CHAPTER 23
Wyatt was backat Hollow House nine minutes after Kori had called him.
She’d left the front door open for him. He rushed inside, Thunder close behind.
He found Kori standing in the doorway of her room with her arms crossed.
“I didn’t touch anything,” she told him.
“Good.”
He stepped past her and took in the room. Drawers were on the floor. The bed messed up. Closet doors open.
Then he saw the mirror, and his breath caught.
Someone had wanted to send a message. But why? Why had someone wanted to let Kori know this was all connected? He wasn’t sure what sense that made.
Wasting no more time, he pulled out his phone and called Micah, who promised to be right there.
Wyatt ended the call and looked at Kori. “You can’t stay here tonight.”
“I know.” She said it as if it were a foregone conclusion.
“If you’re comfortable with it, I have somewhere you can go. I told you at Ember & Oak that my brother and sister live outsidetown and operate an animal shelter and boarding center. Their house is officially considered a retreat center, but . . . well, it’s a little more than that. I can explain more later. The important thing is that you’d be safe there.”
She was quiet, and Wyatt sensed her processing the invitation.
Finally, she asked, “How far away is it? Because I want to be ready to search for my sister in the morning.”
“It’s only twenty minutes from here. We’ll still be on track.”
She glanced at the mirror one more time and then nodded. “If you say I can trust them and that I’ll be safe there, then I’m in.”
Relief washed through him. He’d sleep better tonight knowing she was at Refuge Cove. Too much had already happened, and these incidents were escalating.
Kori watched out the window as the dark mountains passed by. She’d decided to leave her car at Hollow House—Maggie had said it was okay. She was so shaky that she didn’t think she could drive.
Then she’d packed her belongings. She’d had to leave Mackenzie’s laptop with Sheriff Sutherland earlier, but that was okay because Kori had already made a copy of the contents.
Then she’d left with Wyatt.
Had someone been searching for that laptop? Was that why they’d come?
And if so, why leave that symbol behind? Weren’t they just making it easier for police to link the crimes?
She didn’t know exactly what was going on.
She and Wyatt had been largely quiet on the drive, each of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts.
Sheriff Sutherland had come and taken over the scene at the bed and breakfast.
The sheriff had also given them an update on Pete. Security footage from several businesses in town had shown an old Ford F150 pulling away from the general store at 8:37 this morning. The windows had been tinted, making it hard to see who was inside, but investigators had to assume Pete was there.
The truck also had no license plates.
Kori hated the thought of what Martha must be going through. To an extent, Kori understood her pain and her panic.
Please, Lord—be with Pete. Keep him safe. Keep Mackenzie safe. Give everyone involved with finding them Your wisdom and guidance.
