Page 3 of Wrecker

Maverick’s voice cut in behind me. “That your rescue bat-signal phone?”

I didn’t look up. “Something like that.”

He wandered closer. “You okay?”

I didn’t answer.

He stepped up to my side, and I glanced up to see him staring at the screen. Saw her picture. And the way I was looking at it.Fuck.

His mouth curled into a shit-eating grin. “You better not be falling for a woman off a damn photo.”

“Don’t,” I growled.

Maverick laughed, full-bodied and wicked. “Oh, this is gonna be fun. You gave Hawk so much hell for that shit.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m just sayin’. She’s cute. Real sweet lookin’. Might even like you back, once she gets past your resting murder face.”

I glared at him, but it didn’t land.

He just slapped me on the back. “Go handle your shit, brother.”

I shoved my phone back in my pocket and stalked toward my bike. The night was thick and still, but the pulse in my throat was rapid.

I didn’t know what I’d find.

Didn’t know if she was part of the problem or the key to the truth.

But after I checked out this site, I was gonna find her and figure it out.

2

PEYTON

“Tell me again why you’re doing this so early on a Saturday morning instead of sleeping in like a normal college student?”

I rolled my eyes at my roommate as I shoved an infrared camera into my backpack and zipped it shut. “Because I want to be employed after graduation.”

Jennifer leaned against the doorframe of our bathroom, arms crossed over her chest. “How many times do I need to remind you that you’re not even a senior yet?”

“As often as I have to explain that it hasn’t stopped me from being obsessed with my capstone project already.” I tucked my phone into the back pocket of my jeans before glancing up at her. “I’m telling you, something suspicious is going on here. These collapses can't be random.”

She gave me a familiar look. One that made it clear she was equal parts amused and concerned. “You sound like one of those true crime podcasters who think everything is a conspiracy.”

“And look how many cold cases have been solved because they can’t stop digging into them,” I pointed out.

Jennifer shook her head with an exasperated sigh. “And you’re off to investigate alone. What happened to centering your project around peer-reviewed research? Or even just field work that doesn’t require you to traipse around buildings could be falling apart, for all you know?”

I paused in front of the mirror to pull my hair into a low ponytail. “I just want to check the parking garage out and compare it to the blueprints and inspection records I pulled. I’ll be in and out in thirty minutes.”

She arched her brow. “That’s what everyone says before they wind up dead and featured on a crime podcast.”

“Thanks for being so supportive,” I muttered, ducking past her to go into my room and grab the spiral notebook off my desk.

I was old-school when it came to taking notes, a habit I learned from my dad. A big part of me wished I could text him right now. He would’ve loved this project.

Heck, he probably would’ve driven me there himself just to talk me through what to look for…and ended up inside the parking garage with me because he couldn’t resist taking a look for himself.

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