But lately she found herself wanting there to be someone who couldn’t wait to find out how she was doing. Someone she couldn’t wait to talk to, who would be at the other end instantly answering her texts. Sitting next to Ryder Creed, she realized that being alone could sometimes feel terribly empty.

Creed interrupted her thoughts. “I shouldn’t have let Grace do the search today.”

Maggie glanced at him. He was sitting forward now, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together and anchored under his chin.

“You couldn’t have possibly known about the ravine.”

“No, but I did know that Grace wasn’t used to rocky terrain. It was dangerous. It was foolish.” He was staring straight ahead, looking down the hallway where they had watched the surgeon leave them.

Then he said, “Thanks for staying.”

It caught Maggie off guard. Before she could respond, he added, “For Grace, that is.”

CHAPTER 45

Maggie left Creed once Grace was out of surgery. Dr. Towle was pleased with how well everything went.

“No surprises,” she had told them. “Grace was a very lucky little dog.”

Then she explained the procedure she had gone through to put Grace’s left leg back together again. The cast would cover the entire leg. They wanted to keep her overnight, maybe tomorrow night, too. Creed wanted to see her immediately. Maggie took that opportunity to leave.

She had the rented SUV, since Tully had stayed with Lopez and his crew. Before checking in with Tully she found her way back to Noah Waters’s house. She parked along the curb opposite the split-level house. She punched in the phone number and watched through the Waterses’ front bay window. Though the sheer curtains were closed Maggie could see someone walk by to pick up the landline phone that Maggie remembered seeing on a bookcase in the corner.

“Hello?”

It was Noah’s mother.

“Mrs. Waters, this is Agent Maggie O’Dell. I met you earlier today.”

Silence. Of course, the woman remembered. She had spent a good deal of time staring darts at Maggie. She had complained when Maggie wouldn’t allow her to stay in the room while she interviewed her son.

“Mrs. Waters, I need to speak with Noah.”

“He’s not here,” she said quickly.

“He’s not allowed to leave your house, Mrs. Waters. If he’s not there, I’ll need to notify Detective Lopez and an arrest warrant will be issued.” She said this while she watched Mrs. Waters through the window waving her hands at someone in the room in an attempt to get him to stay quiet or leave.

Maggie got out of the SUV, crossed the street, and started up the sidewalk.

“He’s with his father. They’ll be right back,” she lied as Maggie rang the doorbell. “Oh, I have someone at the door, you’ll need to call back.” And she hung up.

When she answered the door the woman’s expression quickly changed from a smile to surprise and then anger. “That wasn’t very professional,” she scolded Maggie.

“And lying to a federal officer is a felony,” Maggie said as she saw Noah sitting on the edge of the sofa.

“You can’t just come in here whenever you want.”

“Would you rather I come back with an arrest warrant?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t let you—”

“You found him,” Noah interrupted, but he didn’t move from his seat.

“Oh, my God. You found Ethan? Is he okay?”

“He’s dead. Just like your son told us.”

“I’m calling your father, Noah.” And the woman was already heading back to the phone. “You shouldn’t talk to anyone without a lawyer.”

“It’s time you told me the truth, Noah,” Maggie said.

He looked over his shoulder at his mother, now talking on the phone in a hysterical tone. Noah stood, grabbed a jacket, and said to Maggie, “Can we take a walk? I haven’t been outside all day.”

CHAPTER 46

Noah couldn’t believe how calm he suddenly felt. Finding Ethan meant he hadn’t imagined that horrible night. It shouldn’t have made him feel better, and yet there was relief. He breathed in the crisp spring air. The sun had started to slip behind the ridge and the sky was already filled with streaks of pink and purple. With the sun went the warmth of the day and he shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets as he walked alongside the FBI agent.

She was shorter than him. The jeans she wore were soiled at the knees and he noticed some raw scrapes on her forearms where she had her shirtsleeves shoved up above her elbows. Her short hair was tousled, though it wasn’t windy. Despite the chill in the air, she didn’t appear cold at all. And here, right now like this, she appeared younger. Not as intimidating. She certainly didn’t look like an FBI agent.

He had questions for her but he wasn’t sure he wanted the answers. He knew she was waiting for him to speak first. They had walked a block before he realized he’d have to tell her something.

“It wasn’t us that was stranded,” he finally started. “We thought he was. He said his car wouldn’t start and his cell phone battery had died. He had his arm in a sling.”

And stupid Ethan rolled down the car window. We were so close to home.

“What did he look like?”

“It was dark. He wore a ball cap low over his eyes.” He knew he’d never forget those eyes, narrow set and black. They looked like they belonged to a wolf.

She was waiting for more. He’d never tell.

Can’t tell. Promised I wouldn’t tell.

“How tall was he?”

Noah shrugged like he couldn’t remember.

“As tall as you?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

He saw her push back a strand of her hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

“You’ve got to give me more than that, Noah.”

The tightness returned to his chest. What if the madman was watching his house? What if he was watching them right now? Did he know this woman was an FBI agent? No, there was no way he would think she’s anything more than a family friend.

“He had a knife hidden in the sling.” Noah’s eyes darted around and over his shoulder.

She glanced at him but didn’t say anything. He could feel his breathing change. That fight or flight panic kicking him in his gut.

“I ran.” He wiped his sleeve across his forehead. He was still chilly but sweating. “I left Ethan and I ran.”

“That’s it?”

That was it. That was all she was getting. Can’t tell. Don’t tell.

“I ran. I left him there with that madman.”

He took a gulp of fresh air. Let it out slowly. Their pace had slowed but they continued walking. His pulse was still racing. He was two or three steps ahead when he realized she had stopped.

“So how did you end up with Ethan’s blood on you?”

“I guess he must have cut Ethan.” He shook his head, wanting the images to stay away. He did not want to see the knife plunge in again. The blade slicing flesh. The sound of joints snapping. “There’s a lot that’s still blurry,” he lied and closed his eyes against the memories that came flooding back without control. There was nothing blurry about them, but with any luck, that’s what Agent O’Dell might think.

When he opened his eyes she was staring at him. She didn’t believe him and she didn’t care if he knew that she didn’t believe him. She waited for him to meet her eyes.

“I’m your best bet for catching this killer, Noah. And if I don’t, you have to know he’ll be back. He won’t give you a chance to run a second time.”

Then she turned and walked away from him. He watched her return to her SUV, never once glancing back at him.

CHAPTER 47