Page 35 of Forged in Secrets

“Did you see anyone? Did you go to the beach, or stay on Mistflower property? Did you try to call Katie at that time?”

Jade grabbed her bag and tried to walk past him, but he held his ground.

“I already told the police. I crossed the Mistflower grounds, walked up the beach for a while, and came back. That was it. Now leave me alone,” she snapped.

Grace had stepped aside, looking shocked by the drama of the situation, but she snapped into action, leaning forward and resting her hand on the girl’s wrist.

“I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this,” she said. “I know it’s probably the last thing you want to deal with when you’re trying to get a break from school.”

Jade yanked her arm away, avoiding Grace’s touch, but she didn’t attempt to run.

“Anyway,” Grace continued, offering a kind smile, “maybe we can continue this conversation later tonight. I could buy you dinner, and we could go over the last few details.”

Ben tried to stop his eyes from bulging out of his head. As much as he knew Grace was better at handling Jade, she’d already stood them up once. This might be the last chance they had to talk to her at all.

“Good idea,” he said quickly. “But for right now, can you at least tell us what–”

Jade’s eyes filled with anger and she shoved her way between them, hard, not even seeming to notice as her heavy bag smacked into Grace’s hip.

“Get a warrant!”

Before they could say more, she was already striding off across the beach, her feet sending sand flying as she rushed toward the boardwalk.

Great.

Ben tightened his hands into fists as anger gripped his chest.

“Well, that wasn’t how I thought that would go,” Grace said after several seconds had passed, watching Jade’s retreating back as she stepped onto the boardwalk.

“Not how you thought it would go?” Ben snapped. “There’s an understatement. She didn’t tell us anything of use, and before I could get any information on the one clue she gave us–in case you missed it, she went out again that night, right around the time Katie probably went missing–you were inviting her to dinner!”

Grace turned to face him, any hint of a smile falling off of her face in an instant.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I was just trying to–”

His gut coiled with guilt, but he couldn’t seem to stop the venom from pouring out.

“Gabe assigned me to this case to get practice in the field. Practice. Because I already know what I’m doing.”

He let the words hang in the air, their implication clear.

He expected Grace to snap at him. To remind him of what she had to contribute. To tell him he was being a jerk. Which, of course, he was.

Instead, she sat down on the edge of Jade’s abandoned lounge chair, looking out at the ocean. Her expression was stoic, and with her blonde hair cascading down her back, she reminded him of a mermaid on a ship’s prow.

All at once, the anger and frustration he felt poured away, leaving behind only shame.

Last night, he’d held her hand. He’d let himself feel things that he’d been holding back for years. He hadn’t kissed her, but oh, how he’d wanted to.

As he stared at her, she offered him the slightest hint of a smile, turning the dagger in his chest. He’d been mean to her, and she refused to take the bait, even though an immature, spiteful part of him wanted her to.

He swallowed hard. He was certain now. He really, really couldn’t let what had happened between them last night ever happen again. It wasn’t fair to her.

She deserved a whole lot better.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” he said at last, glad that the mingling college students surrounding them allowed no opportunity for a truly awkward silence to arise. “It’s not your fault. People who behave like Jade just get under my skin.”

Grace nodded, gesturing to the space beside her on the chair. He shook his head, not daring to get any closer toher, at least not until he regained his senses. If he ever could.

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