Bait. Samantha Keith

he was quick. His hands moved down her spine efficiently.

      “Are you sure you’re not hurt? That was a stupid thing to do. You should have gotten out, not grabbed a fucking knife,” he growled.

      She stiffened against him and tipped her head back to scowl at him.

      “And waiting for him to attack is better?”

      The hard line of his mouth tensed. “You could have been killed.”

      Irritation rippled through her, but she didn’t have the energy to argue with him again. And, despite herself, she was grateful he was here.

      She pinched her brows together. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”

      His gaze shifted away and then landed back on her. “I see that.” His mouth hitched up at the corner and her stomach muscles tightened. Under normal circumstances, that smile would have wobbled her knees. But not now. She pressed her fingers to her forehead. She should still be pissed at him. But he’d helped her, and for that she was grateful.

      Sirens split the air and a few minutes later two police cruisers pulled up to the curb. The rest of the night was a whirlwind. She’d insisted Ethan leave, but he’d hovered near his truck after first speaking with Detective Drummond. She’d known Joe Drummond growing up, and saw him often at the diner. She gave her statement on the porch while the police searched her house for signs of entry and fingerprints.

      “I think we have all we need, Riley. Do you have somewhere you can stay for the night?” Joe’s warm brown eyes fixed on her as he tucked his notepad away. She almost shook her head, but knowing Joe and the tight-knit community, he’d find someone to take her in.

      She nodded. “I’ll—”

      Ethan strode up, his hands buried deep in his pockets. “You need a ride somewhere? It’s getting late.”

      Joe cleared his throat and nodded at her before making his way back to his squad car.

      She forced a tense smile and got to her feet. “Thanks, I’m fine.”

      Ethan’s eyebrows rose, crinkling his tanned forehead in the porch light. “You’re not staying here are you?”

      Not a chance in hell.

      “No, I have somewhere to go.” He didn’t need to know that place was a hotel. But there was no way she’d wake her friend Jenny up at this hour. It might be a while before she’d have the nerve to come back, and definitely not until the locks were changed.

      “Let me give you a ride.”

      She folded her arms across her chest. “Look, I appreciate all you’ve done but please, I just want to be alone. You’ve done enough.” Her tone held more edge than she’d intended. His eyes grew small and he nodded slowly.

      “Fine. You seem to have it together.”

      “I do.” And later, she’d fall apart. But not now. Relief expanded in her chest when he climbed in his truck and pulled in to the driveway next door. She closed her eyes against the hammering against her temples and turned toward the door to gather her things. In her bedroom, she pulled the tiny ziplock bag from her back pocket. A handful of small pills stared back at her before she tucked them in her bag.

      She’d been close tonight. Had Ethan not have intercepted her leaving with Ryan, she might have been able to complete her plan. It was risky, there was no doubt about that. But every other avenue was futile—the police next to useless.

      Riley had been staying here for weeks, but finding the journal yesterday had been a complete stroke of luck. She’d grabbed an extra blanket from the top shelf in Hanna’s bedroom closet and Hanna’s journal had fallen out and landed on her toes. She’d dropped to the floor and had stayed there, combing over the neat penmanship.

      The words from one entry she read rang through her mind:

      He was attractive in the tall, dark, and lean way that I gravitate to, but he was too ballsy. We talked for a while until he made me feel like a piece of meat and continued to feed me shots. I made up an excuse, got into a cab and came home. I hope he’s not there next time I go out.

      After reading that, Riley had had no choice but to go out tonight. She’d gone to the same bar, and sure enough, Ryan had fit the description and actions of the man who’d come on strong to Hanna. It was a small town, there couldn’t be that many creeps who frequented the bar. She shoved fresh clothes into her bag, stopped to gather her things from the bathroom, and then quickly got out of the house.

      Ryan had been ready to take her home, and she had been ready to catch him. All she’d had to do was go to his house, let him pour them drinks, and slip two of the pills in his glass. It wouldn’t have taken long for them to take effect, and in that time she would bring up Hanna. This was the trickiest part about her plan. She couldn’t come across as accusing, or he’d be suspicious. Instead, she’d break down into tears about her missing friend, show him Hanna’s picture, and with the help of the drugs, he’d hopefully slip up enough to make him a viable suspect. Then he would pass out and she’d call the cops and let them do their part.

      Her plan was unconventional, challenging, and possibly suicidal. But it was all she had. The harsh reality was that Hanna could be dead…but there was still the possibility that she wasn’t. One thing was certain, the longer she was missing, the less likely it was she’d be found alive.

      * * * *

      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