s lips threatened to tremble but she clamped them into a firm line. It was a struggle every day, seeing Hanna’s clothes hanging in the closet, her shoes at the door…even her favorite air freshener still hung in the air.
Jenny propped her hand on her hip. “I’m sure the police have already done a thorough look through her things, but I wonder if Hanna left any clues…maybe an email or threat from a stalker?” Jenny kept her voice low and the patrons paid them no mind, but still, the air in Riley’s lungs lay trapped. She hadn’t told anyone about the journal.
Riley sucked in a breath and dropped her voice. “I found her journal the other day. I still have so much left of it to read, but I’m hoping something will jump out at me.” She hadn’t wanted to take the journal out of the house, somehow it felt wrong and invasive doing so. She’d gotten to read several entries already, but there was still a lot left to dissect.
“If anyone will find something useful, it’ll be you.” Jenny winked at her. “I need to drop Lucas off at his soccer game. I’ll be back in a half hour or so. Will you be okay?” Her blue eyes filled with concern for the hundredth time today. It was Riley’s first shift since the break-in, and even though she’d been staying with Jenny for the last three nights, she still hovered over Riley like a concerned mother hen. Riley forced a smile, but the corners of her mouth wanted to crack. She took a quick survey of the room. Tables were beginning to clear and so far, everyone still sitting had received their food.
“No problem, I’m fine.”
The bell sounded above the entrance door. Jenny cocked her head around Riley’s shoulder. “Morning, Ethan,” Jenny called as she made her way to the front. Riley’s thundering blood drowned out their friendly exchange. She gulped. Ethan strode down the aisle, a snug light blue T-shirt outlined the muscles in his shoulders and biceps. Lightweight gray shorts tapered his waist.
Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. He was easily a foot taller than she, even from the short distance between them she was dwarfed by him. Ethan pulled his dark aviator shades off and tucked them in the neck of his shirt. He didn’t smile at her like he normally did. His lips stayed tense, his jaw hard as he sat at the front counter. Her lungs tightened in her chest.
She sucked her breath in as she rounded the long counter. Ethan’s elbows rested on the countertop, waiting. She picked up a clean mug, filled it, and slid it under his nose.
“Thank you.” His eyes moved over her before landing on her face. “How are you?” His gaze focused on hers, staring through her soul, and reading her mind like an open book.
She dug her fingers into the stainless steel carafe. Her eyes scanned around the restaurant, hoping someone would request her assistance. No one did. She met his gaze. “I’m great, thanks.” She cleared her throat. “Look, I don’t have time to chat, Jenny had to run out. Do you need anything else?” She kept her voice low.
Ethan’s blue eyes flickered. Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were too sharp, too knowing. When Ethan came around, she wasn’t herself. Something about him set her off. It was that look of his, that calculative, scrutinizing way about him that made her nerves sizzle. He was a distraction…one she couldn’t afford. Even if he had been her saving grace the other night. More than anything, that was reason enough for her to stay away.
Slowly, he nodded. His face was freshly shaven, yet the dark hair showed beneath his skin. It matched the thick brown hair on his head. He picked up the small carafe of creamer and fixed his coffee. “I’ll tell you what. You give me five minutes of your time and I won’t come here anymore on the days you’re working.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. Well darn it. She hadn’t meant for him to need to avoid the diner to please her. But she couldn’t think when he was around. A little less Ethan might do her some good. And Hanna…
“Do we have a deal?”
Curiosity piqued her interest. As much as she disliked his confident demeanor that bordered on cockiness, something pulled her to him. “And if I say no?”
He smiled then. The slow, lazy smirk made her stomach twist. “I think you want to say yes.”
She pursed her lips. “You’re not very good at reading people, are you?”
“Actually, I’m an expert.”
Her eyebrows rose. He leaned closer, and his warm, heady aftershave surrounded her. “Please?” His tone was soft and low, the gentle timber of his voice met her on a vibrational level.
She exhaled sharply. “Fine. Five minutes. Meet me outside in an hour. That’s when I’ll be on break.”
His eyes sparkled with satisfaction. She started away and then stopped. “Is that all you need?”
He sipped his coffee. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see you in an hour.” He winked and flashed a half-smile, giving her a glimpse of his bright, white teeth. She combed a few loose strands that had fallen from her ponytail. What the hell did he want to talk to her about? They’d hashed everything out the other night. She’d bitten his head off after the bar and maybe, just ma
ybe, she’d been a little hasty.
But he’d been pushy and egotistical. Thankfully, the lunch rush started a few minutes later and she didn’t have time to worry about Ethan. By the time she got the chance to look up, he was gone.
Jenny hustled in as Riley cleared some dishes from the table nearest the door. “Sorry,” she mouthed as she slipped past her to get her apron from the back. They carried meals out quickly and before long the lunch rush died down. Riley met Jenny in the back room and glanced at the clock over Josh, the cook’s, head. What were the chances Ethan had given up and gone home? “Ethan was outside when I came in. Did he stay long?”
Shit. Riley grimaced. “No, just came in for coffee. I’m going to take my break now.” She pulled her apron over her head and hung it on the hook, then snagged her purse. Jenny was right behind her.
“Wait a minute. Is he waiting for you?”
Riley tightened her hold on her purse. She’d avoided going into great detail about her encounter with Ethan the other night. As much as she loved Jenny, she was observant and would press her. If Jenny found out what she was up to, she’d never hear the end of it. She turned to face her. “It’s a long story, okay?”
She gasped. “Oh my god.” Her hand covered her mouth. “Oh my god,” she hissed again, more dramatically. “You lucky little brat I knew you two had a thing for each other.” Then, in a whisper, “Did something happen after he was at your house the other night?”
Riley dropped her head back to stare at the ceiling. She brought her eyes back down to her friend. “No. He just wants to see me for a minute. He probably wants to talk about the break-in. I’ll tell you more after work.”
She turned on her heel and made her way through the restaurant. She pushed open the door and walked into the wall of heat. She plucked her black T-shirt away from her chest. Sweat had already collected beneath the material from the busy lunch hour, but now with the scorching sun on her it stuck to her like glue. Ethan waited, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes on the dirt beneath his feet. He looked cool and comfortable despite the raging temperatures. Why couldn’t he look like a bag of shit? That would make this so much easier.
Her fingers curled into the strap of her purse. She stopped in front of him. “Can we make this quick? It’s disgustingly hot out here.”
“Why don’t we chat in my truck? I have the AC running and it’s nice and cool.” He gestured to the truck idling in the parking lot. Her body temperature rose a degree from his presence. He led her to his vehicle, and then opened the passenger door.
She planted her hand on her hip. “Don’t try to impress me. It won’t work.”
He slapped his hand to his chest. “Ouch. You have a sharp tongue, do you know that?”
“What can I say? You inspire me.” Her tone was dry as she stepped in front of him and hefted herself into the seat. He chuckled, shut the door, and then climbed in the driver’s side. Heat crept from her belly to her cheeks. Her hand on her thigh trembled. He was staring at her. Slowly, she met his gaze. Her breath hitched at the intensity in his eyes. “What is it you want to talk about?”
His hand fell to the console between them as he shifted to face her. His fingers lay only inches from her arm. Her skin tingled as if he’d touched her. “I want to apologize for the other night.” His tone was even and as warm as the air outside of the truck.
She raised her eyebrows. He’d brought her out here just to say sorry? She lifted her shoulder. “Fine. Apology accepted.” Her fingers closed on the door handle, but before she could open the door and hop out, he grabbed her wrist. His fingers were hot and firm. A tingle shot down to her toes.
“Wait.” He didn’t let go until she turned to face him. “I’ve been pretty concerned about you the last few days. Where are you staying?”
She didn’t owe him a thing, but something in his face made her answer. “I’ve been staying with Jenny, tonight will be my first night back. The landlord had the locks changed yesterday.”
He nodded. “Because there was no sign of a break-in? Someone had a key.”
She held her hand in the air. “I really don’t want to talk about it, okay? He could have picked the lock you know.”
His lips dipped at the corner. “Could have.”
She inched closer to the door. “Is that all?”
“No,” he said softly.
She blew out an exasperated breath. “What now?”
“Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”
The words take a hike burned on her tongue. Some of the intensity had left his eyes, and his face had softened. She couldn’t outright insult him, at least not after he’d apologized.
“You want me to say sorry?”
Humor sparked a glow in his eyes. The skin around them crinkled with the hint of a smile. “You were pretty snarky.”
She sucked the inside of her cheek between her teeth. “I don’t get what you’re trying to do, Ethan.” Her tongue slid over the letters of his name.
“I’m trying to do what I’ve been doing all along–be nice to you. Wouldn’t it be great if I could come in and ask how your day was? You could smile without hurting your face and respond with something other than a sneer?”
A smile tugged at her lips—the first one in a month. Although she didn’t give in to the grin that nagged her, he beamed as if she had. He had a nice smile. Her nerve endings vibrated under the heat of his gaze.
“Look at that, you almost smiled.” The tip of his finger tapped the corner of her mouth. She clenched her jaw to fight the urge, but lost. “See? We can be friends.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and squinted skeptically at him. “I thought you said if I came out here, you wouldn’t come into the restaurant anymore while I was working?”
“I might have told a small white lie.” He pinched his thumb and forefinger together. “Besides, I never got that apology.”
Her shoulders sagged as if the weight she’d been carrying had been lifted a few pounds. “All right, I’m sorry for snapping at you. You seem like a decent guy, but to be honest, I don’t need any friends.”
His eyes darkened a shade and his fingers fell from her arm. Regret burned a hole in her stomach. She was pushing him away…but she had to. If only things could be different. If only she could have met him before all this. But right now she couldn’t explore the interest in him that burned inside her.
“I appreciate that.”
“Can I go now?”
“Yes.” His lips thinned. “But I have one more question.”
She rolled her eyes to stare at the ceiling of his truck, then brought them back to his face. “Of course you do.”
“That woman at the bar, who was she? From what I can tell, she couldn’t be more different than the Riley sitting in front of me.”
Her stomach pitched. It hadn’t been an insult, and the gentle way he spoke oozed concern. “Good-bye, Ethan.” This time he didn’t stop her when she slid out of the truck. She wasn’t sure if she was happy about that or not.
“That was quick.” Jenny’s eyebrows bobbed when Riley strode back inside.
“Not much to talk about.” She sailed passed Jenny and into the back room. She made a quick sandwich in the kitchen, sat, and nibbled while she pulled her phone from her purse.
A missed call and new voicemail flashed across her screen. She’d forgotten it was on silent since she’d gone to bed last night, so she hadn’t heard it ring when she was in the truck with Ethan. Her stomach plummeted and turkey salad threatened to catapult up from her stomach. She placed the sandwich on the plate in front of her and sucked in a deep breath.
It was a local number she didn’t recognize.
But that didn’t mean it was him. She pressed the voicemail icon and entered her password.
One new message.
She tightened her grip on the pho
ne and curled her other hand around the edge of the small table. She hit the number one to listen to the new recording. The line crackled in her ear.
A scream split through her eardrum and died.
Riley bolted to her feet, terror slammed against her palate. Hanna. Her hand trembled and vomit climbed up the back of her throat.
Her fingers shook as she pressed Save and then dialed Joe’s number. Her lungs cried out for her to take a breath, but for the life of her, she couldn’t summon the strength. Joe answered on the second ring and words came tumbling out in a desperate plea.
“Joe, it’s Riley. He left me a voice mail—he has Hanna.” Her voice teetered on the verge of hysteria.
“Calm down, Riley. Where are you?”
She swallowed and held her palm to her pulsating temple. “At work.”
“Sit tight. I’ll be right over.”
She disconnected and set her phone down on the table in front of her. Her breastbone vibrated with every sharp beat of her heart. She pressed her elbows to the counter and rested her forehead on her closed fists. She had to get a grip or she’d be no use to the police.
This was the first major clue that Hanna was alive. The bastard was tormenting her. He wanted her to search for Hanna. But she didn’t need his threatening calls and antics. She needed him to attempt to take her—that was the only way she’d find Hanna.
He’d slip up. He had to.
Chapter 3
He sucked in a slow breath through his nose and pulled into his parking spot at work. From the moment he’d learned she was back in Beaufort, his instincts had screamed at him that Riley Reynolds would be a problem. It wasn’t a coincidence that she’d shown up within a week after he’d taken Hanna. And all she’d done was talk about Hanna’s disappearance with everyone. By now, the residents of the small town just wanted to forget the horror and devastation of the missing young woman. But Riley wouldn’t let it die. He’d left her a voicemail from his encrypted phone today, and maybe between that and her catching him in her house she’d take the fucking hint.
Bait Page 3