“Maia,” Henry said as she flicked off the light.“They left two candy wrappers, but I was too slow.They parked in a different place and escaped before I spotted them.”
Laura jogged around the corner of the house in time to hear Henry.“How many people?”
Frustration filled his scowl.“The car was too far away.”
“Type of car?Color?”Laura barked.
“Black or dark gray.A sedan.”
A sick sensation punched Maia in the stomach.Betrayal.Despite their brief acquaintance, she’d believed they were forming a strong bond through their shared love for rugby.“Rebecca drives a gray car.It’s that graphite gray.”
“Do you know where she lives?”
“Dunedin, near our training ground.We don’t have home addresses.Only names, emails, and phone numbers.The coach might tell you, but the players have a right to privacy.I wouldn’t like anyone to publicize my address.”
“I intended to call your coach in an official capacity,” Laura said, “and will explain why I require the details.If she says no, there are other ways to find this woman.”
“How did this person find you?”Henry asked.
Maia frowned.“I wouldn’t have noticed anyone following me.The management and coaching staff have my contact details, and anyone who has asked knows I live in Middlemarch.It’s not a secret.”
“Leave this to us,” Laura said.“We’ll contact you once we have answers.Henry, take her home.Oh, one last question: these candy wrappers we’re finding everywhere.Have you noticed anyone from your team eating sweets?”
“No.”Maia didn’t need to think about it.“Whenever I’m with the other girls, we’re sprinting around or completing training drills.It’s not the time to eat sweets.”
Laura nodded, her gaze thoughtful.“I’ll call tomorrow.If I have questions, I’ll ask you then.”
“Maia, do you need to grab anything before we leave?Backup drives?Valuables?”
She thought about her laptop in pieces in her office, her clothes scattered across her bedroom, splattered with red paint and foreign substances, and shook her head.“My backups on the cloud will be enough.My notebook is at your place.Luckily.”
Gavin appeared with the still puppy in a carrier.“If he makes it through the night, we’ll be good,” he said, his face somber.“I hope Laura and Charlie catch this monster soon.I can’t take much more.”
“If he survives, I’ll take him.The two puppies should be together.Levi won’t object to another puppy to play with and look after,” Henry said.“I’ll call in the morning.”
“Talk to you then,” Gavin said and carried the puppy to his vehicle.
Maia watched him drive away before stepping closer to Henry.“It has been a long day, and I’m too exhausted to tidy up this mess.I’ll face it tomorrow.”
Henry lifted his nose and inhaled deeply.“It won’t rain tonight.”
Maia let out a huff.“Sniffing the air told you that?”
“Yes,” Henry said, his brown gaze intense.
“Oh!I need my planner if I can find it.I didn’t spot it earlier.”
“Let’s find your planner and go home.”
Home.Henry’s words resonated because she felt comfortable at Henry’s place.Part of it was Henry, but it was also his family.They didn’t treat her as an outsider.
“It’s my aunt’s ghost causing these problems.Until I moved here, my life was uncomplicated.”
“Don’t give that old bat powers she doesn’t deserve,” Henry said in a clipped voice that held a tad of pissed.“You resisted her attempts to break you as a child, and she won’t now.”
Maia sighed harshly, questioning if staying in Auckland would have avoided this mess.“Did Laura check on Samuel?Just in case.”
“If she hasn’t already, she or Charlie will.They’re excellent cops.”He gave her a quick hug before scanning the mess.“Describe your planner.”
