Page 45 of Finding Forever

My jaw dropped. “Why would she do that?”

“Because she likes sticking her nose into other people’s business. Someone needs to have a word with her—she shouldn’t be posting things about other people on Facebook.” Eric took a deep breath. “We need to figure out what to do next.”

“What do you mean?”

“Alex is on his way over. Come to my place. I’ll explain there.”

“I need to leave Mom a note. If she wakes up, she’ll wonder where I’ve gone.” I rushed inside and left a note on the dining room table. When I met Eric on the veranda, I was ready.

We quietly made our way around the cottage. Beyond the glow from the security lights, the forest was a mass of dark shadows. After reading Eric’s books, I could easily imagine a serial killer hiding behind the bushes, ready to pounce.

“This is kind of freaky,” I whispered. “I’ve never felt unsafe at the cottage, but I’m beginning to see the benefit of living in town.”

Eric unlocked his front door. “You’re not the only one.”

Stepping into the living room still felt a little strange, but it didn’t bring tears to my eyes like the first time I was here.

Eric pointed to the sofa. “Have a seat. Alex will be here soon.”

“What did you mean when you said we have to figure out what we’re doing next?”

“If a reporter shows up, I don’t want them to know I’m living next door to you. If the stalker doesn’t realize I’m in Sunrise Bay, he will once your story hits the news. It’ll put you in too much danger.”

I chose my words carefully. “You might be overreacting.”

“I’d sooner be prepared than leave anything to chance.” The headlights of a big truck swung across the living room walls. “That’ll be Alex.” Eric strode across the room and opened the door.

If someone had told me six months ago that I’d be talking to a New York Times bestselling author in my grandparents’ cottage, I would have laughed. But there was nothing funny about our predicament. I’d thought coming to Sunrise Bay would solve a lot of my problems, but it had created a whole lot more.

thirty-four

ERIC

I crossed my arms, trying to stay calm. For the last thirty minutes, I’d been trying to convince Riley that he needed to leave Sunrise Bay. “You’re not staying here on your own. We still don’t know if the stalker was the one who broke into your cottage.”

“And we might never know.” Riley raised his chin defiantly. “Detective Jameson said it would take a few days to compare the fingerprints from the break-in to what they found in the warehouse. Even if they match, they might never find the person.”

Alex chimed in, trying to diffuse the tension. “Bryant Security’s sending the police the photos of the burglar. If it’s the same person, they could use facial recognition software to identify him.”

My eyes narrowed. “Only if he’s been arrested before. But that’s not what worries me. I’m worried about Riley and his mom.”

Riley’s jaw tightened. “We don’t need you to look after us.”

Alex cleared his throat, sensing the escalating argument. “There is an alternative solution.”

“What is it?” I asked, hoping it was better than the roundabout conversation we’d been having.

“You could all stay with me. It’d be a tight squeeze, but it would only be for a few days.”

Riley shook his head. “Mom’s going home tomorrow afternoon, so it’s better if she stays here. And I can’t leave my paintings and art supplies.” He looked straight at me. “You could stay with Alex until the reporters have gone.”

I ran my hands through my hair, feeling the stress build up. “If the fingerprints belong to the stalker, you could get hurt.”

Riley pulled the printout of Alex’s spreadsheet closer. “So far, the stalker’s recreated most of what has happened up to chapter five of your book. He hasn’t done anything for…” he checked the date on the last column, “…six days. That’s the longest break he’s had from contacting you or doing anything crazy.”

“That we know about,” I muttered, earning another frosty glare.

Riley ran his hand down one of the columns, analyzing it. “Aaron Connelly, the hero of your series, has been tracking the person who killed the woman in the warehouse. If the stalker’s following the book’s timeline, you’ll be sent a photo of the murder scene in the next few days.”

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