I loved my time in California, but nothing beats being in Wyoming. Micah and I have been back for two days, and we’re slowly settling into a routine. However, eventually it won’t be as low-key as it is right now. Soon, he’ll be back to work once the weather changes, and I will have to take on clients. Micah inherited a substantial amount of money from his family, and he made the subtle comment that I wouldn’t have to work if I didn’t want to, that I could always help him with his landscaping business. The thought is tempting, but I think I’d miss stalking the cheaters and helping solve missing-person cases. We will see, though. I plan to live life to the fullest every day.
My phone rings, and it blares from the radio speakers. Clearing my throat, I press the button on the dashboard to accept the call. “Hello,” I say, drawing out the word seductively.
Micah chuckles low. “Where are you?”
“On my way home. I know I’m running a little late. Bailey and I couldn’t stop talking, and Asher made it hard to leave. He’s so freaking cute.”
When we got back in town, Bailey asked if I’d spend the day with her. I was more than happy to accept. It would’ve been nice to have Faith with us, but she and Tate left to go back to Montana while Micah and I were in California.
“Is everything okay?” I add in quickly.
“Oh yeah, everything’s fine. I was just letting you know my brothers are here.”
“Sounds good. Are Tyla and Amelie with them?”
“No,” he replies sadly, knowing I wanted them there.
Tyla reminds me of myself, and I enjoyed her witty banter at the party. Amelie is softer spoken and wise beyond her years. Tyla jokes that she’s the mother of the female group, and I can see it.
“Tyla’s still at the ranch helping her boss train a wild mare,” Micah explains. “And Amelie is at the school trying to get things ready for the substitute before the twins come.”
“I understand that. Okay, I’ll be there in about ten minutes. I have to practice my drifting techniques a little longer in this shiny sports car you let me borrow.” Driving his car is fun, and I look forward to getting to let loose in it when there’s not a bunch of snow everywhere.
Micah belts out a laugh. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that. Bring my baby back unharmed, will you?”
“Hopefully, you’re talking about me and not the car?” I tease.
“I’m not worried about the damn car. I’ll see you in a minute.”
Every time I hear his voice, I can’t help but smile. We hang up, and I concentrate on the road, looking out the windows now and again at all the bison. When I pull up at the cabin, I hear Micah and his brothers laughing and having a good time.
Micah opens the door—holding a beer in his hand—before I can step onto the porch. He looks sexy as hell in his jeans and a tight, white T-shirt. His blue eyes sparkle with mischief when he steps outside to greet me.
“Sexy, huh?” he murmurs, pulling me into his arms and kissing my neck. “The same goes for you. I might have to kick my brothers out.”
A giggle escapes my lips just as Sebastian’s voice echoes from inside, “All right, Zayne, that’s our cue to leave.”
“No,” I blurt out, sliding out of Micah’s arms. I rush inside to stop them while Micah follows me in, cackling behind me.
Sebastian and Zayne are on the couch with amused expressions on their faces.
“You sure?” Sebastian asks, winking over at Micah. “I mean, we can leave.”
Rolling my eyes, I turn to Micah. “No, we don’t want you guys to leave. Right, Micah?”
Micah shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.”
After handing him his car keys, I pull my cell out of my back pocket so I can sit down on the loveseat across from Sebastian and Zayne. Micah pockets his keys and joins me, sliding his arm around my shoulders. Sebastian smiles, and it reminds me so much of Micah’s. They honestly could pass as twins.
“Are you going to start working with clients now that you’re settled?” Sebastian questions.
I shrug. “Possibly. If I get a call, I’ll take it.”
Zayne finishes his beer. “Have you ever had any shifters come to you for help?”
“No,” I reply with a shake of my head. “Only humans. I kind of like it that way. I don’t want to get involved with other pack drama.”
Micah squeezes my shoulder. “I agree. It could get dangerous.”
My phone dings with an incoming text, and Stark’s name pops up.
Stark: A woman is going to text. She’s in Wyoming and needs help. I thought you could handle it.
“Speaking of work,” I announce, holding up my phone. “Stark’s sending someone my way.” A few seconds later, my cell rings from a local Wyoming number. I pat Micah’s leg and stand. “I’m going to step outside for a minute.”
He nods, and the guys start another conversation while I hurry to the door.
“Hello,” I answer, stepping out onto the front porch.
“Hi. Is this CSC Investigations?” The woman’s voice sounds nasally as if she’s been sobbing.
“It is,” I reply. “How can I help you?”
The woman sniffles. “My name’s Theresa Long. I’m calling about my daughter, Hannah. She hasn’t been home in two days, and the police haven’t been able to find her. She met a guy on the internet, and now she’s gone.” She bursts out crying. “Please, help me.”
“It’s okay, Theresa,” I say soothingly. “I’ll do everything I can to help. First, how old is Hannah?”
Theresa sniffles again. “Eighteen and a senior in high school. I know she’s of age to make her own decisions, but I know something’s wrong. She wouldn’t just disappear.”
My heart aches for her. I don’t know how the situation will turn out, but my stomach cringes every time a young girl goes missing. Usually, it never ends well.
“Okay, I understand. Where are you located?” I ask her.
“I’m in Wilson.”
I search for the city on my phone, and it turns out it’s only a fifteen-minute drive away. “Can you meet me now?” I suggest. “That way, I can get started. The sooner, the better. Maybe there’s something I can find that the police didn’t.”
Theresa gasps. “That would be great.” She gives me her address and says she’ll see me soon.
I march back inside, and Micah stands, his expression full of concern. “I heard.”
“Do you mind if I borrow your car again?” I inquire, stepping up to him.
He slides a hand into his pocket and pulls out his keys. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“No,” I say, nodding toward his brothers. “Enjoy this time with your family.”
After kissing him quickly, I bolt out to the car and plug Theresa’s address into the GPS. My heart races the entire drive to her house. It’s been two days since Hannah went missing; I don’t like the odds of that. The first forty-eight hours are crucial in a missing person case. Unfortunately, the statistics after that of one surviving aren’t very high.
Pulling up to Theresa’s address, I find an old, white farmhouse that looks as if it’s been restored in the past few years. A woman runs out wearing scrubs with her dark brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail. The second I open my car door and Theresa comes closer, I can smell the scent of antiseptic and cleaning solutions. She probably works at the hospital or some other kind of medical office.
Theresa holds her hand out to me. “Thank you for coming. I have everything you might need inside.”
I follow her into the house, and she leads me down a hallway to Hannah’s bedroom. I pick up on Hannah’s scent the second I walk inside. It reminds me of cherry lip gloss and vanilla. The walls are dark purple, with several pictures of abstract art scattered around that happen to be fantastic pencil drawings.
Theresa notices me eying them. “Hannah loves to draw. She’s always been unique like that.”
Nodding, I scan the room. “I’d say so. She’s a talented girl.”
Theresa moves over to the desk and turns on Hannah’s laptop. “I’m not tech-savvy, but if you have computer skills, you should be able to find something in her computer.”
“Do you mind if I sit at her desk?” I ask.
“Not at all,” she replies, quickly stepping out of the way.
Sitting down, I stretch my neck from side to side, making it pop in the process. “If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s the computer.” I didn’t have much of a social life when Dany, Stark, and I first went into hiding, so I buried myself in learning all sorts of things. One happened to be hacking.
The history to Hannah’s computer had been deleted, but that didn’t mean anything. It doesn’t matter how many times you delete something, it can always be recovered. It takes a few minutes to reclaim all the information, and when I do, I find hundreds of private messages between Hannah and a guy named Jaden in an art forum that dates to only a week ago.
“I think I found something,” I call out, waving Theresa over. She stands behind me, and I point to the messages, clicking on the first exchange. Jaden sent the first message, telling Hannah how talented she is with her art. Then, they go back and forth about drawing, but things turn personal.
Theresa releases a heavy sigh and stumbles against the bed. I jerk around and catch her by the arm before she can fall to the floor. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nods, and tears fall like rivers down her cheeks. “I’m just so tired, and I’m scared. What if we don’t find her?”
I help her sit down on the bed. “I’ll do everything I can, I promise.”
Lips trembling, Theresa pats my hand. “Do you want something to eat or drink? I feel like I’m going to pass out if I don’t.”
“No,” I state softly. “Thank you, though. I’m going to keep working.”
Theresa slips out of the room on shaky legs and disappears down the hall. I can hear her fumble around in the kitchen, and then the smell of hot raspberry tea fills the air.
I read through more of the messages until I get down to the last ten. Jaden gives Hannah an address to meet him at; it was dated two days ago.
“I found a location,” I shout, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins. If I can get there, I’ll be able to track Hannah’s scent. “Theresa, did you hear me? I have an address. I think we should go there.” I don’t know how long the house has been quiet, but it strikes me as eerie. “Theresa?” I call out.
My hackles rise, and it’s as if a cold chill races down my spine. Something’s wrong.
“Rae, what’s going on?” Micah asks through our bond.
Slowly, I stand and step away from the desk. “I don’t know. Out of nowhere, I got this creepy feeling prickling down my neck. My client isn’t answering me.”
“Fuck. Where are you?”
I recite the address. “Micah, please hurry.”
I’ve never been one to need backup for anything, but I don’t have a good feeling about this. Tiptoeing to the bedroom door, I stop when I get to it and peer out into the hallway. The scent of human blood wafts past my nose, and my stomach coils.
“Shit,” I hiss under my breath. A million things race through my mind. What if Theresa couldn’t handle the pressure of losing a daughter and decided to slit her wrists? With how tired she was, she might’ve slipped and hit her head on the kitchen counter.
Pulse pounding in my ears, I run down the hall to the kitchen. And there, on the floor, is Theresa with a puddle of blood underneath her head. How could I not hear this happen?
“My brothers and I are on the way,” Micah shouts in my mind.
Before I can answer, a sharp pain explodes on the back of my head. I fall to the floor, and the darkness swiftly takes over.