Acool breeze and steady, light rain greeted him when he stepped out the front doors of the building.The notorious Pacific Northwest fall weather had closed in.Down the hill, the gloomy gray sky was indistinguishable from the horizon until the white tops of the breakers started closer to shore.
It only took a few minutes to drive to the office.Inside, he grabbed what he needed along with a company-issued weapon and ammo, then checked in with Ryder before texting Gavin on the way out.
Leaving CPS now.Meet you in 25-30.
On my way, Gavin answered.
Tristan exited the CPS parking lot and headed east up the hill.A minute in, he found himself checking his mirrors more than was necessary.On guard and unable to shake the instinctive feeling that he was being watched.Or followed, even though the empty road behind him told him it wasn’t true.
He thought of Cassie, alone back at the condo.She was safe behind a layer of added security and had a weapon if anything happened.
God, he couldn’t wait for Quinn to be caught so she could feel safe, and they could put all this behind them.Only then could they really move forward and think about their future together.
Things were far from settled between them.He wanted it all with her but hadn’t said it yet because he didn’t want to push or pressure her when she had so much on her shoulders.He hated the uncertainty, the way it stirred all the ghosts from his past that whispered she might walk out when this was over.
His wipers sped up as the rain intensified.The roads were soaked, glistening where the silvery light filtering through the heavy clouds touched them as he sped along.There was still no one behind him, yet that heightened awareness remained.
He’d just turned onto a quiet road when a call came through.Cassie’s number appeared on the dash display.He used the hands-free device to answer.“Hey.Everything good?”
“Yes, everything’s fine.”
He relaxed.“So you just called to say you missed me?”A guy could hope.They were officially together but other than their families, she wanted to keep their relationship quiet.He understood, but sooner or later people at work were going to figure it out, and he wasn’t willing for them to be a secret for long.
“Actually, I do miss you.I’ve gotten way too used to having you around all the time.”
“Better make your peace with it, because I’m not going anywhere.And I’m not letting you go.So if you were starting to think about an exit strategy, don’t bother.”He said it in a teasing way, but he was dead serious.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said dryly.“Just wanted to double check something with you.”
“Sure, what’s up?”The back of his neck prickled.He glanced in the rearview.Still didn’t see anything.
Cassie was saying something, but he was only paying partial attention to her.Through the rain and mist, he thought he saw the shape of a vehicle behind him.Small car.Maybe a hundred yards back, keeping a steady distance between them.No lights on.
That was the part he didn’t like.
“Tris?You there?”
He’d missed most of what she’d said, too focused on the other vehicle and planning a possible escape route.This road ended in a T just over a mile ahead.Left led to another quiet, back road.Right was quiet too, but eventually met a feeder route that would take him to the coastal highway.
“Think I’m being followed.”He sped up, watching to see what happened.
“What?”Cassie asked sharply.“Who—”
“Dunno, just a gut feeling.There’s a car behind me, keeping back, but following my route.”This road was out in the middle of nowhere.He’d taken it as a shortcut.Only a local would know about it.
Or someone following him.
“What kind of car?”
“Can’t tell.No lights on, and it’s dark out here.”The dense foliage of the evergreens on either side of the road blocked most of the daylight, leaving it mostly in shadows.“It’s keeping pace with me.”The car had sped up.“No, now it’s gaining on me.”
“Where are you?”
“Heading east on Cedarwood Road.”Headlights appeared on the crest of the small hill up ahead.A bigger vehicle coming toward them in the other lane.The car behind him was close enough for him to see it now.“Looks like a dark gray Ford sedan, no lights.”He gave her the plate number.“There’s a T up ahead.I’m gonna head south and go back to the highway—”
The SUV coming at him suddenly hit the brakes and veered sideways, blocking both lanes.“Fuck,” he snarled, his gut sinking.
This is what they did to Cassie.
