by Angela Kay
“Sorry.” Aidan walked over and offered her a friendly kiss. “Didn’t mean to disturb your thoughts.”
“Beautiful flowers,” Laura commented with a flirty smile. “I don’t suppose they’re for me?”
“Nope,” Aidan answered, laying them carefully on the kitchen table.
“Darn,” Laura said with a playful snap of her fingers. “So close. But, you know, I still have a chance to get flowers someday soon. I’m working up to it. Be sure you tell Shaun I like yellow daisies.”
“I’ll be sure to let him know,” Aidan promised. “How’s Cheyenne doing?”
“If you’re wondering whether she’s going to start laying into you for not showing up last night,” Laura began, “You’re safe. She still thinks the great and wonderful FBI Special Agent Aidan O’Reilly walks on water.”
Aidan opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottled water, then twisted the top. “I take it I’m not safe from you.”
“No. You’re not,” Laura scolded. She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning with disapproval. “My sister may choose to put up with it, but I don’t have to. You should have called or something to say you wouldn’t be home. She went through a lot of planning for a nice romantic dinner last night and you completely blew her off. To think you left my sister hanging on her anniversary—,”
“I didn’t realize—whoa, wait a minute,” Aidan said, holding his palm in the air. “What anniversary?”
It was then it dawned on him.
Six years ago, he and Cheyenne had their first date that would last a lifetime. He cursed underneath his breath.
“You spaced on it,” Laura said, her mouth hanging open. “Unbelievable. You’re such a guy!”
“So much had been happening at once, I just didn’t think about it,” Aidan groaned. “No wonder she was so angry. How can I make it up to her?”
He looked at the flowers he bought her, thinking to himself a bouquet wouldn’t do much to fix the damage done.
Laura rolled her eyes. “You’re a doofus, Aidan. She spent half this morning making excuses to me on how you’re so focused on your job, trying to protect little old us that you’re bound to forget the insignificant things. She told me she knows you’re stressed and all she has to do is be patient.”
Aidan lifted the corner of his lips as he picked up the bouquet. He held them out in front of him. “These are for you.”
Laura scowled. “Didn’t I just tell you I prefer yellow daisies? I hope you listen to the bad guys more than you listen to us little people. You know, if you and I had actually ended up dating more than that one time, believe me—you wouldn’t just be in pain.”
Aidan considered what Laura had said, then released a defeated sigh, dropping the hand holding the flowers.
“It’s not such a little thing, though, is it?”
Laura only shook her head.
“All either one of us knows are men who come and go from our lives at will. Don’t forget our own mother was married and divorced five times. Until you’d come around, Cheyenne had several failed relationships, and her heart broken more than a few times.”
“I don’t want her to ever think I’d leave her like that,” Aidan protested. “I love her.”
“I know you do,” Laura said. She paused. “But I suppose that’s not what’s important right now. She woke up in the middle of the night again, from a dream about Grant Rivers. You weren’t around, so she called me. I came over even though she insisted she was okay. We talked for a few hours, then she finally fell asleep. She’s still resting.”
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Aidan said. “I owe you one.”
“You owe me more than one, O’Reilly. You start breaking my sister’s heart, you’ll have me to answer for.”
“Noted,” Aidan agreed. He offered a hand and they shook to seal the deal.
“That over and done, how is your investigation going?” Laura began. “I’ve been keeping an eye on the news. They’re calling him the Scavenger Hunter now. He’s already killed four people?”
“So far,” Aidan replied. “Shaun and I spent the majority of the day in a hopeless search through the Mauk woods trying to find trace of the offender.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing came up other than Jordan Blake’s bloody news story,” Aidan grumbled.
“Yes,” Laura said. “He’s a determined one for sure. I used to watch him a lot on the road. You know, post-Carnations Killer. There’s just something…charismatic about him.”
Aidan scoffed as he took a sip of water. “There’s nothing charismatic about him. He’s cocky, ignorant, stubborn, and just plain annoying.”
Laura giggled. “Some may say the same about you.”
“Want me to toss you out on the street?”
“You wouldn’t dare. Cheyenne will never forgive you.”
“I’m certain I can find a way for repentance,” Aidan replied. “You said it yourself—I walk on water.”
“I’m sure all you’d have to do is flash her that boyish smile of yours and she’ll melt into your arms like putty.” Laura walked to Aidan and kissed his cheek. “I’m going to go. Be good to my sister or I’ll be back. I may call Shaun and give him a hard time for not asking me out already.”
Aidan chuckled as she left the kitchen. When he heard the front door open and shut, Aidan rummaged through the cabinets until he found a vase, then filled it with water. He arranged the flowers inside and went up the stairs to his bedroom.
Cheyenne was sound asleep, her arm hanging off the side of the bed, the sheets tangled between her legs.
Aidan set the flowers on the bedside table before fixing the sheets, slipping her arm under the covers. She moaned softly. He kissed her temple, whispered that he loved her, then went to the bathroom for a shower and to change.
26
THE NEXT DAY, Aidan and Shaun agreed on their first order of business. Aidan promised himself that he’d keep himself composed and professional, and not to allow Jordan Blake to get a rise out of him. He wasn’t sure how he would succeed in the task, but Jordan Blake wasn’t worth the trouble.
At least, that was what continued to whirl through his mind as Shaun drove to the WJFX new station, and what continued to go through his mind as they made their way inside the building.
They found Jordan Blake walking the halls, his phone attached to his ear. He laughed, then said a lewd remark, then laughed again as he entered his office.
“Yeah, man, no kidding. And get this: afterward, she—.”
Aidan snatched the phone from Jordan’s grasp and informed the caller Jordan would call when he wasn’t busy, then tossed the phone onto the desk. It slid, then slipped off the edge and onto the carpet.
“Hey!” Jordan glared at Aidan for a beat, then his lips curved into a mischievous smile. “What’s eating you, O’Reilly? You look like you’re foaming at the mouth, buddy.”
“How did you know about the judge?” Shaun wondered.
Jordan’s gaze slowly diverted to Shaun as he folded his arms. He shook his head as if he was confused.
“Judge?” Jordan asked innocently. “Maybe you boys better explain what exactly we’re talking about here, because…I’m just at a loss.”
“Judge Paris, Blake,” Aidan said, keeping his jaw squared, working hard at keeping himself calm. “Don’t be coy with us. It won’t fly.”
“Judge Paris…Judge Paris,” Jordan chanted as if trying to remember. “Oh, he’s the judge who covered evidence and got himself caught. Right?”
“You want to tell us how that piece of information slithered its way out of your mouth?” Shaun asked.
“I forgot.” Jordan shrugged. “Sorry, guys. Information comes and goes all the time, it’s difficult to keep it all straight.”
Aidan clenched his fists, instructing himself to remain calm. He told himself Jordan Blake wasn’t worth the annoyance. Instead, he pulled in a breath, letting it out. “Answer the question, Blake and we’ll leave. I kno
w there’s a leak in the office. Who is it?”
“I’m not obligated to reveal my sources,” Jordan taunted. “Shield law, ‘member? And you can’t touch me, O’Reilly. You’re on my turf. I don’t think you’d want to be suspended for assault…do you?” He smiled, making Aidan’s anger surge even more. “Of course, that would make for excellent news. However…if you’ve got yourself a leak…that’s on you and your office.”
Ever since meeting the reporter, Aidan had imagined knocking him off his feet. Now, he growled when the little voice inside warned him against doing so. As much as he despised admitting it, the reporter was right.
But one day, Aidan vowed.
One.
Day.
“I will be watching you like a hawk, Blake,” Aidan warned, moving in close, nose to nose with the smug reporter. “When you go to the store, I’ll hear about it. When you wipe yourself, I’ll know. The second you make a wrong move, or you breathe the wrong way—I will toss you in a cell so fast, your head will spin.”
“We’re done here,” he told Shaun through his teeth.
He stalked out of the office, as he heard Jordan call out to Shaun.
“Hey, Henderson, mind closing my door on the way out?”
Instead of responding, Shaun pushed at the door to open it wider, then followed Aidan down the hall.
“We need to get some uniforms to keep an eye on him,” Aidan said.
“That may not fly over too well,” Shaun said. “Not now, anyway. He could have found out the information with a little bit of digging just like any good reporter. We’ll look out for him, though. If he starts running his mouth about something else he shouldn’t know, then we can put a detail on him. In the meantime, patience, my friend, is a virtue.”
Aidan pushed through the door of the news station and stepped out into the heat. He set his hand on his hip, then cursed.
“I don’t like him,” Aidan protested.
“Really?” Shaun said with mock surprise. “I couldn’t tell. C’mon, buddy. Let Jordan do Jordan and you do you. It’s time to visit Leon Quick.”
27
AIMEE HOLLANDER FROWNED at the drawing of a map clutched in her hands. For a while, the scavenger hunt was a fun activity for her to participate in. She didn’t get out much, and when she did, it was to grocery shop or visit her parents. Spending hours in front of a computer monitor was her happy place, but even Aimee needed something more, otherwise, she’d waste away.
She never intended to become a hermit, and she never actually wanted to be one. But she’d reached a point in her life where she felt she needed to completely escape from the world.
She’d recently gotten out of a painful relationship and wanted to mend her heart and do what she’d desired to do since being able to hold a pencil in her hand. When she started dating Chuck, Aimee hadn’t had the chance to finish her novel. Being a girlfriend took much of her time, though Aimee tried to write a little here and there.
After her breakup with him, she managed to finish the novel she’d been working on, plus two more, and now she was moving onto her new one. To keep the money flow steady, she’d gotten a job as a customer service representative, working from home.
And then she received an email from someone about a popular scavenger hunt several weeks ago. She had been playing ever since. The body of the email mentioned it was like Pokémon Go, but more rewarding. Either way, as a mystery writer, she was a sucker for solving puzzles.
They were all riddles, some difficult to crack, others quite simple.
It was fun, and kept her interest.
At least, until recently.
She’d started to be more cautious about the hunts. As a lover of mysteries, she was an avid watcher of the news, because it gave her the ideas to play with. And WJFX never failed to give accurate information. Jordan Blake wasn’t so terrible to look at, either. Aimee couldn’t help but admit she had a small crush on the young reporter. She’d seen him once in person, with two young girls on his arms. Aimee had felt a twinge of guilt and felt bad considering she was in a relationship with Chuck at the time.
But lately, when Jordan started talking about people dying after a game of scavenging, Aimee decided to hold off. It wasn’t worth losing her life over. Not that she was that sure there was a connection, but she wanted to play it safe for a little while.
Then today, Aimee received another riddle. Two to solve, this time.
I am a collectible of America’s past time.
Peanuts and Cracker Jacks, I eat here.
They are a favorite of mine.
I am a soldier, a toy if you will.
My name is three letters, I’m a
government-issued thrill.
She knew the answer to both riddles and gave in to the urge. Five minutes later, she received a map.
One of her own street.
After a careful look over, she realized the X covered where her house was.
Her blood freezing, her heart in her throat, she’d started pacing her living room.
Now Aimee was supposed to look around her own house for a baseball card and a G.I. Joe? She’d mentioned the hunt to a friend, and Aimee wondered if he was playing a cruel joke on her. He certainly would go that far, knowing that what she was hearing on the news scared her.
Aimee kept one eye out for an intruder as she looked inside her house for the two items.
After an hour went by, she gave up, deciding that, yes, her friend was playing a cruel trick.
But then, Aimee chose to check the one place she didn’t look.
Her refrigerator.
She opened it, looked behind drinks and condiments.
Nothing.
Next, she opened her freezer, moving her frozen food around. Stuffed in the bottom bin with her fruits and vegetables was the G.I. Joe.
After digging around a bit more, she found a Chipper Jones baseball card from when he was a rookie for the Braves.
A part of her still believed her friend was playing a trick—after all, Aimee gave him a key for emergencies. The other part told her it was time to call the police.
That was the part she listened to.
She quickly walked to the living room, adjacent to the kitchen, and grabbed her cell phone from the end table.
Before she dialed the police, she called her friend to be certain it wasn’t him.
The phone continued to ring in her ear.
Aimee peeked out of the window and glanced around her neighborhood. Children were playing in the streets as usual, no parents in sight.
Why couldn’t parents ever watch their children, she wondered, possibly for the millionth time. Did they not realize cars tended to speed through?
Her friend wasn’t answering, so she ended the call and dialed the number to the police.
She turned around and dropped the phone on the floor.
Her eyes grew as she stared at the masked intruder, holding a handgun inches from her head.
Aimee slowly put her shaky hands in the air, feeling dizzy with fear.
“Take anything you want,” she whispered, tears filling her words. “It’s all yours.”
“I will,” he said.
She dove to the ground as he squeezed the trigger. The gun only popped, and the glass cracked behind her.
Aimee shouted for help as she stumbled through her house, searching for a way to escape.
She found herself in the kitchen and grabbed a knife to use for protection. The intruder only approached her slowly, his gun pointed directly at her chest.
When he was close enough, she lunged, but he managed to barely miss the tip of the knife. Before Aimee could sprint past him toward safety, he grabbed the arm clutching her arm, bending back her wrist. She cried out in pain and angst.
He seemed to overpower her, but adrenaline surged through her and she swung her free arm, connecting with his temple. At the same time, the knife fell to the floor.
The intruder stumbled back, falling against the small kitchen
table.
Aimee didn’t hesitate. She ran.
Another soft pop seemed to vibrate in her ears and pain slapped the back of her leg. She fell face forward, her ears ringing from the impact.
“What do you want with me?” she whimpered as she turned to face him. She crawled backward, staring into the cut out of the mask, revealing his green eyes boring into hers.
“I want to make things right,” he told her.
“I-I can help,” she begged. “I can help you make it right. Let me help. Please.”
He said nothing more.
She watched in horror as he leveled the gun to her head, her eyes glued on the barrel of the gun.
Then another pop.
Blackness.
28
“IT ALL HAPPENED so fast,” Leon muttered, shaking his head. “I don’t really remember a lot. Everything comes to me in flashes. I tripped, and next thing I know, I’m here.”
“What’s the first thing you remember?” Shaun asked. “Take your time, Leon. We don’t want you to force it.”
He reached for the bandaged wrapped around his head and closed his eyes with a soft groan.
“Do you want me to get the doctor?” Aidan asked, stepping closer to the door.
“No,” Leon said. “I’m fine.”
He opened his eyes again and reached for his water on the table. After he took a sip, he set it back down.
“Ray, Rachel, and I snuck away from our class.”
“Do you remember why?” Aidan pressed.
“We were looking for something. It was a picture. It was the ‘treasure’ we were looking for.” He paused for a couple of seconds, then nodded. “I think I’m starting to remember. The scavenger hunt.”
“That’s right,” Shaun said, “You and your friends were on a scavenger hunt. It was Ray who received the email, right?”
“Yeah,” Leon said. “He thought it was interesting. We…we’d already found some of the items.”
“Do you remember anything about the picture?”
“It was a boy. He was young but older than me. Brown hair, I think.”
