Page 7 of Baited

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Her hands shookas she lifted the warm, steaming plate from the counter. Her old boss’s words rang in her ear from this morning.

I urge you to rethink this decision. You may need to accept that she won’t be found.

She swallowed and sucked back the wall of tears that had built behind her lashes. Leslie was a kind and thoughtful boss. For three years, the Leslie Thom Art Gallery had been her second home. In February, she had been promoted to a senior fine arts consultant. She missed her job, and she hated having to officially resign. Abandoning her career had left an ache in her heart. What choice did she have? She couldn’t return to Boston. She couldn’t leave Beaufort without finding Hanna. How could she possibly pick up where she’d left off? It was simple, that part of her life was dead…at least for now.

Hanna’s disappearance last month had torn her world to shreds. Forgetting about her old life would serve her better. Finding Hanna was her sole purpose. She couldn’t think about her past now. Everyone in town crowded the inside of the restaurant.

She forced a smile and slid the pile of pancakes beneath the eagerly waiting child’s nose, and filled the grandparents’ coffee.

Jenny passed her in the aisle, her hand outstretched with the diner’s cordless phone.

“It’s Jean,” she said. Riley’s stomach bunched into knots. If Hanna’s mom was calling her at work, it couldn’t be anything good. Unless she was calling to check up on her. Jean and her husband Theo had been devastated by the break-in the other night.

She accepted the device and pressed it to her ear. “Jean, is everything okay?”

“Hi, dear.” Her warm, calm voice made Riley relax her shoulders. “I’m so sorry to bother you at work, but I seem to have misplaced your cell number. We’d love to have you for a visit when you’re free.” The last word came out on a slow tremor and Jean cleared her throat.

The knot in her stomach expanded, making it hard to breathe. She nodded slowly and guilt swarmed through her. She’d made a few visits to see Hanna’s parents, but she’d been so consumed by her search for Hanna that she hadn’t visited in more than a week.

“Of course.” Her schedule ran through her brain. It was Wednesday and she was scheduled to work all weekend, but Tuesday she’d be done by six. “I can come by Tuesday evening if that works for you.”

“Absolutely, dear. Be sure to stay for supper.”

Riley accepted and disconnected the call. Jenny’s eyebrows bounced at her. “You okay?”

Riley brushed a thick strand of hair away from her cheek with the back of her wrist. “I’m fine. Jean just wants me to visit. I feel bad that I haven’t been in a while.”

Jenny closed her hand around Riley’s bicep and gently squeezed. “I’m sure they understand. And it’s probably hard on them to visit you at Hanna’s place. I can’t imagine how they must feel seeing all of Hanna’s things.”

Riley’s lips threatened to tremble but she clamped them into a firm line. It was a struggle every day, seeing Hanna’s clothes hanging in the closet, her shoes at the door…even her favorite air freshener still hung in the air.

Jenny propped her hand on her hip. “I’m sure the police have already done a thorough look through her things, but I wonder if Hanna left any clues…maybe an email or threat from a stalker?” Jenny kept her voice low and the patrons paid them no mind, but still, the air in Riley’s lungs lay trapped. She hadn’t told anyone about the journal.

Riley sucked in a breath and dropped her voice. “I found her journal the other day. I still have so much left of it to read, but I’m hoping something will jump out at me.” She hadn’t wanted to take the journal out of the house, somehow it felt wrong and invasive doing so. She’d gotten to read several entries already, but there was still a lot left to dissect.

“If anyone will find something useful, it’ll be you.” Jenny winked at her. “I need to drop Lucas off at his soccer game. I’ll be back in a half hour or so. Will you be okay?” Her blue eyes filled with concern for the hundredth time today.

It was Riley’s first shift since the break-in, and even though she’d been staying with Jenny for the last three nights, she still hovered over Riley like a concerned mother hen. Riley forced a smile, but the corners of her mouth wanted to crack. She took a quick survey of the room. Tables were beginning to clear and so far, everyone still sitting had received their food.

“No problem, I’m fine.”

The bell sounded above the entrance door. Jenny cocked her head around Riley’s shoulder.

“Morning Ethan,” Jenny called as she made her way to the front. Riley’s thundering blood drowned out their friendly exchange.

She gulped.

Ethan strode down the aisle, a snug light blue T-shirt outlined the muscles in his shoulders and biceps. Lightweight gray shorts tapered his waist.

Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. He was easily a foot taller than she, even from the short distance between them she was dwarfed by him.

Ethan pulled his dark aviator shades off and tucked them in the neck of his shirt. He didn’t smile at her like he normally did. His lips stayed tense, his jaw hard as he sat at the front counter.

Her lungs tightened in her chest. She sucked her breath in as she rounded the long counter. Ethan’s elbows rested on the countertop, waiting. She picked up a clean mug, filled it, and slid it under his nose.

“Thank you.” His eyes moved over her before landing on her face. “How are you?” His gaze focused on hers, staring through her soul, and reading her mind like an open book.

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