good to open up to someone. I knew I couldn’t tell my parents how nervous I was. They would just worry about me.
“You’re still safe. He’s dead and, from all we can see, he worked this alone. It was a one in a million freak thing. Like you said, nothing like this has ever happened here before and, more than likely, nothing like this will ever happen here again.”
I breathed deeply, feeling a little better from his reassurance. As my fears subsided, I became aware of his hand rubbing my back, moving up my sweatshirt to massage my shoulders. His touch felt nice, but it also made me nervous in a good way.
He seemed to sense my tension. “If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, let me know.”
I pulled away from him, a soft smile tugging at my lips. “Thanks. Do you want to come inside while you wait for my dad?”
“Sure.”
“Your pizza is in the fridge. I can heat it up for you if you’re hungry.”
He smiled. “That would be great. I’m starving.”
As I met his gaze, my heart skipped a beat. “Follow me.” Then I turned and led him across the patio and through the back door to the kitchen, leaving the dark night and my dark thoughts outside.
Chapter 6
I rarely saw my father over the next few days as he worked to learn more about the body found in the woods. Most of his initial suspicions were confirmed. As if there had been any doubt, the toddler shoe found near the body was confirmed to be Ryder’s missing shoe. The guy had died from blunt trauma to the head, and the bite marks on his arm were blamed on a large dog. My father also visited the Thompsons again to ask if they had noticed any signs of abuse on Ryder. Between what they told him and the hospital records, there was no indication that he’d been hurt that night. It was a relief, although I still couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling that our town was no longer safe.
Monday was the first day of school. After showering that morning, I slipped into the new jeans I had picked up at the outlets with my mother on Sunday, tall black boots, and a white tank top. A lightweight matching sweater completed my ensemble. I curled my hair, applied a touch of make-up, and finished with a silver necklace and hoop earrings. Sighing, I paused to gaze at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I dreaded returning to school after being the center of attention at the town gathering and defending myself from Marlena at the pizza shop. Hopefully, the ceremony had been long forgotten by my fellow students, but there was no way Marlena would have already forgotten our confrontation.
“Laken!” my mother called down the hallway from the top of the stairs. “Are you ready? We have to go. Ethan’s waiting downstairs.”
My mother and I had reached a compromise on our daily transportation for the school year. I could drive, but I had to drop her off at the elementary school first. It meant leaving thirty minutes earlier than I really needed to, but the early departure was a small price to pay if it meant I didn’t have to ride the bus. And Ethan had jumped at the chance to ride with us, even though he, too, would lose a half hour of sleep.
“Coming!” I rushed into my bedroom to grab my book bag. Then I hurried into the hallway and followed my mother down the stairs. She had spent the summer in casual jeans and capris. It was odd to see her wearing a navy dress with matching high heels, her hair pulled up into a twist.
Ethan was waiting in the kitchen, a denim jacket over his shoulders and his backpack hanging behind him. “Morning,” he said, smiling. “Ready to be seniors?”
“Sure. It had to happen sooner or later.”
He playfully touched my shoulder. “Don’t sound so excited. It’s going to be a great year. I can feel it.”
“I wish I had your confidence,” I said honestly.
My mom waved us toward her with one hand, her keys and a coffee thermos in the other. “Come on, you two. You can talk in the car. Let’s
“You’re still safe. He’s dead and, from all we can see, he worked this alone. It was a one in a million freak thing. Like you said, nothing like this has ever happened here before and, more than likely, nothing like this will ever happen here again.”
I breathed deeply, feeling a little better from his reassurance. As my fears subsided, I became aware of his hand rubbing my back, moving up my sweatshirt to massage my shoulders. His touch felt nice, but it also made me nervous in a good way.
He seemed to sense my tension. “If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, let me know.”
I pulled away from him, a soft smile tugging at my lips. “Thanks. Do you want to come inside while you wait for my dad?”
“Sure.”
“Your pizza is in the fridge. I can heat it up for you if you’re hungry.”
He smiled. “That would be great. I’m starving.”
As I met his gaze, my heart skipped a beat. “Follow me.” Then I turned and led him across the patio and through the back door to the kitchen, leaving the dark night and my dark thoughts outside.
Chapter 6
I rarely saw my father over the next few days as he worked to learn more about the body found in the woods. Most of his initial suspicions were confirmed. As if there had been any doubt, the toddler shoe found near the body was confirmed to be Ryder’s missing shoe. The guy had died from blunt trauma to the head, and the bite marks on his arm were blamed on a large dog. My father also visited the Thompsons again to ask if they had noticed any signs of abuse on Ryder. Between what they told him and the hospital records, there was no indication that he’d been hurt that night. It was a relief, although I still couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling that our town was no longer safe.
Monday was the first day of school. After showering that morning, I slipped into the new jeans I had picked up at the outlets with my mother on Sunday, tall black boots, and a white tank top. A lightweight matching sweater completed my ensemble. I curled my hair, applied a touch of make-up, and finished with a silver necklace and hoop earrings. Sighing, I paused to gaze at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I dreaded returning to school after being the center of attention at the town gathering and defending myself from Marlena at the pizza shop. Hopefully, the ceremony had been long forgotten by my fellow students, but there was no way Marlena would have already forgotten our confrontation.
“Laken!” my mother called down the hallway from the top of the stairs. “Are you ready? We have to go. Ethan’s waiting downstairs.”
My mother and I had reached a compromise on our daily transportation for the school year. I could drive, but I had to drop her off at the elementary school first. It meant leaving thirty minutes earlier than I really needed to, but the early departure was a small price to pay if it meant I didn’t have to ride the bus. And Ethan had jumped at the chance to ride with us, even though he, too, would lose a half hour of sleep.
“Coming!” I rushed into my bedroom to grab my book bag. Then I hurried into the hallway and followed my mother down the stairs. She had spent the summer in casual jeans and capris. It was odd to see her wearing a navy dress with matching high heels, her hair pulled up into a twist.
Ethan was waiting in the kitchen, a denim jacket over his shoulders and his backpack hanging behind him. “Morning,” he said, smiling. “Ready to be seniors?”
“Sure. It had to happen sooner or later.”
He playfully touched my shoulder. “Don’t sound so excited. It’s going to be a great year. I can feel it.”
“I wish I had your confidence,” I said honestly.
My mom waved us toward her with one hand, her keys and a coffee thermos in the other. “Come on, you two. You can talk in the car. Let’s
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