Page 97 of Deception

Olive and Jason hunched low and hurried toward the house.

Last time she was here, it had been getting dark.

Right now, the sun bore down on them. Even though it was only April, it was at least eighty degrees out—if not hotter. Olive was wearing a turtleneck, mostly to conceal her neck.

Now, as sweat dripped down her spine, the clothing choice seemed like a terrible idea.

She and Jason reached the side of the house and stayed beside each other. There, Olive raised a finger over her lips, motioning for Jason to remain still. Yet he already seemed to read her mind, to be operating in sync with her as he nodded.

Then they listened. Olive hoped to hear an engine or voices or the hum of electronics.

She heard nothing.

How strange.

She nodded, indicating to Jason to follow her.

They headed to the other side of the house. At the corner, she paused and peered around the edge.

“Anything?” Jason whispered.

Her jaw tightened as she said, “There’s no car here.”

“That’s weird.”

Her thoughts exactly. “I’m going to walk the rest of the perimeter, just to be certain.”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

The two of them continued around the house, each step taken with caution—just to be safe.

But there was nothing to indicate someone had been here.

Something was going on at this shack. Olive just wasn’t sure what. But she needed to figure it out.

They paused in front of the house, and Jason asked, “Should we go inside?”

Olive remembered when she’d gone inside earlier. She’d been thorough and didn’t feel the need to look further.

“I’ve already been inside, and I didn’t see anything.” She paused. “Plus, the floor isn’t stable. I may or may not have fallen through.”

“Ouch.”

She rubbed her rib where the boards had scraped her. “Tell me about it.”

Jason blew out a breath. “If the inside is clear, then I have no idea what could be going on here.”

Olive frowned and glanced around one more time. “Me neither.”

Back in the car, Olive settled into the front seat as they gave Nova the update.

She looked just as perplexed as they did. “This case just keeps getting stranger and stranger.”

“You can say that again.” Olive frowned as the words left her lips.

Nova’s phone rang, and she glanced at the screen. Her voice rose with excitement as she said, “It’s Miranda, Matt’s first wife. I left her a message, and she’s actually calling me back.”

Olive’s breath caught. “Answer and put it on speaker.”