candy, pens, markers, even a few stray tubes of lip gloss. Several other items from her car were in the box as well—an umbrella, her Bible and a small satchel of paperwork, even her ring of keys. But where was her—
“Is that everything, Paige?”
Paige snapped her head up at Brett’s question. “My phone. It’s missing.”
They both turned to look at the young woman behind the front desk, her name tag reading Lisa.
“Everything was removed from the car,” Lisa said. “The wrecker brought it in early this morning and everything left of it has been stripped. The seats, carpet, even the dash is gone.”
“Gone?”
“Anything that can be salvaged is taken out. Then everything else goes to scrap. You’re fortunate we found what we did.”
Paige’s heart sank. The one thing she needed was gone.
“It shouldn’t be too hard to get a replacement phone,” Brett said.
Except her notes and the numbers for friends and family of Madison’s that she wanted to contact were on that phone.
“Please sign this form, acknowledging receipt of your belongings,” Lisa said, handing her a clipboard.
Paige scribbled her name on the line marked with an X, then started gathering her things, stuffing them back in her bag. Memories flashed in her head, errant bits and pieces of the night before—the storm, the truck, her Jeep tumbling down into the ravine. Just as quickly her thoughts switched to her brother, locked behind bars for a crime he’d never commit. Her mind fixed on that reality.
She wasn’t going to let the loss of her vehicle or a cell phone stop her from uncovering the truth. Lord willing.
Later that day, sometime after three, she walked out of the phone store, her new cell phone tucked in her purse. She stepped through the arched portals of the Blue Ridge Marketplace, an outdoor shopping area of home-style restaurants and retail shops.
The anxiety-ridden adrenaline of the last twenty-four hours finally started to subside. Paige drew in a deep breath and let it out as she worked on getting her thoughts in order.
Ever since she could remember, her brother had been her protector. Their single mom took off when they were young, and although they were left in their grandmother’s care, it was Trey who watched over her. Growing up, he made sure she had what she needed and never wanted her to worry about anything.
Even now with his freedom hanging in the balance, he wanted to protect her, which was why he’d tried to distance her from his case.
Paige, I don’t want you to put your life and career on hold for me. Trey’s oft repeated words rang in her head. She was twenty-eight, not a little girl anymore, and a counselor. Caring for others was her job. And who better to care for her brother?
Despite her brother’s attempt to shield her from his troubles, she refused to sit by any longer. After months of constant badgering, Trey finally broke during her last visit with him and answered questions about Madison, her friends and family.
Although Trey and Madison had been married nearly a year, Paige never really knew her sister-in-law well. Madison stayed somewhat elusive when it came to Trey’s family and friends. In fact she quickly pulled Trey into her world. A world built around her mother, brother and the family business.
Paige couldn’t stop the surge in her heartbeat when she thought about how distant her brother had become after he got involved with Madison. If it hadn’t been for Seth’s love and support—
Whoa! Enough. Paige stomped down those thoughts and hurried along the sidewalk. She had a job to do and no time to waste wallowing in the past. Tomorrow would be here before she knew it, and she had more important things to think about than Seth—like figuring out who’d killed Madison.
She entered the parking deck and traversed the enclosed flight of switchback stairs that led to the fifth floor, where her rental car was parked. Two years earlier, city officials granted approval for this midtown shopping complex to be built. After months of delays, construction finally began just about the time she was leaving.
So much had changed in the ten months she’d been gone. Her picturesque little mountain town was moving up in the world.
Without her.
A wave of sadness swelled inside her. Paige shook it away and continued up the narrow stairs. As she approached the third-floor landing, her feet faltered, stopped cold by a thunderous metallic clank, which reverberated from several floors below her.
Paige grabbed the handrail.
A moment later, heavy footfalls sounded, reining in her panic. She heaved a silent sigh of relief. A door slamming. It was just someone heading to their car.
Stop being so edgy, she ordered herself.
Yesterday’s storm and all the chaos that followed still had her on edge. She took a deep breath and willed herself to relax. She started back up the steps but didn’t get far before a faint, muffled voice echoed up the stairwell.
Heart tripping, Paige strained her ear to listen.
A long second ticked by. Then she heard it again, a voice reverberating off the concrete walls and up through the stairwell. It sounded like her name.
Fear slashed through Paige. Once again, her mind flashed to the accident the night before. Would someone be so brazen as to come after her in broad daylight? In a busy shopping area?
At the thought, her pulse ratcheted higher. She didn’t plan to wait around and see. She hurtled up the stairs to the next landing but halted as another thought sprang to life. What if it wasn’t her name she’d heard but a cry for help?
Before she let fear seep back in, Paige spun around and grabbed hold of the railing. “Hello? Is everything okay?” she called out, pitching her voice to carry through the stairwell.
In the silence that followed her ear picked up a deep raspy breath. A longer pause and then thump, thump, thump. Pounding footsteps, emulating the deep thrum of her own heartbeat.
Fresh panic spiraled through her as Seth’s words raced through her head: Don’t wait until something goes wrong. If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, get out of there.
When would she learn? Yesterday, she’d wasted too much time analyzing the situation and she’d ended up in a ravine.
Lord, help me. Paige zigged and zagged up two more flights as footsteps pounded from behind her. Her shoulder bag banged into her side, spurring her on. Out of breath, she hit the fifth-floor landing and flung open the door.
Whack! The sound echoed as the metal door met resistance, followed by, “Hey! Watch it.”
A surge of surprise jumbled with relief swept over Paige at the sound of the deep, rich baritone voice. But when the man stepped around the door, her knees weakened at the sight of him. Seth Garrison.
* * *
More and more Seth wished he’d just stayed out of town. Even better, he wished Paige had stayed in Durham. They hadn’t seen
