Page 39 of Baited

“What are your plans tonight?” he asked.

“I’m going to visit Hanna’s parents.”

His feet locked with hers under the table.

She tucked them back and scowled at him. Visiting them had been difficult since Hanna’s disappearance, but it was something she needed to do.

His gaze searched her eyes, drinking her in, exposing every dark corner of her soul. “Are you going to be okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, it’s nice seeing them. But I don’t get done here until six, so it will be a late night.”

“Where do they live?”

“Not far, about fifteen minutes away near Wildwood.”

“Do you still have my number? If it’s not too late, maybe we can meet somewhere and go over things.”

She nodded. He didn’t need to know that she’d programmed it in her phone after he’d given her his card. “Okay.” She pressed her hands into the table and stood. “But I should grab a bite to eat before my break is over. Thanks for the chat.”

He smiled, and his eyes sparkled at her. “It was my pleasure.”

That smile curled its way around her heart, warming her insides. A tingling sensation coursed down her thighs. Her nipples tightened against the material of her bra. She made her way to the back room before he noticed. As she passed Brian’s line of vision, she lifted her hand in a silent wave. He smiled, sipped his coffee, and brought his attention back to the cell phone in front of him.

Hours later, her feet ached and her stomach rumbled. At home, she changed out of her work clothes and pulled the fresh apple pie she’d bought from the diner out of the fridge. Therain that had started earlier was heavy now. It would be a yucky drive.

She set the security system before she left. The device had given her more peace of mind than she could have imagined. She drove slowly. The rain beat down on the windshield; her wipers struggled to keep it clear. She wouldn’t be able to stay as late as she’d hoped. If the rain kept up, it would be best to get home before it got too dark. Her tires caught every puddle in the gravel drive as she turned down their driveway.

She put her car in park, scooped up the apple pie, and made a beeline for the covered porch. Rain pelted her face and hair, drenching her in seconds. Her feet pounded up the familiar, old wooden steps. The same steps she and Hanna had sat on many a summer night, sharing gossip, and talking about boys.

The screen door shoved open. “Come in, dear. My goodness you’re soaked.” Jean pulled her into a tight hug as Theo took the pie from her hand. Her strawberry blond hair framed her warm, plump face. Her eyes, identical to Hanna’s, showed their age.

Theo wrapped an arm around her, the lines of his face had deepened. There was no sign of his once ebony hair in the head of gray. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “It’s nice to see you, Riley.”

Tears filled Jean’s eyes. “Supper is in the oven, it won’t be ready for a while yet. But I’m worried about you driving that road once it’s dark.” Riley followed them to the back of the house, which was where the kitchen and living room were situated. The old, beaten hardwood floors creaked around them. The warm scent of pot roast filled her nostrils, making her tummy rumble.

“That’s okay. I’m just happy to visit you guys. If the rain doesn’t let up soon, I’ll head home early.” She sat in the smooth leather sofa, Jean and Theo sat across from her.

Theo rested his arm around Jean’s shoulders and she settled against him. Riley smiled. Even through their daughter’s disappearance, they’d remained strong and united. She’d gathered that much through their short telephone calls and visits, but it settled some of the turmoil inside her.

Riley’s eyes shifted to the picture frame on the table next to them. It was the same picture that adorned signs all over the state. Her graduation picture. Hanna’s blue eyes sparkled; even in print her love for life was contagious.

Riley’s lungs ached as she took a deep breath. “I want you guys to know that I’m still looking for Hanna. I—”

“Honey, please.” Jean reached over to pat her knee, her voice tight. “Don’t take that on as your responsibility. That’s what the police are for.”

The police weren’t making any progress. But she couldn’t say that to them. Instead, she nodded.

“I want to hear more about life in Boston and the fancy art gallery where you work. Maybe when you go back we can order a few pieces.”

Riley bit her tongue. Now wasn’t the time to tell them she’d quit her job at the gallery. They’d be upset that she had given up everything to look for Hanna. Right now, they just thought she was here on a temporary leave. For the rest of the visit, Riley engaged in mundane conversation. Her heart twisted in her chest. Every time she brought up Hanna, they redirected the subject.

Finally, Theo stood and went to the kitchen. “Dinner is going to be a good hour yet. I’m sorry, Riley. We must have timed it wrong.”

Rain pelted the windows. The clock on the wall read just past seven-thirty. “That’s all right, we can do dinner another night.” They chatted more before Riley hugged them both good-bye with the promise of coming again soon for a visit.

In her car, she cranked the heat. The rain had dropped the temperature as darkness creeped over the sky. Water came down in sheets, it echoed around her as it beat down on the top of her car. As she pulled down the driveway, her wipers swished the slew of water enough for her to see through the windshield.

Fear nagged her. She would drive slow and take her time. If it took her forever to get home, oh well. The clock on the dash read twenty minutes after eight. Was it too late to call Ethan? All evening he had crammed the corners of her mind, reminding her that she could call him tonight. And meet him. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she stopped at the end of the driveway.

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