“That still leaves too many possibilities."
"We'll narrow it down," Ben assured her, his certainty a comfort she hadn't expected. "Every case has a breaking point, a detail that doesn't fit the narrative they've constructed. We’ll find it."
Kelly was about to respond when the sound of tires on gravel caught her attention. She turned to see a dark blue SUV pulling up behind their rental car, but she couldn’t see the driver, who was obscured by the tinted windows.
"I think we have company," Ben said, stepping in front of Kelly.
This man has a protective streak a mile wide.
The SUV's engine cut off, and for a moment nothing happened. Then the driver's door swung open, and Kelly felt her breath catch as a familiar figure stepped out, eyes hidden behind reflective sunglasses but unmistakable all the same. She’d recognize him anywhere, even after several years.
Ethan Walters.
What was he doing way out here this early in the morning?
Ben watched as the SUV door swung open and a smiling man emerged, waving cheerily. Dressed in a suit and tie, he looked a bit out of place next to an empty cornfield, but his friendly demeanor spoke of someone familiar from the town.
The man removed his sunglasses with a practiced flourish, tucking them into his breast pocket.
“Kelly, I thought it was you. I heard you were coming home for the wedding.”
“Hello, Ethan,” Kelly said, amusement in her tone. “What on earth are you doing way out here this morning?”
This was Ethan Walters. Hannah’s ex-boyfriend and part of the friend group. In other words, a suspect.
"I have a client meeting in Ridgeville. I take this route sometimes to avoid the morning traffic on the highway." His gaze shifted to include Ben, extending his hand. "My name is Ethan Walters."
“Ben Reilly,” Ben replied, shaking the man’s hand. “Kelly’s boyfriend from New York. I’m here for the wedding, too.”
They were clearly sizing one another up, categorizing and evaluating the other man in seconds. It was the kind of appraisal Ben was accustomed to and had performed countless times in business meetings.
He could feel the zip of adrenaline that he loved so much, the thrill of going toe to toe, but not physically. No, this was the mental game that he played and excelled at, honed in some of the most cutthroat financial meetings in New York City and beyond.
"Ben, this is Ethan Walters. We went to high school together," Kelly said, gesturing between them.
"Nice to meet you, Ethan."
Ethan’s shoulders had relaxed, apparently deciding that Ben wasn’t a threat to Kelly, in particular, or Bergen, in general.
“I think I’ll ask you the same question you asked me,” Ethan said. “What are you doing out here this morning? Haven’t seen cows in a while?”
“I’m just showing Ben around the area. All the highlights?”
"And you decided to start your tour at a drainage ditch on County Road 17? Not exactly our main tourist attraction."
His tone was jovial, but Ben didn't miss the slight edge underneath. Ethan knew exactly what this place was.
"Kelly's showing me around," Ben replied with a casual shrug. "Said she wanted me to see the real Bergen, not just the postcard version."
"I see." Ethan's gaze lingered on Kelly for a moment too long before returning to Ben. "Well, you're certainly getting the unfiltered experience then. But you might want to be careful. There have been some robberies recently by people posing as having car trouble on these deserted roads out here. They pretend to have a breakdown, and then when you stop to help them, they pull a gun and rob you. Mostly, they want cash or your phone. They haven’t hurt anyone yet, but eventually, they’re going to get the wrong person and get hurt themselves. You can’t be too careful, even in a town as small as Bergen."
“I had no idea,” Kelly replied. “I hadn’t heard about any of that.”
“Even small towns can have issues,” Ethan said. “It’s not something that happens every day, but it has happened.”
“You weren’t worried about stopping to talk to us?” Kelly teased. “I could have turned to a life of crime since I left town.”
“Just in case, I carry a gun in the glove compartment,” Ethan laughed. “You never know what you might encounter out here on these country roads.”
