HAZARDOUS HOMECOMING

Back in her hometown, Paige Becker has one goal: to prove her brother didn’t murder his wife. But as she begins her hunt for the real killer, a truck runs her off the road, and Paige is convinced it was no accident. Now her old flame, Seth Garrison—the detective who put her brother in jail—is in charge of the investigation into the wreck. Seth doesn’t believe Paige was intentionally targeted…until someone begins stalking her, and a woman who might have information is murdered. In order to unmask the murderer, they must dig into a shadowy and painful past—a past that once drove them apart. But is the killer out for revenge against Paige’s brother, or did Seth put the wrong man behind bars?

Instinct told him something was off. And he’d learned a long time ago not to ignore his gut, because those instincts were usually right.

They came to the end of the walkway, and as they stepped off the curb and onto the asphalt, the peal of three rapid gunshots ripped through the air, echoing like crackling thunder.

“No!” Paige screamed. Her shoulder bag hit the ground as she dropped for cover, crouching beside it, throwing her arms over her head.

Seth spun toward her, Glock raised. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” He grabbed Paige’s hand, pulling her to run. They took off in a sprint, skirting around vehicles, his gaze swinging back and forth across the lot, trying to get a handle on where to go next.

More gunshots came from behind. Bullets whizzed past their heads.

“This way,” Seth yelled and ducked right, pulling Paige with him. They rounded the corner just as another burst of gunshots lit the air like fireworks. Glass shattered, spitting jagged shards into the air in all directions.

“Seth! We’re going to get killed!” Paige’s panicked scream echoed above the explosive din.

Not if he could help it.

ANNSLEE URBAN grew up watching old-time romance movies, to which she attributes her passion for sweet romance, true love and happy endings. Raised in the foothills of Arizona, she survived temperature shock when she moved to western Pennsylvania, before settling in North Carolina with her husband and children. Aside from writing, Annslee enjoys cooking, traveling, playing with grandbabies and all things chocolate! You can reach Annslee at maryannsleeurban@gmail.com.

Deadly Setup

Annslee Urban

www.millsandboon.co.uk

I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

—Philippians 4:13

To my beautiful sisters in Christ: Nancy Lindsey, Sandi Mashburn and Barbara Cohn. Angels are often sent as friends. Blessings to you, my friends!

And to my grandkiddos: Cameron, Kaylee, Adelyn, Isaac, Ainsley and Jayce. I love you to the moon and back.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Am I being followed?

The thought circled through Paige Becker’s brain and sent her pulse skittering. She darted a glance in the rearview mirror, squinting against the rain-pelted windshield. The fall storm had picked up, making visibility almost impossible. But behind her, in the distance, the low white glow of headlights burned up the fog and darkness as a vehicle came careening around a bend in the road.

Suddenly Paige was frightened. A pickup had been riding her bumper down Highway 321 in Boone, North Carolina. She’d breathed relief when the light turned red as the driver pulled off at the exit behind her, forcing him to stop. Had the same mysterious vehicle caught up with her?

Lightning flashed, and a burst of thunder shook the Jeep. Paige jumped, and for a moment she lost control of the vehicle. The rear of the Renegade started to skid, fishtailing on the rain-slicked asphalt toward the shoulder of the road. Toward the steep bank.

Panic rioted through Paige’s chest. She yanked the steering wheel to the left, muscles clenching, and managed to steer the Jeep away from the edge and back into her lane.

Thank You, Lord.

Chest heaving, she worked to catch her breath. Bright lights reflected in her side-view mirrors. The truck had caught up with her and was back on her bumper. An empty, nauseated feeling erupted in the depths of her stomach.

Was this a case of road rage? Or had her return to Boone incensed someone, fearful of what evidence she might dig up?

A chill needled her bones. Okay. She yanked her handbag from the seat beside her and riffled for her cell phone. It was time to call the police.

Fear. Anger. Frustration. A tangled mess of emotions churned in her gut when her search came up empty. As she tossed her bag on the seat beside her, she spied a small blinking light on the floor by the passenger door. Her cell phone.

On a sigh, she dug her nails into the wheel and glanced at the steep winding curves ahead of her. Oh, no. She darted a look between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. The truck was still there. The rain had eased up a little, allowing just enough light for her to make out a silhouette of a man inside the cab. Is this lunatic planning to run me off the road?

Before the frantic thought fully penetrated her brain, the roar of an engine hit her ears, and the driver barreled into the lane beside her.

Heart thumping, Paige nailed the accelerator to the floor and held her breath, praying her car wouldn’t lose traction again. If she could only make it a couple more miles, she’d be in view of a gas station and well-lit shopping area. Please, Lord.

But instead the truck matched her speed, edging to the right, encroaching into her lane.

Sweat slickened Paige’s palms as she clenched the wheel and veered right, precariously hugging the edge of the pavement. Her Jeep was now halfway up the steep incline and beginning the curve. She just needed to get over the hill. Just one more mile.

Her faint glow of hope extinguished a split second later as the truck swerved sharply and slammed into her door, sending her vehicle hurtling off the roadway and back onto the shoulder.

No! She gritted her teeth, trying to gain control. Brakes whined and tires spun, churning up mud and gravel.

Thunder rumbled and growled. Rain came down in sheets.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Paige jerked the wheel to the left, bringing the vehicle bouncing back onto the asphalt. But instead of gaining control, the Jeep started to hydroplane. With brakes squealing and tires screeching, the Renegade skidded like a pendulum from one side of the road to the other.

Fear sent crushed ice through her veins as the Jeep’s back end struck a tree just before sailing over the edge of the embankment. It rolled several times before finally coming to a dead halt. Paige’s head hit the steering wheel, and the air bag deployed on impact.

Everything went dark.

* * *

Deputy Detective Seth Garrison turned his headlights to high beam and accelerated down the long stretch of highway. He’d finally made it back to Boone. In another fifteen minutes, he’d be home, kicking off his boots and plopping down in his old leather recliner. After a week away in Raleigh painting and making repairs on his mom’s house, he was ready for a little R & R.

Around a tight bend in the road and in the distance, flashing lights burned up the night fog. Red. Blue. White. Watauga County rescue vehicles.

Welcome home. Seth released a long breath. Not even ten miles into the county and work was there to greet him. So much for that R & R.

Seth arrived at the scene. Fire, police and rescue vehicles were scattered across the two-lane highway, their blinking lights reflecting off the icy road. He pulled his hat on and grabbed his jacket and a flashlight. There was a damp chill in the air as temperatures continued to drop. All around him residual puddles from the earlier storm had started to freeze.

Ice creaked and splintered beneath his boots as he hiked up a slight incline and navigated his way to a small company of police and rescue workers congregated at the edge of the embankment.

Before he could ask, Officer Ted Hanson swung his grim face toward him. “We’ve got a car in the ravine. A local resident on his way home saw the vehicle spin out and slide off the road.”

“Casualties?” Seth swept his flashlight around the wooded area at the bottom of the ditch, stopping when his light caught on the Jeep resting in a thicket of small pines and scrub. The roof of the vehicle had been sliced off. The rescuers had put the Jaws of Life into action, and now four firefighters were working the scene.

“Amazingly, no.” Ted stuffed his hands in the pockets of his police-issue bomber jacket. “Single driver. A woman. EMS radioed up a few moments ago to say she had come to and her injuries didn’t appear life threatening, but no update on her identity.”

“She’s fortunate, whoever she is.”

“We’re coming up,” one of the rescuers announced over the radio in a scratchy voice, almost lost in the static.

Ten minutes later two firefighter paramedics emerged from the scene with the victim strapped on a backboard. Other rescue workers rushed over and helped get her on a gurney.

Battery-powered floodlights lit up the scene. The woman was in full spinal precautions. A trail of crimson trickled down one cheek from a gash on her forehead, and long strands of her dark curls spilled over the edge of the wooden backboard. She was shaking uncontrollably, her teeth chattering, her breathing unsteady.

Everything inside Seth froze as his heart slammed to a disturbing halt. He knew that face.

Paige Becker.

Automatically, he took a step, then stopped, summoning every ounce of control he could muster, and still he had to force himself not to go to her. He would be the last person she would want to see right now.

What was Paige doing back in Boone?

As a trio of emergency workers maneuvered the gurney over the ice-slicked roadway, a firefighter called out, “We’re going to need warm blankets.”

“Ready and waiting.” A medic jumped out of the back of the EMS vehicle and helped load up the victim.

“Is that...Paige Becker?” Ted cut Seth a sideways glance. “I didn’t know she was back in town.”

Seth didn’t respond. The bile scalding his throat wouldn’t let him. Rough breakups never healed easy. He pushed his hat up on his forehead and fought to shove old feelings aside as he watched the doors to the EMS vehicle slam shut.

Be okay, Paige. Those three little words played in his head.

She had to be. She was the most resilient woman he knew.

* * *

Paige woke up in a dimly lit room, a hammer pounding inside her head, her mind fuzzy. She gingerly shifted against the unfamiliar bed. Every bone in her body hurt.

As she looked around the small area, thoughts and memories untangled in her mind. It took a few moments for her to remember where she was and why.

“Boone Memorial,” she muttered as the jumbled bits and pieces of the night started to meld together. She’d been in an accident. Her Jeep had run off the side of the road.

Suddenly, as if a veil of brain fog lifted, every detail came rushing back with startling clarity. No. Paige jerked up straight in the bed. Someone ran me off the road.

The room started to spin. Vision blurred. Paige swayed and then gripped the metal railing. She pulled in a breath against the assailing head rush and lowered herself against the raised angle of the bed. She blew it out slowly, letting the dizziness pass.

She was reeling from exhaustion and whatever medication she’d been given. She felt rotten. And to make matters worse, someone had tried to kill her. She’d like to chalk it up to a road-rage lunatic, but her gut told her different.

Fresh tears gathered, washing hot. Paige squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed hard. She’d only been in town since that morning, and already the message was clear: she wasn’t welcome back in Boone. Someone didn’t want her to find the truth. A chill prickled her flesh. She shook it off. She couldn’t let fear paralyze her investigation. Her brother’s life depended on her.

Voices drifted in from the hallway. She opened her eyes, realizing she was no longer alone. The door was cracked open, and she caught a glimpse of a nurse standing outside the room talking to someone. A pager went off. Loud and insistent, growing to an unforgiving wail.

Paige’s headache burst to full bloom. Cringing, she pressed two fingertips to her pounding temple and rubbed vigorously. She mouthed thank you when the nurse silenced the device.

“If you’ll excuse me, Detective, I have another patient to check on. Feel free to look in on Miss Becker, but remember, she’s feeling rather rough from the accident and may not be up to many questions.”

“Thank you. I shouldn’t be long. I only need a short statement from her on what happened tonight.”

The masculine voice ripped through the air like a bolt of lightning. Everything inside Paige went still. Seth Garrison. As if running off the side of a mountain wasn’t bad enough. She rubbed her temple harder. What was he doing here?

Common sense kicked in, reminding her Seth was a detective for the sheriff’s department. He was here to do his job.

A fresh spurt of annoyance bottled in her chest. His job—the sole reason her relationship with him—imploded. A man who went above and beyond the call of duty—even when he was wrong.

The door slowly creaked open.

Fighting a groan, Paige pulled herself into a sitting position. She pushed strands of hair from her face, licked her lips. She kept her expression placid, nonchalant. Hopefully, she looked somewhat together.

Just stay strong, keep your head on straight, emotions intact.

That plan derailed about ten seconds after Seth’s broad shoulders filled the doorway. Waves of hot and cold shuddered through her as she regarded him, fending off emotions that were far from intact. Feelings she thought she’d buried ten months ago when he’d ignored her pleas for justice, shattering her trust and her heart.

For a moment, Seth stood there, taking in the room, jaw set, legs planted slightly apart, arms at his sides. A cop stance. Even without a uniform, Seth was a cop to his core. His wide eyes, thickly lashed, under dark brows only further enhanced his stoic demeanor.

Tension coiled around her chest, squeezing tight as Seth stepped forward and stopped a foot from her bed. She looked up to see him, head cocked, eyes intent. She swallowed as they went soft and deep as he looked at her, the same dark gaze that still haunted her dreams.

Paige’s heart froze as a bittersweet pang surged through her, stirring up memories of heartbreak and pain. Memories of Seth were always tough. Memories of the night he arrested her brother, Trey, and charged him with the brutal murder of his estranged wife, harder still.

Fresh anger ignited deep in her chest. Her brother was about to stand trial, facing a life sentence without parole. And the one man who could have helped track down the real killer halted the investigation and declared Trey Becker the only suspect.

“Paige, how are you feeling?”

She tried not to look at him. Frustrated and disappointed came to mind. She bit back a snide comment and forced herself to breathe. They’d been down that road too many times. “I’ve been better, Detective Garrison.” Her voice quivered. She swallowed tightly. So much for being strong.

Although it didn’t help that after all the disappointment, all the pain, all it took was one look at Seth’s strong, chiseled face and broad-shouldered physique and her traitorous stomach reacted with an inappropriate adolescent twist.

“The nurse told me the CT scan came out good. No broken bones,” Seth said, his deep baritone resonating concern. She bit her lip, hard. Where was that concern ten months ago? When she really needed it, needed him? “You’re fortunate,” he continued. “You drove off one of the deadliest curves on the mountain pass and tumbled about fifty feet.”

Her heart kicked at the reminder. Thank You, Lord, for keeping me safe. She looked up and blinked against Seth’s assessing stare. “I’d like to clarify something, Detective. I didn’t drive off the mountain. I was run off the road by another vehicle.”

“Run off the road?” Seth’s eyebrows climbed. “We received a report from a man on his way home that he saw a vehicle skid out of control before going off the road.”

Paige took a shaky breath as pressure built in her chest just thinking about the horrible series of events. “The report you received was only partially correct. What the witness obviously didn’t see was the truck that had been on my tail for miles down Highway 321. He’d followed me off the Eagle’s Ridge exit. And before I could get away from him, he rammed into the side of my Jeep, sending me skidding out of control and into the ravine.”

“What kind of truck?” Seth pulled a small pad from his pocket.

“Long bed, extended cab,” she said, fingering her necklace, still not believing what had happened. “It was dark and stormy. I couldn’t make out much else.”

Frown lines swept across Seth’s forehead, narrowing his eyes. “And you didn’t call the sheriff’s office?”

His question cut to the core. Sheriff. After living through her brother’s fiasco for the last ten months, Boone law enforcement wasn’t exactly at the top of her list of people she hoped to run into during her return, especially Detective Seth Garrison.

Paige fought off a sigh and shrugged. “By the time I realized what was happening, I couldn’t get to my cell phone and there was no safe place to pull over.”

Seth looked as if he was going to say something but stopped. He probably wanted to chastise her for not being more careful. The former navy SEAL lived and breathed extreme caution. Always keep your phone close and don’t wait until something goes wrong. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, get out of there and call for help. His notorious words rang in her head. But instead of issuing a reminder, Seth straightened his broad shoulders. Full-on cop mode. Reminding her this wasn’t personal. This was business.

She should have felt relief, but instead her heart slipped a bit.

“You mentioned the stormy weather conditions at the time of the accident,” Seth said, jolting her back to the present.

Paige blinked and breathed deep, readjusting her focus to the accident and not the man asking the questions. She lifted her chin slightly. “Yes, the weather was terrible.”

He raised a curious brow. “Is it safe to assume that you were traveling below the speed limit?”

“Yes.” She shrugged one shoulder. “That is, until the truck pulled up beside me, then I sped up trying to get away from him.”

Seth gave a subtle nod and scribbled something on his notepad. Uneasiness prickled the fine hairs on the back of her neck. She could almost see the thoughts churning in his head, and she didn’t like the vibes she was getting.

“Okay.” Seth stuffed the notepad in his pocket and cast her a look that said, I’ve got this figured out. “It sounds to me like you were a victim to a hit-and-run. Impatient drivers often tailgate slower vehicles, and unfortunately stormy weather doesn’t deter everyone. If the driver of the truck got annoyed and tried to get around you, his tires may have slipped on the wet road, which could have sent him into your lane.”

Paige bristled at Seth’s presumptuous assessment. He obviously wasn’t listening. “No, that’s not what happened,” she snapped and struggled to sit up straighter. “The driver knew exactly what he was doing. He rammed into the side of my Jeep, and as I futilely fought to get my vehicle under control, he took off, vanishing into the night.”

Seth looked back at his notes as if to process what she’d just said. The grim silence that followed did nothing to quell the anxiety churning inside her. “Paige—” He looked up at her, keeping his voice low, as if to deescalate the situation. Like it was that easy. “Roughly 10 percent of all traffic accidents are hit-and-runs. And just as you described, they often involve an aggressive driver who causes the accident, then gets scared and takes off without stopping to help. Who knows, maybe this driver was even intoxicated.”

Seth’s simplistic cop logic sent adrenaline shooting through her veins. Some maniac had tried to kill her. Didn’t he get that? Paige felt her jaw go rock hard as she tried to control the frustration exploding in her chest. “What this driver did was intentional, not an accident.”

Seth perched a hand on the footboard and studied her, a question mark on his face. “Paige, is there a reason that you’d think someone would want to hurt you?”

Paige shivered as a montage of memories roared through her head. Spiraling, reeling, flooding her brain with such veracity she felt dizzy again. Madison’s death. Her brother’s arrest. Evidence and more evidence. The bloody knife. The DNA. The upcoming trial...a killer still on the loose.

She opened her mouth, barely getting the words out. “Yes, I do believe there’s a reason someone would want to hurt me.”

Seth’s deep brown gaze locked on hers, probing, assessing. “And why is that?”

Her throat knotted. She lifted her chin. “Because, Detective, I came back to Boone looking for the truth.”

* * *

Seth’s brows rose again. Truth? No amount of evidence would ever be enough for this woman.

And the last thing he needed was Trey Becker’s sister running around Boone, asking questions and stirring up more anger and strife toward her brother.

Seth felt a tight curl of frustration in his gut. Trey had been charged in the stabbing death of his estranged wife, Madison Cramer Becker. A death that sparked outrage in the community and left Boone residents with a bad taste in their mouths when it came to Trey Becker.

Even ten months later, that anger was still burning strong.

The Cramers were well-known, longtime residents in Boone. The family owned the local antique mart, and several generations still lived in the area.

A tight-knit bunch, but unfortunately not immune to tragedy. Ten years earlier, Frank Cramer, Madison’s father, was killed after being involved in an accident with a drunk driver. His death spurred an outpouring of community support and sympathy for the surviving family members—Madison, her brother and her mother.

Many of those same residents now counted the days until Trey Becker’s trial. They weren’t going to rest until Madison’s killer was convicted and facing life in prison without parole.

Paige couldn’t have picked a worse time to come back.

“Paige, don’t do this to yourself,” Seth urged, knowing he was probably wasting his breath. “Trey has a good legal team on his case. Let them do their job.”

“Are you kidding?” Paige shot him a look. “For ten months I sat back and let everyone ‘do their job.’” Her fingers made air quotes. “Detectives, police, reporters, attorneys.”

“And there’s some strong evidence against Trey.” Seth sighed, already growing annoyed by the conversation. “People have been doing their job.”

“Really?” She let out a heavy sigh. “Then whose job is it to find evidence in support of my brother? Nobody seems to be doing that.”

Seth took a deep breath, frustration battling with empathy. It wasn’t like he hadn’t given her brother the benefit of the doubt. Trey had been a friend. A fellow SEAL. But from the get-go, things hadn’t looked good. When Seth and other officers arrived at Madison’s home, they’d found Trey, his hands covered in blood. More blood on his clothes.

Forensics later confirmed Madison had been stabbed multiple times and her throat slit by a government-issue US Navy Ka-Bar, the combat knife presented to SEALs upon graduation. Evidence of Trey’s fingerprints on the weapon and DNA at the scene hammered the final nail in his case.

Still, part of Seth got what Paige was doing. Trey was the only family she had left. Family was important. She wanted no stone left unturned. But, up to now, every stone they touched produced more evidence against her brother.

Seth spread his hands. “Paige, you know if new evidence turns up against anyone else, we’d reopen your brother’s investigation. But right now, every shred of evidence we’ve come up with points to Trey.”

A tousled, silky lock of hair tumbled in front of her face as Paige looked up, her eyes weary and pained, void of the tenacious glint that belonged to the woman he’d once loved. Grief stabbed him in the chest at her pain. And the worst part—there was nothing he could do to help.

“Come on, Seth.” She gave a hard sigh, tucking the strand behind her ear. “It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Trey’s fingerprints and DNA were at the scene. He found Madison. And, as far as the knife goes, well, we both know evidence can be planted.”

Seth nodded, absently drumming his fingers against his jeans-clad thigh. She wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t heard before. But it was hard to give much weight to Paige’s deduction that Trey, who had been highly intoxicated the night of the murder, had been framed by the real killer. A theory that she hadn’t budged from since her brother’s arrest. And one that was a bit much for him to swallow.

“The truth is, Seth, Trey got caught in the crosshairs of your investigation and you never looked further.” Paige continued, her eyes wide before she looked away in disgust, “You never even took into account that he tried to revive Madison and called the police.”

A murder suspect calling police wasn’t that unusual, Seth thought with a mental groan. Especially an intoxicated one. Alcohol, anger and impulsiveness were a lethal combination. He knew that from experience, growing up with an alcoholic father—a calm, sensible man until he was drinking. His family never knew what to expect. Seth had almost breathed relief at fourteen when his father stomped out of the house, suitcase in hand, screaming at the top of his lungs that he’d never be back.

That was the last time he’d seen his father and the last time he’d prayed. He’d learned how futile it was to pray for someone to change.

Seth put his hands on his hips. “Paige, I’m sorry for what you’re going through. I know this ordeal has been difficult for you.”

“Sorry?” Paige whipped her gaze back to him, her eyes sizzling. “The only thing you should be sorry about is that my brother is facing a life sentence in prison while a brutal killer is still running free.”

“Paige—” When Seth tried to interject, she cut him off.

“Don’t try to dispute it, Seth.” She crossed her arms. “Trey would never hurt anyone, much less murder his wife. Even if he and Madison never worked out their issues, he still loved her.”

Crimes of passion were impulsive acts. Add in alcohol or any mind-altering substance, and judgment could become impaired. And when someone was under the influence, it was even easier to lose self-control in the heat of the moment. “Gut feelings aren’t enough, Paige.”

“Then what about what happened tonight?” Her eyes probed his face as she jutted her thumb back at herself. “Someone tried to kill me.”

Seth folded his arms, frustration reigning supreme. “Paige, tonight’s accident will be thoroughly investigated, however it’s too early to assume anything.”

“I know I’m only speculating,” Paige said, her gown rustling as she straightened. “However, if tonight’s accident was intentional, the only person I can think of with a motive to hurt me would be Madison’s killer.”

Seth started to shake his head, but Paige stopped him again with a staying hand. “Seth, it makes perfect sense. If my brother is convicted, the real killer gets off scot-free. The last thing the creep would want is for me to come back to town and start asking questions.”

Good hypothesis—that was, if Seth thought Madison’s killer was still out there. But, as the investigator on Paige’s case, he’d hear her out. He tightened his arms over his chest. “Okay, Paige. Who knew you’d be in town today?” He asked the question, even though it struck at his heart that she hadn’t even bothered to contact him.

“It was a last-minute trip. I only contacted my friend Tessa Riley.” Even as she kept her expression placid, red crept into her cheeks. She’d caught his vibe. And he knew an excuse when he heard one. “I called Tessa yesterday after my boss at the rehab center gave me the time off to come. We’re short staffed, but she knows about Trey’s situation and how difficult it’s been on me. However...” She sat up straighter. “After I arrived and dropped my bags off at Tessa’s, I went out to do some errands and ran into several old friends and acquaintances.”

Seth scratched his cheek. “Did anyone act suspicious?”

She thought a moment, then shook her head. “Everyone kept their distance. No one wanted to talk about Madison or discuss her murder. Although that’s probably not unusual. However—” Paige emphasized the word “—the way news travels around here, half of Boone probably knows I’m in town by now.”

True, but... Seth drew in a deep breath. It still sounded like a TV crime drama to him. Not to mention the theory was difficult to substantiate, given the information they had. “Paige, we’ve exhausted every lead we received on Madison’s case. As much as I’d like to find something that would exonerate your brother, that just hasn’t happened.”

Paige grabbed the side rail, pulling herself up straighter in the bed. “That, Detective, is what I’m here to do.”

Like rubbing salt in a wound. “Do what, Paige? Try to convince yourself that Trey just might be guilty?” Seth’s tone was meant to be frank, but his frustration rang clearly.

One of Paige’s brows soared upward, but she didn’t respond. Just stared back at him, a steady, indignant look in her deep emerald eyes.

Instant regret knifed through him, not only for his blunt choice of words, but for everything that had gone wrong in their relationship. He’d made a vow early in his career to keep his personal life and detective work separate, but he should have worked harder to support Paige. Maybe then their relationship could have weathered this storm.

The heavy rock in his gut swelled to a boulder, telling him probably not.

He’d learned years ago that when someone was ready to bolt, there was no holding on to them. And after Trey’s trial was moved to Durham County because of all the negative pretrial publicity, there was no holding Paige back. She had nothing left in Boone.

Including him.

Seth shifted his stance, ignoring the sting of heartache in his chest. “Paige, there’s a lot of pent-up anger around this town. Coming back now and asking questions, especially on the brink of Trey’s trial, isn’t going to be easy on you.”

Paige’s mouth flattened to a thin line. “Sitting in a six-by-eight jail cell hasn’t been easy on my brother, either.”

Tension hung in the air, heavy and mounting. They were getting nowhere.

Scrubbing a hand through his hair, Seth mentally tamped down his feelings, frustrated by the sudden whiplash of emotions and memories. Emotion that had no place on the job.

Job. The reason he was there. He forced his focus back to the problem at hand—Paige’s accident. He took a deep breath and zipped up his jacket. Time to get out of there. He had everything he needed. “Paige, will you be staying with Tessa while you’re in town?”

Paige hesitated, her scowl remaining. “I’ll be staying at her condo. She’s out of town on a cruise for the next week.”

Seth made a mental note and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets. “Get some rest. I’ll touch base with you sometime tomorrow,” he said, then turned and headed out the door, focusing his thoughts on his investigation and stowing all sentimental nonsense that had nothing to do with this case.

TWO

The next morning, Seth slumped into the swivel desk chair in his office at the Watauga County Sheriff’s Department and picked up the police report detailing Paige’s accident. He flipped through it, stopping at the picture of her mangled car.

Broken glass, deployed air bags, twisted metal.

How could anyone survive something like that? He dropped the report on his desk, rocked back in his chair and scrubbed his face. The thick foliage and spruce trees had cushioned the impact, but still.

He shook his head.

If he were a man of faith, he would definitely say someone up there had been looking out for her. For Paige to walk away from a crash like that with only a few bumps and bruises was hard to comprehend.

One thing he did comprehend, though, was that somebody had run her off the road. And that person hadn’t bothered to stop. Or even call for help. Purposeful or not, that tidbit hit him deep in the gut. And his only clue so far was that somebody was driving a long-bed extended-cab pickup. Which narrowed the suspect list to about two-thirds of Boone’s population.

Meaning—he had nothing.

Frustration banged around in his chest. He rocked forward in his chair and stood. He needed coffee.

In the break room, Seth grabbed the glass pot and poured himself a cup. Strong and black. Something to jump-start his brain. Right now every synapse in his head was seriously misfiring.

Seth took a sip of the steamy brew as he thought about how many hit-and-run accidents were never solved. A fact he hated to accept.

“Seth, what are you doing here?” Detective Colton Walsh said, walking into the room. “I thought you were still out of town.”

In some respects he wished he still was. Seth leaned against the cabinet, sipping his coffee. “I got back yesterday. I had the rest of the week off and had plans to get some things done around my place, but I got pulled into a case last night.”

“Last night?” Colton picked up the coffeepot, tilting it over an empty mug.

“The accident on Eagle’s Ridge. I saw the flashing lights at the scene as I was heading home, and I just couldn’t help myself,” he admitted with a tight grin.

Pausing the pot midway, Colton glanced up, creasing his forehead. “I thought Brett Ralston was on that case. I think he just left to talk to the victim.”

“What?” Seth snorted, almost choking on the sip he just took. “Ralston?”

Colton nodded. “The chief assigned him to the case this morning.”

This day just kept getting worse. Seth pitched his cup and slammed out of the room. He headed down the long corridor to the office at the far end—the office of the Watauga County chief of detectives.

Seth’s old friend Detective Kevin Mullins looked up as he stalked into the room. “Kevin, could you please explain why you assigned Ralston to my case?”

Dropping his ink pen, the chief leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together, as if sizing up Seth’s vehemence. “You’re officially on vacation, Seth. I wasn’t even sure if you’d be in today.”

“I was up half the night writing up the accident report and the victim’s statement, and it didn’t cross your mind to pick up the phone and call me before you handed my case to someone else?”

The chief hesitated a moment and then swerved his chair around, getting to his feet. “Seth, I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but Paige requested another detective be put on her case.”

Seth looked Mullins in the eye. “You’re kidding.”

“No,” Mullins said with a casual hitch of his shoulders. “It’s not an unreasonable request. You’re the detective responsible for her brother’s arrest and she is your ex-girlfriend.”

Irrelevant from Seth’s perspective. His jaw clenched in exasperation. It was his case, and no one would do a better job investigating Paige’s accident than him. Especially not Brett Ralston. He’d been a friend of Trey’s, but like the rest of local law enforcement, he’d seen the evidence and believed Trey was guilty. Like that wasn’t a conflict of interest for her, too.

“Seth, I’m sorry.”

Seth didn’t comment. Didn’t protest. If Paige didn’t want him on her case, fine.

Mullins studied him, eyes narrowed. “Are you going to be okay with this?”

Like he had a choice. Seth lifted a shoulder. “Sure. Absolutely.”

“Good to hear.” Mullins’s face brightened. “Because we’ve been drowning around here since you’ve been gone. Now that you’re back, I have some things I’d like for you to get started—”

“Hold on, Chief.” Seth waved a staying hand. “You were right when you said I’m still on vacation. And for the next week I plan to stay away from the office and out of sheriff’s department business.” He never should have stopped last night.

“But—”

“See you later, Chief.” Seth lifted his hand in a saucy salute and turned to walk out of the office. Now more than ever he needed time off. To unwind, get some work done and hopefully forget about Paige.

* * *

Paige walked down the sidewalk toward Boone Auto Body and Wrecker, trying to keep pace with Deputy Detective Brett Ralston of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Department. After a restful night, she was feeling the effects from her accident. Her limbs were stiff, body achy. But she wasn’t complaining. At least she was out of the hospital. A couple ibuprofen and she’d be fine.

Instinctively, she reached for her shoulder bag, then realized it wasn’t there. Her heart sank, reality settling in. Her purse and other personal things had been left inside her car. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled. Hopefully, her items had been recovered by the wrecker service.

Boone Auto Body and Wrecker was an older establishment that had been in business for decades. She entered the ancient brick building through a set of dingy glass doors and into a small waiting area. Everything around her was well worn, from the weathered wood reception desk to the cracked orange-vinyl chairs. The smell of grease and oil seasoned the air.

She blinked as tears bit her eyes. This was the final resting place for her spunky little Jeep, her first purchase after she graduated from college.

No big deal, she told herself. It was only a car. Still, she couldn’t hold in a weary sigh.

“Are you okay?” Brett raised his bushy brows beneath his combed-back blond hair.

Okay was a relative term. She bit her lower lip. Leaning against one of the weathered wood pillars, she managed a nod.

A short, pudgy woman came around the corner carrying a cardboard box. “Miss Becker, here are the things recovered from your car.”

Paige riffled through the menagerie of items. She hadn’t realized how much stuff she’d crammed into her handbag, which had obviously erupted like a volcano on impact. Besides her wallet, most items in her purse were trivial—receipts, candy, pens, markers, even a few stray tubes of lip gloss. Several other items from her car were in the box as well—an umbrella, her Bible and a small satchel of paperwork, even her ring of keys. But where was her—

“Is that everything, Paige?”

Paige snapped her head up at Brett’s question. “My phone. It’s missing.”

They both turned to look at the young woman behind the front desk, her name tag reading Lisa.

“Everything was removed from the car,” Lisa said. “The wrecker brought it in early this morning and everything left of it has been stripped. The seats, carpet, even the dash is gone.”

“Gone?”

“Anything that can be salvaged is taken out. Then everything else goes to scrap. You’re fortunate we found what we did.”

Paige’s heart sank. The one thing she needed was gone.

“It shouldn’t be too hard to get a replacement phone,” Brett said.

Except her notes and the numbers for friends and family of Madison’s that she wanted to contact were on that phone.

“Please sign this form, acknowledging receipt of your belongings,” Lisa said, handing her a clipboard.

Paige scribbled her name on the line marked with an X, then started gathering her things, stuffing them back in her bag. Memories flashed in her head, errant bits and pieces of the night before—the storm, the truck, her Jeep tumbling down into the ravine. Just as quickly her thoughts switched to her brother, locked behind bars for a crime he’d never commit. Her mind fixed on that reality.

She wasn’t going to let the loss of her vehicle or a cell phone stop her from uncovering the truth. Lord willing.

Later that day, sometime after three, she walked out of the phone store, her new cell phone tucked in her purse. She stepped through the arched portals of the Blue Ridge Marketplace, an outdoor shopping area of home-style restaurants and retail shops.

The anxiety-ridden adrenaline of the last twenty-four hours finally started to subside. Paige drew in a deep breath and let it out as she worked on getting her thoughts in order.

Ever since she could remember, her brother had been her protector. Their single mom took off when they were young, and although they were left in their grandmother’s care, it was Trey who watched over her. Growing up, he made sure she had what she needed and never wanted her to worry about anything.

Even now with his freedom hanging in the balance, he wanted to protect her, which was why he’d tried to distance her from his case.

Paige, I don’t want you to put your life and career on hold for me. Trey’s oft repeated words rang in her head. She was twenty-eight, not a little girl anymore, and a counselor. Caring for others was her job. And who better to care for her brother?

Despite her brother’s attempt to shield her from his troubles, she refused to sit by any longer. After months of constant badgering, Trey finally broke during her last visit with him and answered questions about Madison, her friends and family.

Although Trey and Madison had been married nearly a year, Paige never really knew her sister-in-law well. Madison stayed somewhat elusive when it came to Trey’s family and friends. In fact she quickly pulled Trey into her world. A world built around her mother, brother and the family business.

Paige couldn’t stop the surge in her heartbeat when she thought about how distant her brother had become after he got involved with Madison. If it hadn’t been for Seth’s love and support—

Whoa! Enough. Paige stomped down those thoughts and hurried along the sidewalk. She had a job to do and no time to waste wallowing in the past. Tomorrow would be here before she knew it, and she had more important things to think about than Seth—like figuring out who’d killed Madison.

She entered the parking deck and traversed the enclosed flight of switchback stairs that led to the fifth floor, where her rental car was parked. Two years earlier, city officials granted approval for this midtown shopping complex to be built. After months of delays, construction finally began just about the time she was leaving.

So much had changed in the ten months she’d been gone. Her picturesque little mountain town was moving up in the world.

Without her.

A wave of sadness swelled inside her. Paige shook it away and continued up the narrow stairs. As she approached the third-floor landing, her feet faltered, stopped cold by a thunderous metallic clank, which reverberated from several floors below her.

Paige grabbed the handrail.

A moment later, heavy footfalls sounded, reining in her panic. She heaved a silent sigh of relief. A door slamming. It was just someone heading to their car.

Stop being so edgy, she ordered herself.

Yesterday’s storm and all the chaos that followed still had her on edge. She took a deep breath and willed herself to relax. She started back up the steps but didn’t get far before a faint, muffled voice echoed up the stairwell.

Heart tripping, Paige strained her ear to listen.

A long second ticked by. Then she heard it again, a voice reverberating off the concrete walls and up through the stairwell. It sounded like her name.

Fear slashed through Paige. Once again, her mind flashed to the accident the night before. Would someone be so brazen as to come after her in broad daylight? In a busy shopping area?

At the thought, her pulse ratcheted higher. She didn’t plan to wait around and see. She hurtled up the stairs to the next landing but halted as another thought sprang to life. What if it wasn’t her name she’d heard but a cry for help?

Before she let fear seep back in, Paige spun around and grabbed hold of the railing. “Hello? Is everything okay?” she called out, pitching her voice to carry through the stairwell.

In the silence that followed her ear picked up a deep raspy breath. A longer pause and then thump, thump, thump. Pounding footsteps, emulating the deep thrum of her own heartbeat.

Fresh panic spiraled through her as Seth’s words raced through her head: Don’t wait until something goes wrong. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, get out of there.

When would she learn? Yesterday, she’d wasted too much time analyzing the situation and she’d ended up in a ravine.

Lord, help me. Paige zigged and zagged up two more flights as footsteps pounded from behind her. Her shoulder bag banged into her side, spurring her on. Out of breath, she hit the fifth-floor landing and flung open the door.

Whack! The sound echoed as the metal door met resistance, followed by, “Hey! Watch it.”

A surge of surprise jumbled with relief swept over Paige at the sound of the deep, rich baritone voice. But when the man stepped around the door, her knees weakened at the sight of him. Seth Garrison.

* * *

More and more Seth wished he’d just stayed out of town. Even better, he wished Paige had stayed in Durham. They hadn’t seen each other in over ten months, and now he couldn’t stay out of her way. Literally.

“Hello, Paige,” Seth said, taking a step forward and holding his hand under his nose to keep the deluge of crimson from pouring out.

“Seth... I’m so sorry.” Paige stared at him, color rising in her cheeks. “Oh, my. You’re bleeding.” She dug a handful of Art’s Bistro napkins out of her purse, shoving them at him. “I hope you’re okay.”

He’d live. He sniffed and took the napkins, wiping his nose. Although he had to admit being on the receiving end of Paige’s concern helped dull the pain some. He smiled briefly to ease her mind. “Nothing’s broken. However, I hope throwing doors open like that isn’t part of your new routine.”

“No—no. Of course not.” Paige swallowed and shot a nervous glance at him. “I was just in hurry.”

“So I gathered.” Seth stilled, gazing at her. Something flickered in her eyes; it wasn’t just anxiety but fear, putting Seth’s nerves on edge. A protective feeling welled up inside him, liquefying his resolve to keep his distance and stay out of her business.

He started to ask her a question, then stopped as a coldness seeped through him as common sense reasserted itself.

Protecting or even consoling Paige wasn’t his responsibility. She’d just had him thrown off her case. She didn’t want his help or concern.

And he didn’t need the frustration. Let her new detective, Brett Ralston, take care of that.

Seth weighed that rationale for a split second before concern for Paige won out. No matter that the relationship between them had grown cold, he still cared about her. “So what’s going on that’s made you in such a hurry?”

Paige stared back at him, her brow knitted. “I’m probably just being paranoid, but I think someone may have been following me.”

“Following you?” Concern crawled up Seth’s spine. He wiped his hands and trashed the napkins in a bin by the wall. “Let me take a look.”

Brushing past Paige, Seth stepped into the stairwell. Automatically, he moved his arm to feel the reassuring bulge of his Glock 23 beneath his leather jacket, nestled in its shoulder holster.

Not that he expected to need it, but he’d learned long ago during his navy SEAL training the value of taking precautions.

Sunlight streamed in from the open door behind him, illuminating the typically dim space. He crossed the narrow landing in three strides as a dull pounding echoed from below, the sound of heavy-booted feet on the metal stairs.

Seth leaned over the balustrade and peered down the stairwell to the ground floor. He glimpsed a shadow moving down the steps. His heartbeat kicked up. Maybe Paige wasn’t being paranoid.

Patterns of short labored breaths echoed back to him through the center stairwell. A moment later, a dark figure loomed into view. He appeared to look around before he stepped from the stairwell onto the concrete first floor.

Seth craned his neck for a better look. Male. Sturdy build. Baseball cap. He watched as the man threw a fleeting glance back up the staircase before he turned and sprinted away, disappearing into the shadows.

Alarm slithered up Seth’s spine. He spun and exploded into a run even before he heard the ground-floor door slam. Bypassing Paige, he headed down a row of parked cars toward the east side of the fifth-floor lot.

“What’s going on?” Paige called to him.

Without stopping, he yelled back, “Check the front lot and see if anyone is getting into a vehicle or leaving. And let me know what kind of vehicle they’re driving.”

Seth skidded to an abrupt halt at the block wall at the back edge of the parking deck. Grabbing the edge firmly, he lurched forward and looked down into the lot below, anticipating a dead end. There was a plethora of outdoor parking; the guy could be anywhere. But Seth hoped this remote lot would be the top choice for someone wanting to be out of the public eye.

Seth’s heart rate surged when his hunch paid off and he spotted a man in a ball cap scurry across the parking lot to a white Ford pickup and climb inside.

Could this be the same vehicle that ran Paige off the mountain?

Extended cab. Long bed. Seth grabbed his phone to get a picture. As he adjusted his camera to zero in, the truck took off out of the lot and barreled around the corner. A fresh burst of anger burned in Seth’s gut.

Who is this guy? He gritted his teeth as that question slammed into his brain.

Turning his head, he saw Paige hurrying toward him.

“What is it?” she asked, her eyes wide.

Seth took an uneasy breath and pocketed his cell phone. “I saw someone in the stairwell. He left through the ground-floor exit. I had hoped to get a look at him.”

“Did you see him?” Paige glanced over her shoulder to the parking lot below.

“Only a glimpse,” Seth said. “Just before he took off in a white pickup.”

Her startled green gaze swung back to him. “Long bed and extended cab?”

He nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

“I knew it.” She breathed in, issuing a tremulous smile of relief. “It has to be the same creep that ran me off the road.”

Despite the concern weighing heavy in his chest, Seth smiled back. Everything was speculative, but Paige’s intuition about someone trying to hurt her was taking on more credibility. The question was, who was that someone? “I’ll make sure to update Detective Ralston on what happened today, now that he’s the detective on your case.”

Paige brightened further, offering a short nod. She didn’t seem to notice his little dig. Not that she owed him anything. Although, given the way their conversation went last night, it was probably just as well he wasn’t running her investigation. They’d butted heads more than they’d discussed her case. Hardly productive.

“Now that we have a possible make and color of a vehicle, will that be enough to narrow down a suspect?”

Seth heard the hope in her voice, and as he looked up, she took a step closer. He caught the scent of her perfume. Vanilla.

Soothing and sweet. The Paige he remembered.

And with her sweet scent came a slew of uninvited memories, a blast of slide-show images flashing in his mind. But rather than letting them linger, Seth squashed them, slamming the book on that chapter of his life. Some things in life couldn’t be undone. And a failed relationship was one of them.

Yep. Good thing he wasn’t on her case.

Seth unclenched his teeth and eased back a step, putting some more distance between them. “We’re dealing with a very common vehicle. Things could take time.”

Paige deflated a little. “I guess it wasn’t much of a lead after all.”

“It’s a start and will get the ball rolling.” Seth came back, adding, “Every clue matters.” At least to him. Although he was no longer running Paige’s investigation.

Her lips quirked upward, and she brightened again.

The knot of uneasiness in Seth’s gut ballooned into a boulder at Paige’s easy smile. Even in his attempt to encourage her, he worried she wasn’t concerned enough about her own safety. Instead, she focused on saving her brother—at all costs. Seth sighed, folding his arms over his chest. “In the meantime, Paige, you should consider going back to Durham to lie low for a while, at least until after Trey’s trial.”

“You’re kidding,” Paige said, a bewildered expression on her face as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “Unless my brother’s case will be reopened and the investigation into Madison’s murder gets underway again, I won’t be going anywhere.”

Seth unfolded his arms, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his bomber jacket, wishing she’d be reasonable. “Under the present circumstances, I don’t think it’s a good idea to hang around and wait on that possibility.”

Paige looked at him, her brows scrunched tight. “Someone in Boone obviously wants me dead. Shouldn’t that alone cast some doubt on my brother’s guilt? At least enough to get Madison’s murder investigation rolling again?”

Seth shifted his weight with a deep breath, an ache settling in his chest as he thought of a more probable explanation for Paige’s attacks. Vengeance.

Tempers flared back to life among Boone residents at the news of Trey’s upcoming trial. Everyone in town was talking about it. And what better way to get back at Trey Becker than by hurting his sister?

“Paige, we’ll need more evidence to cast doubt on what we’ve already collected. What I’m more concerned about right now is the possibility of someone trying to hurt you as a means to get back at your—” He didn’t get a chance to fully explain before Paige’s expression morphed from bewilderment to red-hot anger.

“I can’t believe this,” she snapped, shaking her head, a frown marring her beautiful face. “I doubt there’s anything that would convince you that my brother’s not guilty.”

Not true. All that was needed was evidence. But Seth didn’t bother with a response. They’d beat that dead horse enough already. “Paige, I’d like you to consider leaving town. I don’t think Trey would want you to sacrifice your safety in his defense.”

Paige didn’t flinch at the comment, nor did she respond. Instead she merely looked at her watch and then back at him. “I need to get going. It’s getting late, and I’ve taken up enough of your time. I appreciate you looking out for me today.”

Before he could respond, she was halfway down the row of vehicles, heading to hers.

Frustration roared up in him. Wrangling it back, he watched as she climbed into her rental sedan. He had to stop himself from going after her. He knew nothing he could say would change her mind about anything.

Seth headed down the parking garage stairs to Art’s Bistro, where his takeout order was ready and waiting for him. Although, his appetite was no longer raging—concern for Paige had taken care of that.

God if You’re still out there, watch over Paige. The prayer came out nowhere, surprising even him. He hadn’t talked to God in years, but Seth hoped He was listening.

Paige was going to need it.

THREE

Something startled Paige out of a sound sleep.

For a moment she lay stock-still, heart racing, listening. Distant thunder rumbled, and relief settled in.

Stop being paranoid. Paige sighed and rolled to her side. As she snuggled more comfortably beneath the down comforter, she glanced at the bedside clock. Eight fifteen.

She pushed aside her blankets and forced her still-achy body out of bed. Flipping on the light, a yellow glow flooded the room. So much for getting an early start.

She went straight to her suitcase, and as she started to unzip it, she caught her reflection in the dresser mirror, realizing she’d fallen asleep in her clothes.

Lord, help me get it together.

A creak and then something thumped, and she froze again.

Was someone in the house?

The floor creaked again, raising the hair on the back of her neck. She launched toward the bedroom door, pushing it shut and twisting the lock.

Her mind raced, keeping time with her thundering heart. She needed to do something. Call someone. Nine-one-one. No, Brett Ralston.

She spun back to the bedside and snatched her new phone from the side table, punching the one number on her list of contacts.

Teeth clenched, she pressed the handset against her ear, clasping tighter on each unanswered ring. Lord, let him answer.

A series of dull thumps. Footsteps!

A surge of panic fired through her. The ringing stopped, and Brett’s voice mail picked up. “Sorry I missed you—”

She slammed the disconnect key and then fumbled with her phone, trying to dial 911.

A faint thud sounded, then another, followed by an electrifying rumble as lightning flashed against the closed window blinds.

Fear exploded through Paige as a frantic scream tangled in her lungs. She swallowed against her suddenly dry throat as her knees buckled. She planted her hand on the bedside table to keep from toppling over, prayers flying heavenward. Lord, help me.

“Paige?”

Blinking, Paige’s breath caught. She shoved the phone back on her ear. “Brett?”

“Paige. Are you okay?”

Paige swung around on her toes, and her eyes riveted to the closed door, the cell phone dangling from her fingers. “Brett? Is that you?”

“Yes. It’s me.”

She rushed to the door then halted. What was Brett doing there? Before she could fully ponder the question, he answered it for her.

“I stopped by to see how you were doing.”

Her confidence in Brett continued to soar. “Thank you—” She stopped, jarred by another thought. “Brett, how did you get inside the condo?”

“I knocked, and when you didn’t answer I tried the door and it was unlocked.” His deep voice carried through the wood door.

Brett’s words rattled around her head. Unlocked? She’d made two trips to her car for groceries, but could she have been so distracted she’d forgotten to lock the door?

Her chest tightened. This ordeal with her brother was making her crazy.

“Paige. Are you okay?”

Without answering, she twisted the lock and pulled open the door. Breath froze in her lungs as Brett appeared in her line of sight, his deep-set eyes narrowing as he stared down at her, a black revolver clasped in his hand.

“You really need to be more careful about locking your doors.” Brett holstered his gun, and she breathed again.

“You’re right.” She nodded, hand to her heart as if she could slow the frantic beat. “I’ve just been so distracted.” And exhausted and frazzled.

“Understood.” Brett’s expression was guarded as always, but his fair eyes remained somewhat skeptical. “I received a message from Seth last night. He told me about yesterday’s parking-deck incident. He’s pretty concerned about you. Sounds like you had another scare.”

A lump settled in Paige’s throat as she thought about Seth. She’d let frustration get the best of her yesterday, and once again her conversation with him ended on a sour note. And despite it all he was still concerned about her.

Lord, help me to be more gracious when it comes to Seth.

“And, from what Seth told me, I’m inclined to agree with him,” Brett continued, folding his arms over his chest. “The best idea would be for you to head back home and hang low for a while.”

Raw emotions bubbled up inside her, flowing through her veins like molten lava. Her brother’s life was at stake. Didn’t anyone get that? “Brett, I can’t do that.”

Brett had been supportive after her brother’s arrest. He’d been a close friend of Trey’s. Even after she’d left town, he made an effort to call and check in with her. If anyone should understand her motives to stay, he should.

Paige straightened, tossing her bedraggled curls over her shoulders. “Brett, everyone seems to agree that my life is in danger. Isn’t that enough to raise suspicion that maybe Madison’s killer is still out there? And open up a new avenue in her murder investi—”

“That’s not my call,” Brett snapped before she could finish. “We can’t assume anything until there’s concrete evidence to back it up. But be assured the Watauga County Sheriff’s Department has a strong team of detectives. They’ll dig into this. And the best thing for you to do in the meantime is go home to Durham.”

Of course he’d think that. Paige blew out an impatient breath. She’d hoped, but never directly asked, if Brett thought her brother was innocent. The one advocate she thought she had.

“I appreciate your concern, Brett,” she said, forcing a warm smile. “But I’ve learned my lesson. I plan to keep my cell phone close and my doors locked. I’ll keep an eye on my surroundings, and at the first sign of trouble I’ll call for help.”

Brett’s thick blond brows knit above his prominent nose. “I wish you’d let this go, Paige, and let the courts handle it.”

Perfect cop lingo. Easy advice for someone with nothing to lose. “Thank you, Brett. And you’ll keep me posted on any progress on my case?”

Brett tilted his head and tightened his arms. “There’s no convincing you, is there?”

She hesitated a long moment and then shook her head. “No, sorry.” She managed another small grin. “But, about the investigation...”

Brett unfolded his arms and rested his hands on his waist. “I already have people searching county records for the make and model of the pickup that was seen yesterday. We’ll be looking closely at the owners and their possible connection to the Cramer family. If I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”

She felt better already. With a steadying breath, she went with Brett to the door, locking it after he walked out. She slumped down at the table in the kitchen, the dash of hope, the determination she’d brought along with her to Boone, starting to wane.

She’d expected Seth to balk at the idea that her would-be killer was also the same person who killed Madison, but even Brett brushed off her theory.

Which only brought the truth into razor-sharp focus.

Cops thrived on hard facts. Gut feelings weren’t enough.

Right now, all she had was her gut.

* * *

Seth jerked awake, his heart racing and his body covered in sweat. Again. This had been going on all night long. Falling asleep only to be woken within the hour, his acid-drenched stomach clenched in knots as his foggy brain struggled against nightmarish images—flashbacks of a horrific crime scene the night Madison was murdered.

The scene was like Seth remembered. A dimly lit room. The hum of anguished sobs nearly drowned out by the wail of police sirens outside the house. Trey Becker cowering beside a lifeless body, a ring of blood pooled around her. In his nightmare, every detail was eerily consistent to Madison’s murder—except the victim was Paige Becker.

A sick feeling chilled Seth to the bone, even as he continued to remind himself it was only a dream.

Fighting a groan, he rolled to his side and glanced at the red numbers on the bedside clock, sighing when he read nine o’clock. He’d slept in and still felt exhausted.

Flopping onto his back, he scrubbed his face with his hands as if he was able to scrub the horrible image out of his brain. During his career as a navy SEAL, he’d witnessed countless vicious events and battled his share of nightmares because of it.

But the feeling of foreboding that accompanied this dream he couldn’t shake. If anything ever happened to Paige, he’d—

Stop it! Seth sat up in bed. He wasn’t responsible for keeping Paige safe, he coached himself firmly. She didn’t need his help. Didn’t want his help.

He always felt better after a dose of levelheaded rationale.

But not today.

Seth blew out a frustrated breath, jaw clenching as he snagged his cell off the bedside table. Worrying about Paige was unproductive.

As he scrolled through his emails, he mentally prioritized the messages in order of importance and tried to stay focused. But thoughts of Paige kept tumbling back, and along with those thoughts came several nagging questions.

If someone was trying to hurt her, who was it? One of Madison’s family members? An angry neighbor? A friend? Even more important, what was Brett’s plan to protect Paige?

Last night Seth had left a message for Brett about Paige’s parking deck scare. Brett texted him a quick thank-you, but Seth had hoped for a call back. It wasn’t that he didn’t have faith in Brett’s ability as a detective, but he’d feel better knowing the details for Brett’s strategy on solving Paige’s case.

Seth eyed the list of messages again. Maybe Brett had called and he’d missed it. He scrolled one more time down the page to the end. Nada.

A heavy sigh escaped him as he tossed the phone on the bed. Brett didn’t have any obligation to keep him in the loop. Not that Seth blamed him. Paige didn’t want him around. Brett probably knew that.

For the next minute, Seth just sat there, jaw clenched, the ceiling fan whirring lazily overhead as he ordered himself to get a grip. He needed to forget about the case. Period.

This was going to be a long couple weeks. Groaning under his breath, he got up and pulled on some jeans. If nothing else, he could satisfy his growling stomach.

He stopped midstride on his way to the kitchen as a thought came to him. Nothing said he couldn’t call and check in on a friend. If nothing else, that’s what Paige was. A friend. He hoped she thought the same of him.

Without further speculation, Seth pivoted back and grabbed his phone. He punched in Paige’s number, surprised at how quickly it came back to him. Which meant nothing, he told himself, other than his navy-ingrained memory skills were still sharply intact.

Three...four...five...

Seth counted the rings, about to hang up, when Paige finally picked up.

“Hello.”

Relief flowed, and Seth sank down on the edge of the bed. “Good morning, Paige.”

For a long moment, taut silence stretched across the line. Finally she said, “Seth? Is that you?”

He heard a degree of trepidation in her voice. “Yes. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No—no, I was awake.”

Seth paused, giving her a moment to say more. Instead more awkward silence hung on the line. “Good. I’m glad I didn’t wake you.” He scowled at the conversation, or lack of. “I just wanted to call and make sure everything was okay.”

Paige’s heated sigh sizzled through the phone line. “I don’t think anything in my life will be okay until Madison’s killer is caught and my brother is free.”

Seth mentally kicked himself. He’d set himself up for that one. He shifted the cell to his other ear, tried again. “How are you feeling from the accident?” A more pointed question.

Another sigh, but less heated. “Other than being a little stiff, I feel better, thank you.”

“Good.” Now, if she would only hightail it back to Durham, he’d feel better. “Paige, I’d like to talk to you about your decision to stay in Boone. I really don’t think it’s a good idea, especially after—” He was trying to tread lightly around the sensitive subject, but she shut him down quickly.

“Seth, I need to get going. I have a full agenda today.”

Of course she does. Seth swallowed a snort. Trouble. That’s what he saw on her agenda. She was setting herself up for more grief and pain...or worse. “Paige, you really need to go back to Durham.” So much for treading lightly.

“I’m not leaving, Seth.”

Seth’s jaw tightened as he willed away the protective anger that was building in his chest. “Paige, two days ago someone ran you off the road and yesterday someone was following you. Aren’t you concerned about your safety?”

“I’m concerned about my brother.”

“Well, I’m concerned about you.”

Silence.

Seth ran an agitated hand through his hair, remembering a time when talking to Paige was anything but awkward. A time when she was rational. But that time wasn’t now.

“Paige—”

“I have to go.”

Before he could say more, she disconnected.

An hour later, Seth hunkered down behind the computer in his office, nursing a strong cup of coffee as he read over Trey Becker’s case file.

The click of the doorknob, and his office door opened, breaking his concentration. Seth peered over the top of the computer screen as Detective Ted Hanson stood in the doorway.

“I thought I saw a light on in here.”

Seth smirked and lifted a brow. “And you didn’t think to knock?”

A chuckle rumbled from deep in Ted’s chest. “I suppose I would have, had I thought you’d actually be here. What happened to not stepping a foot back in this place until you used up every minute of your vacation days?”

He’d obviously been talking to the chief. Seth glared at his friend. “Don’t ask.”

“Can’t stop thinking about Paige’s case, huh?”

Ted was a lifelong buddy; they’d both grown up in Raleigh before leaving to attend Appalachian State University in Boone. And after Seth’s stint in the navy, Ted recruited him to the sheriff’s department. Ted was a good man, thick as a bear, all muscle, and didn’t believe in beating around the bush.

Still, Seth ignored his comment. The truth was, Ted was right. He couldn’t stop thinking about Paige, period. A fact he hated to even admit to himself. “You know Ralston’s on the case.”

“Yeah, I heard.” Ted leaned against the doorjamb. “Although I also heard he’s working on a strong lead.”

Seth set down his cup and rocked back in his chair. “He’s on the hunt for a white Ford extended-cab pickup.”

“Wow.” Ted whistled softly between his teeth. “There’s no shortage of those around here.”

“No kidding.”

“Any suspects?”

“Nope.”

Ted folded his arms across his chest. “Do you really think someone’s targeting Paige?”

Seth shifted in his swivel chair, elbows propped on the arms. After a moment, he nodded and gave his one-word conclusion. “Yes.”

“And all you have going for you is a make and color of a truck.” Ted shook his head. “Buddy, you have your work cut out for you.”

A pang of uneasy worry tightened Seth’s gut, but he shoved it away. He rocked back farther in his chair and intertwined his fingers behind his head. “Tell that to Ralston. It’s not my case.”

Ted gave a short, amused laugh. “Maybe not officially. But you’re not here on your day off for nothing. Let me guess what you’re looking over.”

Ted was also perceptive. Just not always right. “It’s not Paige’s case,” Seth said with a wry smile.

“Really?” Ted’s brown eyes narrowed. “So, then what are you doing here?”

Seth had asked himself the same question more than once since he arrived. “I’m looking over Trey Becker’s files.”

“Trey Becker?” Ted echoed, then added, “I thought the case against him was airtight.”

“Just looking over it with fresh eyes. Brainstorming.” Seth rocked forward and shrugged. “Probably a waste of time.” But he wanted to make sure the case was as rock solid as he remembered, secured by evidence and not assumptions.

Ted nodded. “The good news is, Trey’s trial is in less than two weeks. So Paige shouldn’t be in town long. In the meantime, where’s she staying?”

Thirteen long days. Seth bit back a smirk. He looked at Ted. “She’s staying at a friend’s condo at Beaver Creek.”

“That’s good. A gated community.” Ted nodded again. “I heard that patrol cars were making extra rounds in the area last night. Ralston must have ordered that.”

Seth wished Ralston had been so proactive. He shook his head. “Ralston didn’t. I did.” Seth thought he’d sleep better with beefed-up security in the condo area. He was wrong.

Ted’s laugh rumbled through the room as he walked out the door. “And you’re not on Paige’s case? Right. You might want to buddy up with Ralston on this one.”

“No. Ralston’s got it.” For now. Seth planned to keep his eye on things from a distance. Like it or not, Paige didn’t want him around.

* * *

The bell tinkled over the aged wooden door when Paige stepped into Cramer’s Antique and Gift Mart, a quaint shop filled with not only antique treasures, but also floral arrangements, gourmet treats and unique works of art.

Several steps inside, Paige’s nose picked up the rich scents of dark chocolate and fresh flowers mingling with old polished wood. An aroma that on any other day might have been appealing. But today a wave of nausea overtook her.

Paige swallowed against it, hoping she wasn’t wasting her time coming here. Originally, she had planned to get in touch with Madison’s friends and coworkers and distance herself from the Cramer family. But without the list of contact information she had on her phone, she was left with no choice but to stop by the family business to make those connections.

Paige said a quick prayer that she wasn’t overstepping her boundaries and that she’d learn something new. Anything. A single clue. One little piece to the puzzle. She’d be happy with that.

Every clue matters. Seth’s words played in her head. A warm feeling washed through her, and she felt a momentary twinge of peace. Inwardly she smiled. One clue at a time, and God would lead her to the truth.

Paige heard muffled steps. She looked to the right as a tall thirtysomething woman in jeans and a purple sweatshirt rounded the corner, a potted plant in her hand. The woman stiffened and froze when she saw Paige. Her eyebrows gathering over her wide, challenging stare confirmed Paige’s greatest fear.

She wasn’t welcome. Her heart throbbed. So far, she’d met opposition at every juncture. Trembling yet determined, Paige swallowed around the lump in her throat and forced her feet forward. Feigning nonchalance, she extended her hand. “Good morning. I’m Paige—”

“I know who you are, Miss Becker.” The woman, whose badge read Amy, slid the pot onto the counter beside the register. “I saw your picture in yesterday’s paper.”

Great. She’d probably made front-page news—Trey Becker’s Sister Runs Off Mountain Pass. She bit back a sigh.

“And I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be here,” Amy continued in a low, strained voice as she craned her head to glance over her shoulder.

In that split second Paige felt the anxiety in the room ratchet higher. She followed Amy’s glance to an open doorway at the rear of the shop.

Icy tingles skipped up Paige’s spine. “Is Mrs. Cramer in?”

“No.” A grimace took hold of Amy’s face. “Mrs. Cramer hasn’t worked since Madison’s death. She can’t even step into the shop. Everything around here reminds her of her daughter.”

Paige’s heart surged, touched by Mrs. Cramer’s grief. This wasn’t fair. A mother losing her daughter. No mother deserved that. She fought back the memories of Madison’s brutal murder, sudden tears biting her eyes. Lord, somehow bring Mrs. Cramer comfort. “I’m very sorry to hear about Mrs. Cramer. I know her heart is broken.”

“It has been hard for everyone,” Amy replied tightly as sadness crept into her hazel eyes. “And I’m sorry about your brother.”

The unexpected words wrapped around Paige like a hug. “Thank you,” she said, taking a long breath. Then she remembered something Trey had told her. A close friend of Madison’s, Amy Miles, had informed police that someone had been stalking Madison before she died. An allegation Trey was now suspected of. Was this the same Amy?

It was hard for Paige to keep the quaver out of her voice as she asked Amy about her relationship with Madison.

Grabbing a pair of pruning shears, Amy worked as she spoke in a hushed tone, pausing one time to glance back at the doorway. “We were close,” she started. “At times, like sisters. But there were things about Madison I just couldn’t figure out.”

Interest piqued, Paige took a step closer. “What kind of things?”

“Well—” Amy shrugged as she continued to snip brown tips off the leafy houseplant. “Madison’s impulsiveness, for one. She would jump feetfirst into something only to later try and backpedal out of the situation.”

“Like her relationship with my brother?” Paige muttered, mostly to herself. Madison and Trey’s whirlwind romance had gone from dating to married in a matter of weeks. They’d eloped without even planning a wedding. Less than a year later they were separated, her brother’s heart broken.

Amy stopped pruning, and she met Paige’s gaze. “Yes, Madison jumped into the marriage. But Trey wasn’t the problem. Being committed to anything or anyone scared Madison to death.” She set down the shears. “But Madison did love Trey. I’d hoped things would work out for them.”

The words slashed through Paige. After Trey and Madison separated, Paige rallied around Trey, struck by the hurt he was dealing with, never considering his wife’s pain. Madison had suffered the loss of her father when she was a teen. A traumatic loss that could affect a victim’s ability to form healthy relationships throughout a lifetime.

A deep sadness swept through Paige, trailed by guilt. She’d counseled women with similar issues. Why hadn’t she thought to reach out to Madison?

Before regret got the best of her, Paige took a calming breath. The past couldn’t be erased. She needed to concentrate on the future. Trey’s future. She cleared her throat. “Amy, do you believe my brother killed Madison?”

Amy’s eyes went wide, and her pale complexion turned impossibly paler. “I don’t know what to believe.”

Hope wrapped around Paige’s heart and squeezed. I don’t know meant there was some doubt in Amy’s mind. Unlike other narrow-minded, judgmental townsfolk who already had her brother tried and sentenced. Seth included.

Hiking her purse strap higher on her shoulder, Paige pressed on. “Did Madison ever tell you she thought someone was stalking her?”

Amy grimaced and shook her head. “Miss Becker, you really should go. Madison’s brother will be in soon and wouldn’t be happy to see you here.”

She could understand Gentry having hard feelings. He believed Trey had killed his sister, but hopefully he’d understand that she was just looking for the truth. “Amy, if you’ll just answer a few more questions, I’d be so appreciative.”

“I’ve already said more than I should have.”

Actually, she hadn’t said enough. Paige hesitated a moment and then shrugged. “I’m just trying to make sense of it all. Trey is my brother and—”

“I get it,” Amy cut her off with a harsh whisper. “To answer your question, yes, Madison mentioned a couple weeks before she was killed that at times she felt like she was being followed.”

“Why didn’t she go to the police?” Whoa. Paige took a deep, bracing breath. She was starting to sound like Seth.

Amy locked eyes with Paige. A kind of impatient stare that said, listen closely. I’m only going to say this once. “Madison second-guessed everything in her life and in this case, she kept going back to the notion that she was just being paranoid.” Amy started clipping again. “I guess I didn’t take it serious enough, either. Otherwise, I would have pressed her to contact law enforcement.”

“Amy, it’s not your fault.” Paige was also good at second-guessing. A dangerous practice, as she was finding out. She sighed and crossed her arms. “Did Madison ever convey to you that she thought Trey might be stalking her?”

A quick wag of Amy’s head sent adrenaline skipping through Paige. “No, she never implied anything like that to me, and I told the detectives the same thing.” Picking up the shears, she pointed them at Paige. “Miss Becker, please understand, Trey was the one person Madison did trust.”

A mixture of sorrow and confusion flooded through Paige. Madison loved and trusted Trey but she’d walked away from their relationship. No wonder Trey was depressed.

But, if Madison didn’t think of Trey as a threat, had there been someone else she was afraid of?

Paige took a step even closer. “Amy, was there anyone you can think of that Madison had an issue with? Or maybe had an issue with her?”

“Really, Miss Becker, you should leave now.” Amy stopped clipping. She didn’t make eye contact. “I’ve told the detectives everything I—”

“Paige, what are you doing here?” The gruff male voice boomed from the back of the store, silencing Amy and sending Paige’s heart into spasms.

Paige jerked her gaze back to the doorway, freezing on Gentry Cramer’s face. His dark stare drilled her as he shoved his phone in his pocket and came nearer, not breaking his stride as he stalked around old pieces of furniture and display cases, chest puffed out, muscles flexed. A taller, stocky man she didn’t recognize followed him.

“Gentry, how are you?” Paige asked in a strained voice. The sick feeling in her gut just intensified. She hadn’t expected a warm reception—Gentry had never been overly friendly to her, even before his sister’s death—but his anger was even deeper than she’d suspected. But as he was fighting for justice for his sibling, she was also fighting for hers. Maybe he could understand that?

“Good morning, Gentry. Good morning, Eli.” Amy spoke up, a slight quiver in her voice. “Miss Becker just stopped in to see Mrs. Cramer. I told her your mother wasn’t here and she was just getting ready to leave.”

“My mother?” Gentry growled, his mouth hardening to a straight line. “She can barely get out of bed these days. The last thing she needs is to be confronted by the sister of her daughter’s killer.”

Paige’s heart nearly burst wide-open, just hearing the word killer. The one word she hated to be used in conjunction with her brother. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? That question burned deep in her mind, but instead of shouting it out, she breathed deep, willing herself to calm down. Now wasn’t the time to make that point. “Actually Gentry, I stopped by with hopes of speaking to some of Madison’s coworkers. I know how hard her death has been on your family, and I’m so sorry for your loss. It would never be my intention to upset your mother or anyone else, however—”

“Then get out.” Gentry’s voice snapped like a too-taut elastic band as he gestured sharply with one long-fingered hand toward the door.

His counterpart, Eli, took a step, plunking curled fists on his hips. “Miss Becker, you need to leave. Let me walk you out.”

“That’s not necessary,” Paige said, clutching her purse closer to her side. She spun on her heel and headed for the door. Heart thumping, she was shaking inside. Perplexed. This was crazy. She swallowed around tears clogging her throat. Both she and Gentry wanted the same thing—for Madison’s killer to be brought to justice. She couldn’t just walk away.

Frustration peaking and acting purely on adrenaline, she stopped short, wheeled around and turned her gaze back on Gentry.

The intensity in his expression as he glared back at her made it difficult for her to even breathe; still, she went on. “Gentry, if justice is what you’re seeking, please listen to what I have to say.” Paige tried to keep her voice from shaking. “I know there’s a mountain of alleged evidence stacked against Trey, but he never would have hurt Madison. I really believe her murderer is still out there. If you’ll just give me three minutes, I’ll explain.”

The scowl on Gentry’s face never wavered. Just that same contorted expression and narrow-eyed stare, like she was out of her mind. “You’ve overstayed your welcome, Paige.”

The sound of sirens pierced the air. Her heart stopped, then burst into a savage beat when she glanced behind her and out the window at the flashing red, blue and white lights of the deputy cruiser parked right outside.

Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse.

* * *

“What do you mean, Paige has been arrested?” Seth shot out of his chair, dropping his half-eaten sandwich on his desk.

“Deputy Hobbs brought her in about an hour ago,” Ted said, dogging Seth’s steps as he stalked out of his office and down the hallway that would take him outside the building.

“And what’s she been charged with?”

“Misdemeanor trespassing.”

Seth stopped short, one hand on the exit doors, and looked at Ted. “Trespassing? Where was she?”

“Cramer’s Antiques.”

He should have known.

Seth pushed through the exit and headed across the street to the jail.

Clouds had gathered overhead, and a light icy drizzle was falling. Seth took an inhale of cold, moist air, which did nothing to diffuse the heat building inside him as he wondered what kind of trouble Paige would get herself into next.

Inside the county jail, he took the elevator down one level to the basement, then entered a long, dark corridor that led to the magistrate’s office. Pushing through a second set of double wooden doors, he entered the courtroom. He allowed his gaze to cruise the front three rows of seats, about half-filled with suspects waiting for their preliminary hearing before the magistrate. Paige was right there among them.

As Seth took a seat in the back row, Paige was called to a podium to have her charges read—criminal trespassing in the second degree.

Deputy Ed Hobbs stood to the side and explained to the judge how Paige had unlawfully remained on the Cramer’s Antique and Gift Mart’s property after the owner, Gentry Cramer, made several reasonable requests for her to leave.

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