Page 54 of Distress Signal

“That’s not…I’m not looking for a relationship. I just want Lainey back.”

I couldn’t live my life—could barely breathe properly—until she was home safe.

Aspen nodded in understanding. “I had a sister, so I get it.”

“Had?”

“She died in a fire when I was sixteen.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry.”

Waving me off, she said, “I’ve spent a lot of time in therapy coming to terms with it. I miss her every day. It’s an ache that never fully goes away, you know?”

I nodded, rubbing my chest, the spot right over my heart reserved entirely for my sister. “I know.”

“Tell me about her.”

Before I could, Bonnie returned, and I quickly glanced at the menu, selecting a club sandwich with sweet potato fries on the side and a water to drink. Aspen ordered the same, and Bonnie disappeared again.

Then, I launched into tales of Lainey.

I told her everything good about my sister: her fearlessness, her free spirit, her talent for capturing the heart and soul of anysubject she photographed, whether person, place, or thing. Her sharp wit, the way she devoured mystery novels like they were candy.

How she was my best friend, and how badly I missed her.

“I know that feeling well,” she admitted. “It’s been, hell…almost twenty years since Lola died, and she was six years older than me, but we were inseparable. It’s like losing a limb, you know?”

I nodded. “She’s my twin, so I feel like half of my soul is gone.”

Aspen reached out and patted my hand. “I hope she comes home safely.”

“Me too.”

“Where are they at with the investigation? You just met with Lane, right?”

Snorting, I said, “Yeah, that wentgreat.” I shot her a little sarcastic thumbs up.

“Oh no.”

“Oh, yes. He essentially accused me of being the reason she’s missing because I never reported it. They lost the benefit of thefirst forty-eight.”

“I never understood that. I mean, I get it from the standpoint that you’re more likely to locate an MP”—I took the abbreviation to meanmissing person—“when the leads are still hot and fresh, but protocol also dictates waiting twenty-four hours before they’ll even file the missing person’s report?” She looked at me then, as if searching my face for something. “Why didn’t you file a report?”

“My sister can be a bit of a wild card,” I admitted. “I’m the more level-headed, even keeled twin.”

“Like Finn and West.”

I frowned. “Which is which?”

“Finn is like you,” she said with a smile, though she didn’t elaborate.

That explained why we got along so well, I thought. The old adage was that opposites attract, but I never put much stock in that. Troy was as different from me as you could get, and our relationship had crashed and burned spectacularly.

“He’s the older of them, isn’t he?” She nodded. “Me too. Anyway,” I continued, steering us back on track, “she has a habit of going off the grid without warning. We’re both photographers, and while I love photographingpeople, Lainey especially loves photographingplaces. Especially remote, hidden gems. She loves hiking and being in nature. I even bought her a satellite phone for our birthday about five years ago so she had some way to call for help if she needed it.” Pausing, I inhaled deeply, pressing down on the emotion welling, threatening to pull me under. My vision blurred as moisture welled.

“Why was she here?”

“On a job. We trade off on travel,” I said, diving into a succinct explanation of how our business worked. “It was supposed to be my turn, but I came down with the flu, so she came in my place.