Page 44 of Closer Than You Know

“There’s a chance someone he’s using or maybe someone who wants to be like him is the one who broke into the house. He may also be the one who took Nolan Baker.”

“Are you fucking serious? I remember reading about that creep. I think he had a thing for you.”

Vera closed out the voices that echoed Eve’s words. There were those, including her former boss, who were convinced the Messenger had some sort of obsession with Vera. She later learned the FBI had believed so as well and had used the idea to their benefit.

“Anyway,” Vera said, moving on. “You and Suri keep an eye out for strangers. Stay aware—the threat to anyone close to me may be real. Also, look for strange messages via email or left at your house or in your car. Basically anywhere.”

“Got it.” Eve hesitated. “Anything from Russ yet?”

“Not yet,” Vera admitted. “If I don’t hear back from her tomorrow, I’ll go to her office. For now, don’t worry about that problem. Just keep your eyes open.” She’d meant to follow up with Russ today. Damn it.

“Okay. Did you talk to Luna?”

“Yeah. She promised to be careful.”

“She sound okay to you?”

“Pretty much.” Sort of.

“I’m not sure she’s ever going to completely forgive us, Vee.”

Vera laughed a humorless sound. “Do you blame her? I mean, we let her believe her mother had abandoned her for most of her life. We suck at being big sisters.”

“It was Sheree’s fault,” Eve argued. “She did this to all of us.”

Vera closed her eyes. “No, Eve. Daddy did this to us. Sheree just egged it on.”

The woman had been young, only a few years older than Vera at the time. She’d glommed on to their father—made him forget all about his dead wife. She’d tricked him into marriage by getting pregnant, and then she’d taken everything she could get her hands on and continuously cheated. She’d ignored her baby, and on her last day of life, tried to drown the child in the bathtub. Still, no matter her horrific deeds, their father—God rest his soul—was the one who brought her into their lives.

“I guess you’re right,” Eve admitted. “Thanks for letting us know about this Messenger guy.”

“Sure thing. I love you, Eve.” Vera stamped her foot in frustration as emotions she didn’t want to feel rose inside her.

“Love you. G’night.”

The call ended, and Vera was left with those old feelings of loss and regret. They’d had the perfect life—the perfect family—then their mother had died, and everything had gone to hell. The only good thing to come out of that time was Luna, and somehow she and Eve had screwed that up.

Vera blinked the memories away. She had things to do here and now. There was no time for dwelling in the past and on things she could not change.

First, she was not going to hang around here waiting for something else to happen. She intended to start at the beginning and look for anything she may have missed now that she knew what she knew.

She tucked her cell phone into her pocket and grabbed a flashlight, then walked out the front door. She went straight up to the deputy that Bent had insisted keep watch over her tonight. The deputy powered the window down as she approached his cruiser. His name tag readOlson.

“Deputy Olson,” she said, “FYI, I’m going down to the barn to have a look around.”

“I’ll follow you, ma’am.”

“Suit yourself.”

She headed through the yard and around the house. She wanted to take the same route the person who’d left those tracks in the snow had taken. The tracks, she suspected, had been left on purpose. He wanted her to know he’d been here. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he had ordered that damned rare snowstorm.

But even the worst of the worst were only human.

Behind her the deputy’s footfalls echoed in the darkness. He’d pulled out a flashlight of his own and was lighting his path. Smart man. Vera’s mother had lots of flower beds and bird fountains and other yard ornaments around. If a person didn’t know the path, he could easily end up tripping in the dark.

The trail to the barn took a few minutes and went right past the potting shed and well house. Vera decided to check both before continuing to the barn. She wished she’d worn her coat. It was colder than she’d realized. Probably because she’d been far too pissed off when she came home to really notice the temperature. The idea that Elizabeth had manufactured this Time Thief business to boost her son’s career was just over the top. But it would all work out just fine in the end. Nothing ever kept a Baker down.

Then again, Vera supposed she couldn’t say much, considering she was keeping her sister’s secret about Norton Gates. At least Elizabeth hadn’t murdered anyone.Probably,Vera amended.

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