Page 18 of Into the Shadows

Michael makes a face as if he has an idea, but he doesn't want to say it.

I lean forward and point my finger at him. “Tell me right now.”

“Dude, your dad will be pissed if I say anything.”

“So I won't tell him you told me.”

He gives me a look. “Yeah, because that's going to work.”

“What? I am fully capable of finding my own cases. Please?” I give him the puppy dog eyes.

“Fuck, I hate when you look at me like that,” he groans. “Fine. I’ll tell you everything I know.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So, about ten, maybe fifteen years ago, a teacher in Castle Hill went missing. Nobody knows what happened to her. It was as if she dropped offthe face of the Earth. The locks on her front door were intact, and nothing in her house seemed disturbed. The only reason they think something nefarious happened is because her purse, phone, wallet…everything were still in the house. Her car was even in the driveway.”

“Why do I not remember that?” Gia asks. “It would’ve been big news.”

Michael shrugs. “We were in our early teens. I doubt we cared much about what happened to someone half an hour from here.” He looks back at me. “There were a few suspects, but police weren’t able to find sufficient evidence to point the finger at anyone. It’s a cold case now.”

“Huh. This could be something. Hang on.” I run into my office to grab a notepad. “All right, give me the details.” A little buzz in my chest tells me to pay attention. I might’ve found my next case.

Chapter 11

Teddy

Clunk. Clunk.

“Fuck,” I murmur under my breath. I use the momentum to pull Grandad's old truck to the side of the road. A warning light dings as soon as I put it in park. “Sure, now you tell me.” Sighing, I pop the hood and get out. I knew going into town was a bad idea. If I hadn't been about to starve, I wouldn't have gone at all.

I lift the hood, staring down into the engine of the truck. If only I knew what I was looking at. I can change my oil and fix a tire. After that, I’m out. I have no idea why the truck's not running. Maybe I can find something on YouTube. Hell, if I break it even more, it’s not like I’m out anything.

I'll have to buy a car, which was always the plan. I just thought I could use Grandad’s truck and put my car money toward fixing the house.

After another long look at the engine, hoping something will pop out at me, I drop the hood and get back into the cab. I snatch my phone from the cupholder and pull up a local tow truck company, but the screen freezes and goes completely dark before I can make the call.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Now my phone's dead. Awesome. I glance around and realize that I am miles from Grandad’s. Looks like I'll be walking from here. I don't give myself time to think about how I’ve never done this much physical activity on my prosthetic leg. I don't have much of a choice.

I start walking along the side of the road.

I go about half a mile before the sound of a car comes up behind me. I make sure I'm far enough off the road that I'm not in danger of getting hit and don't pay any attention to them.

When the car slows down next to me, I glance over. Another curse threatens to come out of my mouth.

“Saw your truck back there. Thought you could use a ride,” Lottie says through the open passenger window. She's leaning down so she can see me.

“I’m fine. Don't worry about it.” I start walking to ignore Lottie and almost bust out laughing when I hear her murmur,“Stubborn bastard.”

She drives alongside me, hollering out the window. “Come on, Teddy. Just get in the goddamn car.”

I'm not sure if it's the stubbornness she rightfully called me out on or if it's straight self-preservation, but I know if I get in that car, the walls I've built up since I got here are going to start crumbling.

“I’m fine, Lottie. Seriously.”

She huffs when I keep walking.

A giant crack of thunder rumbles through the sky, and my shoulders hunch. About half a second later, the skies open up and rain begins to pour.Fuck me running.I stand there for a moment, getting drenched, while Lottie waits patiently next to me in her car. My shoulders stoop in defeat, and I open the passenger side door.

As soon as the door closes, Lottie takes off. Shedoesn't use the silence to gloat, and I reluctantly respect her for it. It's only then that I realize I left all of my groceries in the back of the truck. A curse falls from my mouth for what must be the eighth time in the last hour.

Lottie looks over at me questioningly.

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