Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“I’ll need a photo of her,” he said after a while.
I unlocked my phone and scrolled until I found a good, clear image of Eve from a few months ago. She always stole my phone to take selfies, flooding the camera roll with her face.
So you’ll always see me pop up in your memories, she’d say. It was cute before, seeing her pop up. Now, it irritated me. Despite it, I couldn’t find the gumption to delete them all.
“I can email a single portrait to you.”
Sheriff Reed plucked a business card from a tray and slid it to me. “Email address is on there.”
Once the photo was sent, Sheriff Reed took five or so more minutes before releasing the mouse and standing. “The report is in and I have your number. I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”
“Thanks,” I murmured.
He escorted me out of his office and through the building, but not without offering me a coffee.
I declined.
When I stepped outside, the mist was thick. The fog was back. Thunder rumbled in the sky, a bolt of lightning flashing in the distance. The storm was continuing.
“Drive safely now,” Sheriff Reed called after me.
I forced a smile at him before hurrying to my car just as droplets of rain began to descend. Before leaving the parking lot, I spotted Sheriff Reed still standing by the door. He wasn’t looking at me, but he did have his phone glued to his ear.
Who was he in such a hurry to call?
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Before returning to the rental, I stopped at Flip Stacks again to take advantage of their cell service. Nico had finally called me back.
“Nico, hey!”
“What’s up, Rosette? Herb said you needed me.”
“Yes. And you’re going to hate me for asking, but I need two favors?”
“You act like needing favors from me is new.” He laughed.
“I know. Don’t hate me.”
“Could never hate a woman with the name Rosette. What’s going on now?”
“So, my friend Eve, the one I told you to look into. I’m about ninety-nine percent sure she’s missing and that someone is behind her disappearance.”
“Oh. Shit.”
“Yeah. But get this. I have her camera, and I saw that she was last seen with her ex-fiancé. This guy is an asshole, Nico, but I need to know where he is. For all I know, he’s kidnapped her or something. I was hoping you could look into him, find his location. And . . . I was also hoping you could pay him a certain type of visit when you do?”
Nico went silent.
“I’m sorry if I triggered you,” I added quickly. “But you know I wouldn’t ask for this if it wasn’t urgent.”
“Damn right I’m triggered,” he mumbled. “I don’t do that stuff anymore, Rosette.”
“I wholeheartedly understand.” I stayed quiet, waiting him out.
I could tell he was contemplating it. “The last time I did something like that, I almost killed that guy.”
“I know, but that guy deserved it. He was hurting your cousin. And this guy? If I don’t get to him sooner rather than later, I’ll never know where Eve is. He was abusive, Nico. He beat on her every day until she finally got out. I can’t figure out why she let him back in, and I don’t want to get into a whole domestic abuse spiel, but . . . he doesn’t deserve to walk free. Just like your dad didn’t deserve to walk free.”
Nico poured out a long sigh. “Fuck.”
“Think about your mom, Nico. Think about how you helped her and Caitlin. Your sister is so much happier now. If you hadn’t gotten there in time, Caitlin would’ve died.”
“Fuck. Fine, Rosette. Fine!”
I released a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Nico!”
“Don’t thank me,” he grumbled. “Always striking where it hurts. You’re too good at that shit.” He sighed again. I bet Nico hated that Herbert had told me all about his past. “If I do this, it’ll be the last time I ever do it. Understand?”
“Yep, I understand. Trust me, I’ll never ask you for something like this again.”
He huffed and I heard him tapping away on his keyboard. “What’s the fucker’s name?”
“Lincoln Fowler.”
“ ’Kay. On it.”
“Thank you so much. Call me when you find out where he is.”
“I want free Chipotle for a month,” he grumbled.
I busted out laughing. “You do this for me, and I’ll buy you Chipotle for a year.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
When I parked in front of Twilight Oaks and stepped out of the car, my phone vibrated in my hand. A text from Diana came across.
Zoey just told me you guys still haven’t heard from Eve. What’s going on with her?
I walked into the cottage, locked the door, then texted her back.
No one has heard from her. Just filed a missing person’s report. Not like her to just disappear. Not only that but I found her backup iPhone. She has recent pics with Lincoln.