Jessica is somewhere around there.
He’s slipping.
Becoming irrational and letting his emotions guide him.
I just have to pray that we find her, and find her fast, before he can hurt her even more than he already has.
“Did you manage to find anybody who could have seen something the night Andrea was killed?” Jenkins asks Paul.
“Nobody besides the hunter who found the body,” Paul grumbles. “But he mentioned that he believes there are a few other cabins scattered around the woods that haven’t been used in a while that are probably not listed on these maps.”
“He’s right,” Jenkins replies. “These cabins were built some twenty years ago, but there are a few older ones deeper in the woods. Back in the day, a lot of kids used to sneak out there for hookups.” He rubs at his jaw, eyeing the map, before those dark eyes meet mine. “You really think they’re out there?”
“Yes.”
Jenkins looks down at the map. “It’s a big area.”
“We can call in reinforcements, spread into the groups…” Nico starts rattling off.
My pulse kicks up a notch as something occurs to me. “I’m such an idiot.” Running my hand through my hair, I pull out my phone and dial. “How did I not think of this sooner?”
“What are you doing, Rookie?”
I press my phone against my ear, already halfway out the door as I yell, “Calling my own reinforcements.”
CHAPTER FORTY
MATTHEW
“Take a turn here,” I say, as I check my phone for the hundredth time, but my notifications are empty.
Bright headlights appear behind us, blinding me temporarily.
Perfect.
Nico glances at me. “This isn’t the starting point we agreed on.”
“We aren’t going to the starting point.”
I expect him to protest, to demand some kind of explanation, but he just takes a sharp turn as he mutters under his breath, “I’m going to get fired anyway.”
The gravel crunches under the tires as he drives toward my family’s house, and shortly after, the dark SUV following us does the same.
The house comes into view, and Nico pulls the car to a stop.
“Wait here.”
I quickly jump out, the door slamming behind me as I run toward the cottage. The place is unlocked, so I just slip inside,going straight for my safe. I put in the combination, and after a soft beeping sound, pull out my gun.
I check it’s loaded and ready to go before sticking it into the waistband of my pants. I’m still dressed in the suit I wore to the funeral earlier today—all of it feeling like it happened a whole lifetime ago—right down to the dress shoes, but I refuse to spend time changing when I could be out there, looking for Jessica instead.
My gaze scans the room, and I spot a sweater she wore the other night before going to bed. Picking it up, I lift it to my face, inhaling her sweet scent. Letting my hand fall, my grip on it tightens.
Iwillfind her.
I chant those words as I run back to the front of the main house where Chase and Nico are huddled together.
Chase turns around, his green eyes meeting mine. “This might not work; you’re aware of that, right?”
