She stared out the window, the frown she’d been wearing all day deepening. Something had been niggling at her mind. A dream she’d had last night. Or maybe it wasn’t a dream. Maybe it was a memory. She couldn’t get it out of her head, it was on permanent repeat.
“That’s a deep frown. I thought you liked Mrs. Gerald’s coffee.”
She turned to look at Holden behind the wheel. She still didn’t have a car, and Jesse didn’t want her walking around town by herself until Dylan’s accomplice was found.
“Oh, this coffee is the best thing to touch my tongue today. Hot, but good.” And sure, it was also theonlything to touch her tongue, due to her lack of appetite these last few days, but she was pretty sure any competing foods or drinks would lose.
Holden shot her another glance. “What’s on your mind then?”
“I had a dream last night, about the day I was kidnapped.”
Holden’s brows flickered. “Tell me about it.”
“There’s not much to tell. Everything was a blur. I could feel this person’s hands on me as they led me through the crowd. And even though I can’t understand what they said to Dylan, I remember the voice. It was female, and I woke up with this feeling like I’d heard it before, but I don’t know where.”
Holden’s fingers visibly tightened on the wheel. “It wasn’t your mother?”
She almost flinched at the mention of her mom. She hadn’t spoken to her since that phone call the day after her kidnapping. “No. It wasn’t familiar enough to be her.”
“It’s a small town. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve run into the person once or twice.”
And somehow, the person hated her enough to drug and help kidnap her? “I just don’t understand why anyone would help Dylan. I thought he was the only person who hated me enough to hurt me like that. Then I thought maybe he was paying someone, but the deputies looked into his accounts and there were no big withdrawals or transfers.”
It didn’t make sense. Any of it.
“Unfortunately,” Holden said quietly, voice hard, “I’ve learned that some people need little to no incentive to do really shitty things. But when Jesse finds them, you’ll get your motive.”
She nodded almost absently as Holden pulled up in front of the sheriff’s station. He started unbuckling his seat belt, but she shook her head. “You don’t need to come in.”
“Aspen—”
“You’ve been driving me around all week. You’ve done enough, and I know you’re on a deadline with a cabinet you’re making.”
He’d already gotten so much work here in Amber Ridge. Not that she was surprised—she’d seen his woodwork. He was good at what he did.
She slipped off her seat belt and opened her door. “You can watch me go all the way inside though.”
His gaze moved around the station before returning to her. “I will.”
“Thanks again for picking me up.” She lifted both her and Jesse’s coffees. “Hopefully I won’t need you to take me places much longer.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t mind.”
Yeah, but he shouldn’t have to.
She smiled before climbing out of the car and heading into the station. The front desk was empty as she passed, and Jesse’s door was half closed. She knocked before stepping inside.
Aspen smiled at Bea as the other woman walked toward the door. “Bea! Hi.”
“Hi, Aspen. Jesse was just saying you’re doing a bit better.”
She stopped, her belly doing a strange roll. Bea’s voice…why did it make every hair on her body stand on end?
She glanced at Jesse, but he wasn’t looking at her. She followed his gaze to Bea’s shoes.
Red sneakers.Familiarsneakers.
Aspen gasped, stumbling back a step.
