Page 23 of Distress Signal

“Finn?”

Reagan’s voice stopped me, and I faced her once again.

“Yeah?”

“Will you come with me?” she asked quietly.

“Anywhere,” I answered without thinking. A moment later,what she was truly asking sank in: she wanted me to go with to identify her sister.

That didn’t change my response, and I extended my arm, reaching for her hand.

With zero hesitation, she accepted and laced our fingers together, leading me away.

seven

. . .

REAGAN

I recognizedSheriff Lawless the minute he arrived at the station and led me into that stark, too-bright interview room, but he obviously had no memory of me, and for that I was grateful.

The last thing I needed was reminders of that night, of his brother. Not when my mind and my entire life was already a fucking mess. Not when, once this horrific day was over, I’d have to go home and figure out how to move on with my life without Lainey at my side.

Adding Finn to the mix would only make things more complicated.

FinnLawless.

I hadn’t known his last name until the moment I laid eyes on the sheriff, and I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if he was around town, if he was still in the service, or if he was off somewhere else with a wife and a few kids by now.

Why did the idea of Finn having a family depress me so much?

“I’m sorry we had to meet like this,” the sheriff said as he took his seat across from me at the interview table.

“Actually, we’ve met before.”

He stilled, eyes slowly coming up to meet mine before darting all over my face, scanning what he could see of my body.

“I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember.”

I gave him a wry smile. “That’s okay,” I assured him. “It’s been a while. I spent most of that night with Finn anyway.”

“Holy fuck,” he cursed as recognition dawned. “You’rethatReagan?”

“Sure am.”

“Small fucking world.”

I choked on a laugh. “Sure is.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, it’s good to see you again. I wish it was under different circumstances.”

“Thanks,” I murmured, throat clogged with emotion. He gave me a few minutes to collect myself before I asked, “What can you tell me about…it?”

I couldn’t bring myself to sayher death. The reality hadn’t fully sunk in yet, and some deeply rooted, delusionally optimistic part of me hoped it wasn’t true.

“We found her in a fairly remote part of the ridge west of town. Almost at the Oregon border.”

I blinked in confusion. “Wait…you found her in the woods?”