Bait

by Samantha Keith

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode to it. Riley was in every picture. Her hairstyles varied in each one. In one, she had her blond hair in a bob, the other similar to how she wore it now, and in the last one she was a rich brunette. In the last picture, she cuddled a young boy on her lap. His eyebrows rose. Damn, even as a brunette she was sexy as hell. Her skin was brighter and the green of her eyes jumped through the glass.

  He plucked the frame from the dresser. “When were you a brunette?”

  A bra hung from her fingertips as she peeked around the closet door. His gaze landed on the inky black lace. Lust curled inside him. A flush crept up her cheekbones and she shoved the bra in the bag and dropped it to the floor.

  “That was a couple of years ago, with my nephew Cruz. The other picture is”—her breath sucked in—“where’s the other picture?” She stood on her tiptoes and lifted each frame as if another one would appear.

  “There was just three.” His senses went on high alert. “Is one missing?”

  Her eyes were wild, and her tongue jutted out to wet her lips. “Yes, the one of Hanna and me. It’s…it’s gone,” she rasped.

  He gripped her elbow and turned her to face him. Her hand rose to hover at her forehead, her breath came out it sharp puffs.

  “When did you last see it?”

  “I don’t remember. I’m sure I would have noticed it missing if it’d been gone since the break-in.”

  “All right. You need to look around and make sure nothing else is missing. The front and back doors were secure, so I need to check the windows.”

  Her chest rose and fell erratically. Terror flashed through her eyes, its sharp edges pierced yellow through her green irises. He ground his teeth. The cocksucker was going to pay. “Sit down for me, okay?” He backed her up to the bed and she sat. “I’m going to do a quick look around.”

  She nodded and dropped her face into her hands, her elbows on her knees. It took every will in Ethan’s body not to go to her. Not now. He checked the bedroom window first. They sat about five feet above ground level, which wouldn’t make it easy for someone to get in, but it sure as hell wouldn’t make it impossible either. His fingers traced the seal. It was locked. If someone got in through a window, they would have gone out the same way. They couldn’t lock the dead bolt on the doors behind them without a key. And with the new security system, there was no way they would have entered other than through a window.

  He moved away from the glass and crossed the room to the door, his gaze drifted to the closet. He stopped dead in his tracks.

  “Christ,” he breathed. He stalked to the closet, moved her bag from its spot on the floor, and stared up at the ceiling.

  “What is it?” Riley’s small voice shook from behind him. Anger shot through him. He went to the chair in the corner and carried it to the closet. “Ethan, you’re scaring me.”

  “I need you to be quiet for a minute. I’ll tell you in a second.”

  Her arms folded tightly across her chest and she sat back down heavily on the bed. He stepped up on the chair and stared at the small door above his head. Why the hell would there be an attic access? The floor above was a rented suite. It made no sense. The house was old, so it was possible it had been closed up ages ago on the other side. But if there was…

  His fingertips hovered on the thin, wooden square door. His breath came out slow and steady through his nose. If there was access on the other side, he had to be really quiet.

  He pressed up.

  “What the…?” Riley whispered. He didn’t turn away to look at her. The door didn’t budge. He pressed harder and still it didn’t give even a millimeter. The tension in his neck eased and he worked his jaw. No, it wasn’t likely the landlord could rent a suite with access like this between the two units going unnoticed. Hell, this would lead right into the floor above.

  “Ethan!” Riley’s shriek reverberated through his eardrums and tore through him. He jumped off the chair. She slammed into him as soon as his feet hit the ground. Her fingers clawed at him and her screams echoed through the house. His gaze zeroed in on the bed.

  “Shit.” His heart slammed in his chest. He shoved her behind him and leapt to the bed. His fingers closed over the head of a snake, stilling it before it could slither off the bed. Its tongue jutted out angrily, and its yellow-bellied tail whipped in warning. “Grab that pillowcase, honey. It’s okay, it’s a king snake. It’s not venomous, but hurry up.”

  She raced to the other side of the bed, pulled the pillow out, and handed him the case. She made her way behind him, keeping her distance. He lowered the snake’s tail into it, then dropped its head in, and wound the top into a tight knot. He dropped the snake on the bed, grabbed her shoulders, and crushed her to his chest. His fist tangled in her hair, pressing her face into his throat. Her shoulders shook violently, her hands knotted in the shirt at his abdomen.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I was sitting on the bed and felt something move against my leg.” Her voice shook. “I pulled back the covers, and it was there… It was in the bed,” she whispered against his neck.

  “I know, babe.”

  “Someone put it there.”

  “Yeah,” he ground out. And when Ethan found out who, the bastard wouldn’t live to breathe a word. Whoever was behind this had intended to scare the shit out of her. Every muscle in his body coiled as tight as a guitar string.

  She took a deep, shuddering breath, and released her hold on him. She pulled back, but didn’t move out of his arms.

  “How did you know what to do?” Her eyes, wide and clouded, swept over him. His fingers flexed on her back. With his free hand, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear that had come loose.

  “My cousin terrorized me with snakes when I was growing up. I either had to learn how to handle them or let him humiliate me.”

  Her eyebrows snapped down and her eyes darkened. “Nice cousin.”

  Ethan shrugged. “I got payback and he learned a lesson.”

  The snake let loose a low, angry hiss from the bed. It thrashed in the pillowcase. Her body tensed in his arms. “Let’s get out of here.” Her chin trembled, but she firmed her jaw, stopping it.

  “You got it.” He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and led her from the room. “Do you need anything else?”

  She shook her head wildly. “No. If I forgot something, I’ll buy it.”

  His tongue pressed to the inside of his cheek as he propelled her through the house and out the door. He hustled her across the lawn and toward his house.

  “Should we call someone about the—”

  “I’ll handle it, babe. I’ll call Joe. Just hang tight, I need to call someone else.” He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

  “Who?”

  “A friend. I’ve had enough of this shit.” His hand tightened on his phone. Enough was right. He should have done this a long time ago.

  Nate answered on the second ring. “What’s up, dude?”

  He opened the door and ushered Riley inside ahead of him. “Nate. I need a favor.”

  * * * *

  The FBI agent had to go. He was fucking everything up. Last night, she had almost been his for good. He’d been so close.

  Sweat rolled down the back of his neck as he tucked the framed picture into his briefcase. A thrill raced over him. He couldn’t wait to see Hanna’s reaction. He started the ignition on the Ford Focus he normally drove. It would be a long time before he could chance anyone repairing the damage to the Dodge. They must not have gotten his plate number, otherwise he’d have been arrested by now. He couldn’t let that happen. He was getting sloppy. Riley coming home was something he hadn’t been prepared for.

  Like Hanna, she had always been sweet and kind. Too sweet. The kind of sweet that showed complete disregard for who he was and the chemistry
between them. Hanna’s gentle, “I’m sorry, I don’t have feelings for you that way.” Echoed through him. Yet, she went out meeting random men when he was here, responsible and dependable. But she had those feelings for him now, he’d just had to show her. His fingers shook on a wave of desire. Now Riley would be his too. The two of them together, who would have thought he’d be so lucky? Anticipation throbbed through him.

  He pulled away from the curb and headed back to work. He couldn’t afford any strange behavior, and him being away for more than an hour was definitely out of character. He had to tread carefully and pray that no one remembered that he had two vehicles. As long as he laid low and kept to himself, he’d disappear. Just like he always had.

  Had they found the snake? From where he’d been parked he hadn’t been able to hear any screams. Anger swirled inside him. She was supposed to find that last night, but instead she’d stayed with her new boyfriend.

  He had to find a way to separate Riley from the FBI agent. Ethan had stepped in at the wrong time and with the wrong woman. When Riley went missing, Ethan had the big guns that could destroy everything. He had to make it look like an accident, but something happening to Ethan after last night would raise some eyebrows. He didn’t want to waste any more damn time, but he couldn’t get caught.

  Once Ethan was gone, everything would be perfect.

  Chapter 14

  The gentle breeze blew in through the Carolina porch screen. Riley tucked her hair behind her shoulder, and then dropped her fingers to smooth over the soft leather of Hanna’s journal. Ethan was inside, still talking on the phone.

  She closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders. If Ethan hadn’t been there when she’d found the snake, she would have lost her shit. The only thing that had kept her sane was his steady calm and the way he’d taken over. Willies raced over her skin, leaving raised goose bumps. She’d never be able to stay in that house again.

  She pushed all thoughts of the morning from her mind, tucked her feet under her, and cracked open the journal. She thumbed through the pages and pages of Hanna’s cursive writing that she’d already read. She had more than half the book left to read. Oh well, best to get started. The rough timber of Ethan’s voice drifted out of her thoughts as she sank into her best friend’s world.

  Stories from her work as a kindergarten teacher made her smile. Hanna had loved teaching. In this entry, she had mused about what birthday gift to get one of her students. She turned to the next one, but the smile faded from her lips as she read.

  I miss Riley so much. I’m kicking myself for encouraging her to move to Boston. It just isn’t the same without her, nothing is. We text here and there and have a monthly phone date, but its light-years away from seeing her every day. I won’t be able to make the surprise trip to Boston for her birthday anymore. Stupid car needed new brakes. Maybe I can convince her to come home.

  “You okay?”

  Her head shot up. The screen door closed softly behind Ethan, two glasses of lemonade occupied his hands. He sat the glasses on the patio table and sank down next to her. She dashed a tear away from the corner of her eye.

  “Find any other clues yet?” His arm slipped behind her shoulders, his fingers toyed with the bare skin of her arm. She rested her head back against his forearm and met his gaze.

  “There’s a lot of entries, I’m hoping to find something else that’s more helpful than the one creep at the bar.”

  “Do you want me to leave you alone?” His knuckles traced lazy circles over her shoulder, then down to her elbow and back up, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

  “No, I want you to stay.”

  “All right, maybe I’ll grab my tablet and work beside you, and if you find anything interesting let me know.” He pushed himself off the seat, and then disappeared into the house. She leaned forward, sipped the ice-cold lemonade, letting the sweet and sour liquid tickle her taste buds and run down her throat. Ethan returned a minute later and settled back beside her.

  The gentle inhale and exhale of his breath next to her while he worked gave her a feeling of calm. She returned to the entry and they sat in silence for well over an hour. Her eyes ached from scanning the pages, trying to read quickly but at the same time savoring every word. It was as if a small piece of Hanna had returned to her. She rested the book on her lap and rubbed her eyes.

  “Getting tired?”

  “No, it’s just a lot to take in.” A weight settled on her chest. This was all she had left of Hanna, and while she read, she could hear Hanna’s soft voice as if she were talking to her on one of their many phone calls. “I’m going to read one more entry and take a break. Maybe we can get something to eat?” Her stomach rumbled and Ethan grinned.

  “Absolutely.” He flicked his wrist to glance at his watch. “It’s going on five already. I’ll see what I have in the fridge, but we may have to run out or grab takeout if that’s okay with you.”

  “I’m good with anything.” His hand rested on her knee, and then he stood and entered the house. She lifted the book again and turned to the page she’d left off on. One more entry and she would give her mind a breather. The next one was short.

  Someone sent me a huge bouquet of red roses to work. They’re gorgeous, and I should be flattered…but I have no idea who could have sent them. The creepy guy from the bar a few weeks ago sticks out in my mind, but I’m almost positive I didn’t give him my last name. The card read, “You’re always on my mind. I can’t wait to see you again.” I’m starting to think there was some kind of mix up.

  Riley’s mouth went dry. She sat up straight and planted her feet on the floor, the journal on her lap. She scanned over the next entry, nothing unusual. Could it be a coincidence? No. Ethan had said he didn’t believe in coincidences. She turned the page again, and a small piece of paper slipped out and landed on her lap. Her breath caught and her heart thumped against her breastbone. Her fingers hovered over the worn, faded paper. She plucked it between her fingers and opened the tight fold.

  I need to see you. Meet me on the beach near the pier at nine p.m. tomorrow night. I’ll be waiting xo.

  Blood roared through her ears. She stood, but her knees shook beneath her. “Ethan,” she called. Her breath came out in sharp breaths. The writing was the same as the notes that had been left for her. This was it. They had something. The door swung open and Ethan stopped at her side, his eyes wide and fixed on her, their intensity burned her soul.

  “This fell out of her journal.” Her voice croaked over the words. He took the paper from her hands and read.

  “Sonofabitch,” he breathed.

  “It’s him. It has to be.”

  He set the paper on the table and turned back for the house. “Don’t touch that.” He returned a minute later with a small plastic bag and carefully eased the note into it. His eyes raked over her and his jaw clenched. He pulled her to his chest and pressed his lips against her hair.

  “We need to go through the rest of her journal. There could be more. Have you given this to Joe?”

  She swallowed over the raw ache in her throat and shook her head. Her hunger had vanished. “No. I know I should have, but he’ll confiscate it when I do. I just wanted to read it myself first.”

  Ethan grimaced in clear disagreement with her choice. Oh well. She couldn’t give away the journal without reading it first. If anyone should be dissecting Hanna’s journal it should be Riley. The police wouldn’t rush to go through all the entries, and they likely wouldn’t give it back to Riley either.

  “I’ll order something to eat and we’ll get through all of it, okay?”

  She pulled out of his arms and took a deep, shaky breath. “I feel so stupid. This whole time, Ethan…I could have had the answers a long time ago if I had—”

  “Shhh.” His palm gently kneaded the back of her neck, tension eased beneath his touch. “Don’t think like that. You also could have n
ot found it at all. Let’s not get our hopes up though, okay? But this is a damn good clue.”

  She took a deep, shaky breath. He was right. The note could very well be a dead end. She had to be prepared for that possibility.

  “Why don’t you keep reading and I’ll order a pizza? Any preference?”

  “Vegetarian is good for me, thanks.”

  “Perfect.” He disappeared inside the house and she sat back down on the patio sofa. Her eyes that had felt grainy before were now wide. Her heart beat steadily against her breastbone as she read the entry that had gone with the slip of paper.

  Now I’m getting a little freaked out. He wants to see me again? It’s possible this is the same person who sent the flowers, but I’m stumped. I’m debating on whether I should go to the police, but the note isn’t threatening, and it could very well be a harmless prank. If anything weird happens, I’m not taking any chances.

  She exhaled and lowered the journal. So even Hanna hadn’t had any inclination or suspicions. That wasn’t very reassuring. They needed a name. She flipped through the next few entries, but nothing else came up. Please god, don’t let this be a dead end.

  She made it through five more entries, and still nothing. Hope deflated in her chest like a popped balloon. Her throat tightened as grief bubbled up the back of her throat, its acidic taste threatened to gag her. Ethan’s gentle touch traced over her knee as she curled against him. He hadn’t touched his tablet since her last discovery.

  She turned the page, and another note slid out and onto Ethan’s lap. Her breath sucked in and she whipped her head to meet his’s gaze.

  “Don’t touch it.” He grabbed a napkin from beneath one of their glasses, and the plastic bag. Carefully, without touching it, he used both to open the fold.