5

Watching Colton and Jillian suffer brought satisfaction like nothing else had in the past seven years. Colton and Jillian liked to destroy families. It was their turn to be on the receiving end of what it felt like to have those you loved suffer.

The watcher lowered the binoculars.

Maybe she would alter her plan. She could kill Meg first. Slowly. Tortuously. Minute by minute, hour by hour, recording the entire thing so Colton didn’t miss a second.

A smile broke through for the first time in seven years. Being in control felt marvelous. Strange and wonderful. What did psychiatrists know anyway? Instead of fighting the intense desire for revenge, the need to have someone pay, it was time to just . . . make it happen.

Jillian groaned her prayers. She sat on her daughter’s bed, clasped her arms against her stomach, and rocked back and forth. She had no way to express the anguish that consumed her.

“Jilly?”

She heard her name, but couldn’t lift her head. Strong arms slipped around her shoulders and she leaned into the strength, desperate to siphon some of it into her body. “Serena?”

“Yeah. Alexia is here too.”

From somewhere deep within, Jillian found the will to lift her head. Alexia came to sit on the bed and lean her forehead against hers. “They’ll find her. We’ll find her.”

“How? How?” Her voice broke and the tears flowed once again.

“Hunter and Dominic are here too. They’re looking for the coach so they can question him.”

“Coach Levinson.”

“He disappeared after practice today. They’re looking for him.”

“Disappeared? With Meg? Did someone see him with Meg?”

“No.” Serena shook her head. “No one saw them together, but no one’s seen him since practice was over and he’s not answering his cell phone.”

Jillian’s fingers clenched. “I’ll kill him if he’s hurt her. I will.”

Alexia squeezed Jillian’s fist. “We all will.”

“We’ll have to form a line,” Serena muttered.

Jillian choked at her friends’ support, so thankful for the two women who’d been a part of her life forever. “Where are your kids?” Alexia had six-year-old Brynn and Serena had three-year-old twin boys, Caleb and Micah.

“With our parents,” Serena said. “My dad has been bugging me for time with them.”

“Same here,” Alexia said. “Mom and Michael love having Brynn.”

Jillian nodded, her mind already back on Meg.

“Has anyone called Blake?” Serena asked.

Jillian shifted and swiped her eyes. “Yes. He’s out of the country, but said he’d do his best to get back as soon as he could.”

“We’ll have her back before that happens,” Alexia said.

Blake Wyatt had helped Jillian raise Meg up until seven years ago when Jillian had returned to Columbia to put a killer behind bars. She’d known she’d run into Colton Brady, her ex-boyfriend and Meg’s father, but she hadn’t known they would fall back in love, get married, and raise Meg together. That had been amazing.

Meg had disappeared seven years ago too, but they’d gotten her back no worse for the wear.

Jillian’s heart beat like a wild thing in her chest as she couldn’t help wondering if they would be so blessed a second time.

“We’ve found Tanner.”

Jillian looked up to see Colton standing in the doorway. He looked ten years older than he had when he’d kissed her good morning a short fourteen hours ago. “Tanner? Where is he? Does he know where Meg is?”

“He’s dead,” he whispered. Tears filled his eyes and he blinked. “He’s dead, Jilly.”