The amazing harmonies of Pentatonix drifted through the diner, the volume a couple dozen decibels lower than usual. Today, it was Shelby’s turn to pick the music. She’d chosen her favorite group. And her favorite CD. It didn’t matter that it was their Christmas one and that Christmas was still nine months away.
She had reopened Saturday after Friday’s bomb scare. Business had been slow, maybe one half to two thirds of normal. Yesterday, she’d been closed. Aunt Bea had insisted it wasn’t right to do business on the Lord’s day. Although Shelby didn’t have those convictions, as long as she could afford it, she’d continue the tradition in honor of Aunt Bea.
She stuffed the cash she’d counted into the bank envelope and dropped it into the safe. Today was much better than she’d expected. Friday’s excitement had passed, and it was almost business as usual.
When she walked from her office, a bucket rolled into the dining area from the hall that led to the bathrooms. Ryan followed, holding on to the mop standing up inside. His leave didn’t officially start until Thursday, but he’d had today off. Over the past several hours, he’d been up and down the interior stairs so many times she’d lost count. She’d finally put him to work.
Once he was on leave, his constant presence would be a double-edged sword. Addy’s grumpiness would be multiplied times ten.
But that wasn’t Shelby’s biggest concern. She’d been fighting her attraction toward him almost from the start. Every kindness he showed endeared him to her further. When he’d taken her hand at Twede’s on Friday morning, she hadn’t wanted to let go.
She needed him, as much for the emotional support he was giving her as for the protection. That was disturbing. She’d always been the one everyone leaned on, not the other way around.
Eventually, the threats would end. Ryan would go back to his routine, and she’d return to hers. And she’d have to shut off whatever feelings she developed for him. He’d always be there for Chloe, but Shelby wasn’t part of the bargain.
When he’d said no woman was his type, he’d probably been thinking of his failed marriage. It was something he obviously regretted. No wonder he ended his relationships before they could get too serious.
While he wrung out the mop and disposed of the dirty water, she made a final sweep of the kitchen. Everything looked good. Tessa met her in the doorway, raising her voice over the a cappella version of “Mary, Did You Know?”
“I think that’s it.”
“Excellent.” She moved into her office and retrieved her keys.
There’d been no leads on who planted the bomb on her car. She’d been parked out of view of the camera at the back door. Ryan had made her remedy that. The Town Car was now in the lot right in line with the side camera. If anyone tampered with her vehicle again, the video would record the entire thing. Ryan and Addy had theirs parked in camera range also.
Shelby emerged from the office and killed the CD. Before she rounded the end of the counter, Ryan stopped her.
“I’ve got it.” He snatched her keys and followed the three ladies to the door. After locking it behind them, he looked over his shoulder. “Code?”
“Zero-six-two-one.” She heaved a sigh. “Can’t we just hang a big banner outside that says, ‘Mia didn’t tell me anything’?”
“I wish it was that easy. I’m afraid this isn’t going to be over until whoever killed Mia has gone to jail.”
Her shoulders slumped. That was what she was afraid of, too. Tomorrow made two weeks since her sister’s murder, and the authorities seemed no closer to solving it now than they’d been then.
Ryan set the alarm and followed her up the stairs. When they reached the living room, Addy sat next to Barry on the couch. According to Ryan, he’d shown up an hour ago. Chloe was up from her afternoon nap, sitting on Barry’s lap. She was holding her seal, tipping its little flippers back and forth, a stream of syllables flowing from her mouth.
Addy had apparently passed her to him, and Barry didn’t seem to know what to do with her. He was leaning forward, his back ramrod-straight. His pats on Chloe’s back were stiff. He was a typical single guy. They were never comfortable around babies and toddlers.
Except Ryan. He interacted with his niece as if he’d been playing the father role forever. Of course, Ryan wasn’t a typical single guy. He had a stability she’d never experienced growing up. And watching him with Chloe melted her heart.
The little girl looked up from her play, and a smile lit her face. “Be-be.”
Shelby gasped, her heart rolling over in her chest. “Did you hear that? She just said my name.”
Addy frowned. “I think she said, ‘Be-be.’”
“She said, ‘Shelby.’” She was sure of it. Chloe had looked right at her.
She danced over and swooped her niece off Barry’s lap. After moving into the center of the room, she held her aloft and spun in two circles. “Yes, Aunt Shelby’s home.” She gave Chloe a noisy kiss on the cheek and held the little girl tightly against her chest. When her gaze met Ryan’s, he was smiling, his eyes reflecting her joy.
After spending several more minutes with Chloe, Shelby handed her back to Addy. “I’m going to start dinner. Barry, are you staying?”
He looked at Addy before answering. At her slight nod, he smiled. “I’d love to.”
Shelby walked into the kitchen, Ryan following. Happiness still coursed through her. She had overcome a huge obstacle. It wasn’t just that Chloe had acknowledged her. It was the way she’d done it—the same way she greeted Ryan, the way a child reacts to a loved family member.
And Ryan was happy for her.
On sudden impulse, she spun and gave him an impromptu hug. “Chloe’s adjusting to living with me. Not just adjusting, but flourishing.”
She took a step back, letting her hands slide to rest on his shoulders. “She’s happy. And that makes me happy.”
Ryan stood smiling down at her, his arms looped lightly around her waist. The admiration in his eyes touched her on a deeper level, stirring an unfulfilled desire she’d carried most of her life—the need for acceptance and approval.
But that wasn’t the only way he was looking at her. His gaze also held warmth, as if he was seeing her as a woman. An attractive woman.
Goose bumps swept over her like a light caress. She leaned toward him, drawn by the same invisible force she’d fought for the past two weeks. It had been there from the moment she watched him step off the elevator at Mia’s apartment. At first, it was an almost imperceptible tug. Since then, it had only grown stronger. Did he feel it, too?
He suddenly stiffened, dropped his arms and turned toward the counter. “I brought in your mail.”
She cleared her throat, shaking off the effects of his closeness. “Thank you.” She needed to get a grip.
She picked up the stack of envelopes and fingered through them, stopping when one caught her eye. “Did you know this was here?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I bring it in. I don’t snoop through it.”
She tore open the envelope, knowing what was inside. The single sheet of paper was titled DNA Test Report. The columns of numbers meant nothing. The block underneath did.
Shock ricocheted through her body as realization slammed into her. She pulled out a chair and sank into it.
When she looked up at Ryan, concern etched his features. “What is it?”
She dropped her gaze to what she held and read aloud. “‘Interpretation—combined paternity index, zero. Probability of paternity, zero percent. The alleged father is excluded as the biological father of the tested child.’”
She lifted her eyes to his face. “Randall isn’t Chloe’s father.”
Ryan eased into the chair opposite her. His face had lost three shades of color.
Shelby shook her head, the ramifications sinking in. “Your parents have no right to her.” She left the other conclusion unsaid. You have no right to her.
Ryan’s attention shifted to a point over her shoulder, and she pivoted in her chair. Addy stood in the doorway, head tilted in silent question. She’d apparently passed off Chloe to Barry again.
Shelby indicated the paper she held. “Randall’s not Chloe’s father.”
Addy’s eyes widened and her mouth went slack. “I didn’t see that coming.” She leaned against the doorjamb. “Mia was always flirting with other guys, trying to get Randall’s attention. She figured if she made him jealous, he’d realize he didn’t want another man to have her.”
Addy shook her head. “Apparently, she did more than flirt. I’m not surprised. Mia would stoop to any level to get what she wanted.”
Shelby bit back the reprimand on the tip of her tongue. Addy and Mia had been best friends. And Mia was Shelby’s sister. But what the other woman had said was probably true.
And that was just Addy. She had a critical streak wider than the Snoqualmie River. This wasn’t the first time she’d bad-mouthed Mia. And she’d trashed Ryan on a number of occasions. When Shelby wasn’t around, the woman probably disparaged her, too. Not the greatest example for Chloe. It was something Shelby would have to address in the future. Not now.
Addy pushed herself away from the doorjamb. “So Chloe doesn’t have a drop of McConnell blood in her veins.” Her lips twitched, as if she was stifling a smile.
Of course she’d be happy. The possibility of Robert and Dorothy McConnell getting custody of Chloe was now eliminated. Addy probably also thought she’d no longer have any dealings with Ryan. But Shelby hadn’t decided yet how she was going to handle Ryan.
Chloe began to cry in the living room. Barry’s voice followed seconds later. “Uh, Addy?”
Addy hurried over to rescue him. He didn’t know what to do with a contented child. Holding a crying one probably sent waves of panic through him.
Moments later, Chloe stopped crying. Addy reappeared in the doorway with the child in her arms. “So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going ahead with getting legal custody, then pursuing adoption.”
“What about him?” She tilted her head toward Ryan. “I know we need the protection now, but since he isn’t going to be in Chloe’s life long-term, it would be best for Chloe if he made a clean break as soon as possible.”
When Shelby looked at Ryan, he appeared as if he’d taken a physical blow—a brass-knuckled punch to the gut or a knife to the heart. The last of the color had drained from his face, leaving behind anguish. It was painted into every pore.
“Shelby, please don’t do this to me. Please don’t do it to Chloe.”
She watched as emotion contorted his features. Heard the plea to not shut him out of Chloe’s life. Saw his eyes mist.
And she knew. Even though this test changed everything, it changed nothing.
She reached across the table to put her hand over his, which was clenched into a fist. “Chloe doesn’t understand DNA. All she would know is that her Uncle Ryan, who has been in her life since day one, left her. Just like her mother did.”
“So you’re going to let me continue to see her?” The hope in his voice was mirrored in his eyes.
“I’m doing what’s best for Chloe, and that’s having you in her life.”
Addy heaved a frustrated sigh. “That’s not necessary. Kids are resilient. They get over things much more quickly than we do. Besides, it’s better to do it now, while she’s young, instead of waiting for the day he has his own family and moves on with a life that doesn’t include her.”
Shelby crossed her arms. “As long as Ryan wants to see his niece, my door will be open.”
“She’s not his niece.” Addy turned to Ryan. “Chloe’s not your responsibility. You’re free of whatever obligations you thought you had.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened. “This has nothing to do with obligation or responsibility.” He rose from the table and reached Addy in two large strides. She flinched but stood her ground.
“Love is a stronger bond than blood. I’m going to be an important part of Chloe’s life as long as Shelby will let me.”
When he tried to take Chloe from her, Addy resisted, not giving in until the little girl reached for him. Then she spun with a huff and stalked into the living room. A heavy silence permeated the apartment. Barry was keeping his opinions to himself. Smart guy.
Shelby rose and removed a large package of fresh salmon from the refrigerator. Dinner wasn’t going to be pleasant. The food would be delicious. Her cooking was something she prided herself on. Aunt Bea had given her a great foundation. Then being responsible for her family’s meals from age twelve forward had provided lots of experience.
But the company was going to be miserable. Addy would sulk, Ryan would stew and Barry would look as if he wanted to spring up and run from the apartment.
Maybe Barry and Addy would decide they’d rather have dinner out. Shelby wouldn’t argue. She could think of a bunch of uses for leftover salmon. Besides, she had a lot of thinking to do, and she preferred to do it away from Addy’s negativity.
Addy adored Chloe. It was obvious. For the past two weeks, that adoration had been a great comfort.
But now, Shelby had seen a different side of her. It was the first time Addy had allowed her own prejudices to supersede what was best for Chloe.
It had left Shelby questioning whether Addy was the best choice to provide the little girl’s care. She would keep her on until Mia’s murder investigation was closed. It wouldn’t be fair to bring someone else into the situation. Addy knew the danger and had agreed to stay.
But once Mia’s killer was caught, Shelby would reassess. If Addy wanted to stay, she’d have to let go of her bitterness toward Ryan.
If she didn’t, Shelby would do what needed to be done. She had what it took to make the tough decisions.
Addy would have to go.
Ryan reached inside his darkened apartment to flip on the light switch. Today had been another long day at the base. Now, at almost seven in the evening, he’d prefer to head straight to Shelby’s. But that wasn’t an option if he wanted to wear clean clothes tomorrow. He also had a bunch of thirsty houseplants.
He swung the door shut, dropping the duffel of dirty clothes onto the floor. First, he’d tend to his plants. He filled a gallon jug and walked to the wrought-iron stand against one of the patio doors. Orchids occupied the top shelf. Only one was in bloom, a tall stalk covered in delicate white flowers. African violets occupied the next shelf, frilly purple and pink blooms resting on fuzzy green leaves.
The bottom two shelves held a variety of plants—a Christmas cactus, two peace lilies, several bromeliads and a poinsettia someone had given him at Christmas. Above, two philodendrons hung from hooks in the ceiling, leaf-covered creepers trailing over the sides of the plastic containers.
He poured water into each of the pots and pinched off any dying leaves and blooms past their peak. It was nice not being the only living thing in the apartment. The plants weren’t the company a cat or dog would be, but they also didn’t require nearly as much care.
After he finished the watering chore, he grabbed the duffel and headed for his bedroom. Finding out last night that Chloe wasn’t his niece had just about knocked him off his feet.
What he hadn’t expected, though, was the sudden emptiness that had swamped him when he’d thought about never seeing Shelby again. No more listening to her hum while she worked. No more late-night conversations over ice cream. No more seeing the softness in her eyes as he caught her watching him with Chloe.
How had it happened? How had she gone from his adversary to someone he didn’t want to live without in a little over two weeks?
Shelby intrigued him. She was the opposite of her shallow, flighty sister. She was also nothing like Addy, who was moody and unpredictable. Even with all she’d faced over the past month—losing both her aunt and her sister, the attempts on her life—she’d never taken out her frustrations on anyone else.
And she was beautiful, but unlike Mia and Addy, she didn’t flaunt it. In fact, she seemed oblivious.
He unzipped his bag and, after dumping the dirty items into the clothes hamper, started repacking. If Addy had gotten her way, once the danger was over, he’d never see Chloe again. Her dislike for him wasn’t any secret. But her antagonism had only gotten worse.
Last night’s conversation with Shelby had given him some peace. She’d promised him he could see Chloe as long as he wanted to. If Shelby ever got tired of the animosity between him and Addy, Addy would likely be the one to go.
He selected some shirts and stuffed them into the duffel. Maybe falling for Shelby wouldn’t be a bad thing. If his feelings were returned, Chloe would be part of the package. Thirty-eight and divorced, he’d given up dreams of having a family of his own. But maybe that dream wasn’t so far-fetched after all.
Yeah, it was. He shoved several pairs of socks into the bag, his movements jerky. Shelby was the same age as his ex-wife. If he couldn’t hold on to Dana, how could he expect to keep the affections of an amazing woman like Shelby?
Besides, she didn’t think of him like that. At first, she’d tolerated him for Chloe’s sake. Since then, they’d fallen into an easy friendship. But he’d be crazy to hope for more.
The ringtone on his phone sounded, and his pulse kicked up several notches. But it wasn’t Shelby calling. “Hey, Kyle.”
Ryan and his best friend could go weeks without talking, but that never affected their friendship. Nor was it an indicator of how close they were. They’d each held the best-friend status since they met at age twelve. One called the other when he had something to say.
“I’m checking on you.” Kyle’s voice held more seriousness than usual.
Ryan had spoken with him shortly after Mia’s murder to tell him what had happened and how it would affect him and Chloe. Of course, Kyle would have learned about it, anyway, if not by hearing it on the news, then in his capacity as a homicide detective with Seattle PD.
“How’s it going?”
Ryan drew in a breath. “It’s going. Chloe’s been staying with her aunt, but I’ve been spending a lot of time over there.”
“How is your niece handling it?”
Ryan didn’t bother to correct him. Chloe would always be his niece, regardless of the results of some DNA test. Based on what Shelby had said, she would likely agree.
“She was crying for her mother at first, but she seems to be doing much better. I think it’s because she has a nanny, and the nanny has stayed with her.”
He pulled some jeans from a hanger and folded them in half, then in quarters, with one hand. “Are you involved in Mia’s case at all?”
“It’s not my case, but we all get briefed.”
“What do you know?” He hoped they were closing in on his father. The man needed to come down for at least one of his crimes.
“I can’t discuss an open investigation. You know that.”
“How many years have we been friends?”
“Come on, Ryan. Your dad’s one of our suspects.”
“I’ve got a high-level security clearance with the US government. I think I can be trusted to keep a secret.”
“So what’s the last piece of classified information you got?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Okay, point taken.”
He propped his phone against one shoulder and wrestled the small stack of jeans into the duffel. “I’m going to let you go. I’m working on packing. After tomorrow, I’ve got three weeks of leave time and will be spending it at Shelby’s. I’m sleeping on the couch.”
He added the last detail knowing it would be important to his friend. The Gordons were a family who lived out their faith. Kyle had continued it in his own life, working as an assistant youth pastor.
Although Ryan had joined his friend for services several times as a teenager, his own attendance had been sporadic over the years. It wasn’t that he didn’t consider it important. It had always been something he was going to get serious about someday. “Someday” just hadn’t gotten here yet.
“Enjoy your time off.” Kyle’s words drew Ryan’s thoughts back. “Sounds like there might be a romance in the works.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
Kyle probably wished it was. The two of them had married within weeks of each other. Kyle’s marriage had lasted. Eleven years later, he was still crazy in love. Ryan was happy for him, but sometimes he envied him.
“I’m there because of the threats.” Ryan didn’t need to elaborate. Kyle and his fellow detectives would have been briefed on everything. “The bomb on Friday really gave us a scare.”
It was a fertilizer bomb. He’d learned the details yesterday. Although it contained ammonium nitrate, the right compound, the fuel mix wasn’t correct. Apparently, fertilizer bombs were harder to make than people realized. If the fertilizer and fuel weren’t mixed in an exact ratio, the bomb wouldn’t explode.
Two mistakes—leaving tracks in the snow and not getting the mix right. If that was his dad’s man, he was doomed all the way around.
“Be careful.” Kyle’s tone held a heavy note of caution. “We’re all working on it, both Seattle and North Bend. Or technically, Snoqualmie.”
“Yeah.” North Bend was too small to have its own department, so it contracted with Snoqualmie for police protection.
“Keep me posted.”
“I will.” He’d ask his friend to do the same, but it would be pointless.
Less than five minutes after ending the call, he stepped onto the narrow front deck and locked the door. A full moon hung in a darkened sky, its glow spilling over the landscape, aiding the lights illuminating the parking areas. He jogged down the stairs to the first floor, then froze. His Equinox was sitting at an angle in its numbered space, the passenger side tilting downward.
He ran in front of the vehicle. When he reached the other side, his breath whooshed out. Both tires were flat, rims pressing the rubber against the asphalt.
Great. He had one spare, not two. Had he hit something? Run over some nails on the edge of the road? Or was the damage intentional?
He scanned the area. Lights were on in several of the surrounding apartments, but no one was outside. When he knelt beside the front tire, no nails or screws were visible. The same with the rear.
He opened the back of the SUV and removed the battery-operated compressor. After raising his hood and hooking the clamps to the battery, he pumped up the front tire. It inflated, but when he turned off the compressor and listened, he heard an almost imperceptible hiss.
As he moved his hand over the sidewall, a stream of air touched his palm. Using his phone’s flashlight app, he found a half-inch slit. Getting it plugged was out of the question. He’d need a new tire.
He carried the compressor to the back. When he’d pumped up that one, he turned off the machine and listened. Nothing. He checked the gauge and added another three pounds. After changing the front tire, he’d see if the rear one still had the recommended amount of pressure.
When he tested it twenty minutes later, it was still fully inflated. Apparently, someone had punctured the front tire and let the air out of the back. Why come all the way to Bremerton to tamper with his tires? Was it just to harass him?
No. It was to keep him from getting back to North Bend.
Leaving the compressor sitting in the driveway, he unclipped his phone and dialed Shelby. When she answered, his breath escaped in a relieved sigh. “Are you okay?”
“We’re fine. Just finished dinner. We’re getting ready to watch Cars. Why?”
“Someone slashed my tire.” Or stabbed it. The slit was about the width of a small switchblade.
Shelby gasped. “Are you sure it was intentional?”
“Positive.” He would think he’d hit something sharp and thrown it into the sidewall, but the air being let out of the rear tire blew that theory to smithereens. “I’m leaving now, but it’ll take me an hour and a half to get there.”
He ended the call and tossed the tire into the back of the vehicle, along with the compressor, jack and lug wrench. Fortunately, he had a full-size spare rather than a donut. He’d get the damaged tire fixed as soon as possible and hope he didn’t have any other flats in the meantime.
After plugging his phone into the car’s stereo system, he began the steep downhill grade toward Charleston Beach Road. In minutes, he’d be on 16, beginning his loop around the bay. He’d check on Shelby again en route. Maybe more than once. Someone obviously didn’t want him there. The apartment was locked, but if an intruder barged in and triggered the alarm, minutes could pass before the police arrived.
As he approached Tacoma, brake lights lit up the road in front of him. He lifted his foot from the accelerator. It was almost eight o’clock, and the traffic heading into the city was moderate. Coming out, it would be much heavier.
He went for his own brake, then touched the screen to redial Shelby. Moments later, her “hello” came through the vehicle’s speakers.
“You guys still all right?”
“We’re fine. We’ve paused Cars, because Barry just arrived. Addy’s letting him in now. How close are you?”
“Tacoma. About an hour, depending on what this traffic does.
“The movie will be over before then, but we’ll keep Chloe up until—”
His pulse kicked into high gear. Why did she stop talking? “Shelby?”
“Hold on.” A pause. “Barry asked who just left.”
“What does he mean who—”
“Shh!”
He swallowed his question and waited. The voices in the background were too muffled to make out the words. Finally, Shelby continued.
“Someone was running down the stairs as Barry pulled into the alley. By the time he parked, the person had jumped the railroad tracks and run into the woods.”
Ryan’s stomach dropped. “Have Addy call the cops. And don’t let Barry leave.”
Tall and lanky, somewhat geeky and totally love-struck, Barry wasn’t an intimidating figure. But his presence meant there was at least a man in the apartment.
Ryan kept Shelby on the phone until the police arrived. With every new traffic slowdown, his tension skyrocketed. When he finally pulled into the alley behind the diner, Dave Jenkins was heading to his patrol vehicle.
Ryan parked next to the dark SUV and hopped out. “What did you find?”
“Someone tried to get in. There were pry marks on the edge of the door and the doorjamb.”
For the second time, his stomach did a free fall. If Barry hadn’t arrived when he had and scared away the intruder, the creep might have gotten in.
“Anything show up on the video?”
“Someone entered the frame from the direction of the railroad tracks and climbed the stairs. But the pictures aren’t much help. He was wearing a ski mask, a bulky jacket and gloves.”
Ryan thanked him, then ran up the stairs. At the top, he banged on the door. “It’s me, Ryan.”
Moments later, it swung open, and Shelby stood there holding Chloe. Relief washed through him. He drew them both into his arms. As he pressed kisses to the top of Chloe’s head, that sweet baby-girl scent wrapped around him, and a lump formed in his throat. If anything happened to his niece, he’d never recover.
And if anything happened to Shelby, he’d be just as devastated. He squeezed them more tightly and buried his face in Shelby’s hair, breathing in an entirely different scent. It was more mature than his niece’s sweet, fruity shampoo, but every bit as appealing—a citrusy, herbal hair product, maybe lemon and sage.
Longing curled deep in his core, an awareness of a void that had been there all along but he’d just now discovered. He’d convinced himself he was fulfilled, that his life was complete and satisfying. The brief periods of restlessness and the fleeting sense that something was missing had been easy to ignore. But now he knew. There was a Shelby-shaped hole in his heart.
He dropped his arms and stepped the rest of the way inside, closing the door behind him. In the living room, a movie was paused, a snaggle-toothed tow truck frozen on the screen. Addy sat next to Barry on the love seat, his arm around her.
Ryan’s gaze shifted between Shelby and Addy. “Neither of you were watching the video feed?”
Shelby shook her head. “The iPad was on the couch next to Addy, but we were both focused on the movie. And we didn’t hear anything over the soundtrack.” She chewed her lower lip. “We can’t watch it twenty-four seven, but we’ll try to do better.”
He nodded. Tomorrow he’d have to leave them to report for duty. One more day. Depending on Barry’s class schedule, maybe he could hang out. If he was armed, even better.
He looked at Addy’s friend. “Do you have a gun?”
Panic flashed in Barry’s eyes. “Why?”
“Do you?”
“No. They make me totally uncomfortable.”
Ryan held up a hand. “Chill. I’m not going to make you carry one. Will you be around tomorrow?”
“I can be in the afternoon. I have a class in the morning.” According to Addy, he didn’t have a job, just lived on his student loans. A master’s-level engineering track was pretty grueling, even for someone with Barry’s brains.
Ryan nodded. Better than nothing. The diner would be busy through the breakfast and lunch hours. By closing time, Barry would be here. And the police were patrolling on a regular basis.
Chloe pointed at the TV screen. “Coz.”
Shelby smiled down at their niece. “You want to finish the movie?”
Ryan followed them into the living room and took a seat next to them on the couch. Shelby picked up the remote, and cartoon voices filled the room.
But Ryan’s thoughts weren’t on the dilemma facing Lightning McQueen. Images much more sinister circled through his mind—footage of a man, a ski mask hiding his face, a bulky jacket concealing his frame. A nameless, faceless threat.
Twice now they’d captured him on video. The first time, he’d left a note. This time he’d tried to break in, with Shelby, Chloe and Addy inside. Was he getting braver?
Or more desperate?
The man knew a security system protected the diner and apartment. Several windows held signs. But that hadn’t deterred him. He’d apparently been confident he could get in, do what he’d come to do and get back out before the police arrived. The security system had meant nothing to him.
The creep’s plans for Chloe were a mystery. But Ryan had no doubt what he wanted for Shelby.
He wanted her dead.
Ryan assumed the two goals were connected in some way but couldn’t even say that for sure. If Mia had been killed for something she knew, what would that have to do with Chloe? If someone wanted to kidnap Chloe and hold her for ransom, why kill Mia?
He shook his head. The puzzle had too many missing pieces. He needed to find some answers. Soon.
Before the kidnappers succeeded.
Or a killer struck again.