Page 104 of Shadows of You

I winced and recounted the anonymous threat.

“I think you and Cady should move in with Caden and me,” Grae said the moment I finished.

“Caden already offered, and I appreciate it. I really do. But I don’t want to uproot her. Routine is so important at this age. And Roan’s staying here—”

“Wait, what?” Wren asked, shock filling her voice. “Roan is staying at your house?”

I nodded slowly, heat rising to my cheeks. “He has been since the podcasters showed up.”

“Roan doesn’t even stay at his parents’ on Christmas Eve when everyone else does,” Maddie said. “Says he can’t handle not having his own space.”

“I didn’t know,” I mumbled, the heat flaring in my face.

Grae’s eyes narrowed on me and then flew wide. “Holy cannoli, you’re banging my brother.”

31

ROAN

Gravel crunchedbeneath my tires as I pulled into the parking lot. It was already crowded with vehicles: evidence techs, police cruisers, even the coroner’s van. I scanned the surrounding forest. The dark branches and sweeping quiet were in such opposition to what currently teemed inside.

Lawson and I climbed out of our vehicles at the same time. His face looked just as grim as I was sure mine did.

“This trailhead is farther out than the other two,” I told him—something he already knew. But my true question was hidden in the words.Why?

Lawson scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “I’m guessing the unsub is a little less brave when they have a human victim.”

My gut churned. Hadn’t our town seen enough death and darkness?

“Another hiker called it in?” I asked.

Lawson shook his head. “Forest Service. They’ve had an increased presence just like Fish and Wildlife.”

It was then that I saw the guy sitting on a log, a cop I recognized giving him a bottle of water. He wore the Forest Service uniform but couldn’t be more than twenty. Twenty-one tops. A kid. His hand shook as he took the water bottle, taking a small sip.

Lawson led us in that direction.

The kid looked up and swallowed hard. “Chief Hartley.”

“Brian. You doing okay?”

Brian’s cheeks colored. “Lost my lunch.”

Lawson lowered himself to a boulder so he was at eye level with the kid. “Did the same thing the first time I worked a case with a body. It’s completely normal.”

Brian jerked his head up and down in a staccato nod.

“Think you could walk me through it?” Lawson asked.

He was so good at this—the people stuff. Letting others know he cared. That he was with them. It was a gift I’d never have.

Brian’s throat worked as he swallowed. “My boss is having us all work different trailheads right now. We’re supposed to walk a mile and a half in and then back out, then go to the next one.”

It was smart. All the bodies had been found within a mile of the trailheads.

Brian stared down at the water bottle, his hand tightening around it. “I’d already done four others today. Nothing. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“Were there any other vehicles in the parking lot when you pulled in?” Lawson asked.

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