Page 137 of Shadows of You

As I stepped past the pantry, I heard the squeak of hinges. I turned, but it was too late. A hand clamped over my mouth, and someone jerked me back into a broad body.

“Listen, you little bitch. You’re going on the record and telling everyone you’re a lying sack of shit. You’re going to recant your testimony and finally give John his freedom,” Oren snarled, his breath hot in my ear.

I moved on instinct, my elbow jerking back in a hard thrust. I’d watched countless self-defense videos on YouTube and practiced the moves until I knew them by heart, but I’d never actually used them.

Oren grunted, his hand loosening around my mouth.

I twisted, my hand coming up in a palm strike. Unfortunately, he managed to dodge the worst of it, so it only pissed him off.

Oren’s fist struck out, catching me across the cheek.

I saw stars for a moment, but the adrenaline kicked in as he grabbed for my shoulders. My knee jerked up on instinct as I yelled.

Oren collapsed to the floor with a cry as Elsie and Jonesy ran into the hallway.

“What the hell happened?” Elsie asked, her eyes wide.

That was when I started to shake. “I think I broke his balls.”

42

ROAN

Lawson leanedagainst the counter of the sporting goods store on the outskirts of town. “Has anyone coming through seemed off at all?”

The woman behind the counter stared blandly at him. “Law, I answered all these questions the first time you came by.”

“I know, Meg,” Lawson soothed. “But we’re talking to everyone a second time, just to see if anything new shakes loose.”

She grunted. “We get plenty of oddballs. Tourists who have no business being out on those trails, kooks who think the world is going to end any day now coming in for supplies, and then just your everyday out-there folks who like hunting a little too much.”

Lawson sighed. “You know what I mean, Meg. Someone who put you on edge.”

“You got time for a list?” she asked as she brushed her salt-and-pepper hair out of her face.

“They’d need something to help them move a body. Tarps and rope, maybe. Could’ve bought a knife, too,” I said.

Meg’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “You think this is some sicko who’ll strike again?”

Lawson’s mouth pressed into a firm line. He hated when people gossiped about an investigation, and the look on Meg’s face told us she was going to do just that. He pinned her with a stare. “We don’t want to cause alarm. Right now, we think this was an isolated incident, but we still need to find out who did it.”

“Of course, you do,” Meg huffed. “Can’t imagine letting my girl head out backpacking alone. That’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Not everyone knows what you can meet out on the trails,” Lawson said.

Meg shook her head. “Poor thing.” She was quiet for a moment. “I can’t think of anyone I pegged as a murderer. No one bought all three of those things. But countless folks have bought one. I can pull invoices and make you a list, but it’ll take me some time.”

Lawson nodded. “Appreciate it. Just give me a call when you’re ready, and I’ll send someone to pick it up.”

“Will do. You boys stay safe out there,” she ordered.

“Always do,” Lawson said with a smile.

I followed my brother out of the store and toward his SUV. “Can’t exactly arrest someone because they bought a knife or rope.”

He shook his head. “No, but it gives us a starting point.”

I guessed that was better than anything we had so far. We had exactly zero leads. No one had seen a damned thing when it came to Marci Peters. The fact that a woman could simply disappear and then show up sliced to hell put me on edge.

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