What Lies in the Darkness (Shadow Cove Book 1) by Jessica Sorensen Page B

the street, heading toward the main section of town where most of the high-end restaurants and stores are located. When he reaches the park, he makes a right-hand turn, veering toward where the fancy shops turn into dilapidated older stores.
    “That’s weird,” I mumble. “Why would Liam head toward the poor side of town?”
    “Hey, I come over here all the time,” Kennedy protests. “To visit you .”
    “Yeah, I know, but … Liam doesn’t have any friends who live around here.”
    “Unless maybe he has a secret girlfriend or something.”
    I throw her a questioning glance. “A secret girlfriend?”
    “Maybe he’s dating a lower-class girl, and he doesn’t want people to know about it, or his parents banned him from dating.” She slides on her oversized sunglasses. “It probably happens here more than you think.”
    “Actually, I think about that kind of stuff a lot.” I put on my own glasses as the sun shines directly at the front of the car. “I just didn’t think Liam would ever be one of those people. I’ve only ever seen him date cheerleaders and homecoming queens.”
    The brake lights illuminate on Liam’s car as he slows down to park in front of a small, white building on the corner of a back road. Above the entrance door of the building is a wooden, hand-painted sign that reads: Comics, Collectables, Knickknacks, and Everything Shop.
    “I wonder if they’re speaking literally when they decided to put the word everything into the title of their store.” I spin the wheel to park my car down near a large oak tree so we’re hidden. I push the shifter into park and eyeball the store dubiously. “I’ve never noticed this place before. Have you? It kind of sounds like a pawn shop.”
    Maybe that’s what Liam is doing here—pawning off the stuff he stole. But why? He can’t possibly need the money when he’s driving around a car that costs six figures.
    Kennedy draws her glasses down the brim of her nose and squints at the store. “I’m sure I’ve passed it before, but except for the sign, it just looks like an old house, so we probably never noticed it.”
    “Maybe,” I mutter, wariness weighing inside me and only growing as Liam gets out of his car and pops the trunk.
    He reaches inside and retrieves a medium-sized cardboard box with an unfamiliar logo on the side. Then, with a frantic glance around the neighborhood, he hauls butt across the yellowing grass and up the stairs of the store. Looking over his shoulder one last time, he raps his knuckles against the door.
    “He seems awfully nervous for someone going inside a store,” Kennedy notes, slanting forward in her seat.
    “Maybe because he’s carrying around stolen merchandise and is about to pawn it off.”
    “You think he’s got the computer in that box?”
    “There’s only one way to find out.” I reach for my door handle to get out.
    “Wait a second.” Her fingers wrap around my elbow. “What’re you going to do? Just walk up and accuse him?”
    “Yeah, pretty much,” I reply, wiggling my arm out of her hold. “But don’t worry.” I crack my knuckles and grin. “I can be charming when I need to.”
    “But what about this place?” She scrutinizes the building. “It looks super sketchy.”
    “I’m sure it’s just a store.” At least, I hope so. “You can stay in the car if you’re freaked out.”
    She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. Like I’m gonna let you just wander into some creepy store all by yourself. Just what kind of friend do you think I am?”
    I smile. “The best of besties.”
    She grins, gripping the door handle. “Come on, bestie; let’s go get your thousand bucks.”
    Nodding, I hop out of the car and meet her around front. Then we hike up the sidewalk and cut across the grass to the store, stopping in front of the door.
    Kennedy hugs her arms around herself. “Should we knock or just walk in?”
    I peer up at the sign and then at the wooden door with no windows. “I don’t know …