Page 83 of Distress Signal

“And we will.”

So many people kept promising me that.

The sheriff.

Aspen.

And now Finn.

The sheriff’s department I didn’t put much trust in, truthfully.

Aspen was damn good at her job, and I knew she meant it when she’d told me we’d bring Lainey home.

But when Finn said it—hope sprouted in my chest for the first time since Lane had called to tell me about the body they found.

Besides me, he had the most on the line if Lainey didn’t come home.

Because without my sister, I would cease to exist.

And without me, there would never be anus.

I wanted that future with him so badly I could taste it, could almost see it like a mirage shimmering in front of me, slightly out of reach.

A future with Finn meant nothing if my sister wasn’t there too.

Finn left shortly after that,leaving me alone with nothing more than the noise in my brain—and the lingering unease I’d experienced when I got home after dinner. Somethingseemedwrong but I couldn’t put my finger onwhat.

With Finn gone, I walked through the house, turning on every light, peeking into every dark nook and cranny, ensuring myself there wasn’t someone lying in wait for me. Nothing appeared to have been moved or taken, but I still couldn’t shake the sense ofwrongness.

And when I finally allowed myself to crawl into bed, a heavy liquor bottle on the nightstand as a makeshift weapon, I wasn’t entirely able to relax. All night, I couldn’t help feeling like there were eyes on me. Every time I drifted off, I woke with a start and shot up in bed, certain someone had been standing in the corner of the room, watching me.

Finally, at the ass crack of dawn—no joke, the sun had barely crested the horizon—I dragged myself from between the sheets.

After dinner last night, Aspen had texted asking if I’d want to meet her today. Crew was on shift, so I was planning to go to their house, where we could talk about the case and execute the photography contract for the wedding.

Last night would’ve been the ideal time to drop the bomb on the Lawless boys that Aspen was helping me on the case, but when Aspen didn’t offer up that information, I kept my mouth shut as well.

As evidenced by the gross overreaction they had to the meresuggestionof Aria moving, those boys were overprotective as hell, and I didn’t have the energy to get into an argument with them about putting myself in danger.

I didn’tfeellike I was in danger.

After spending a few hours straightening the house, running some laundry, and responding to the work emails I’d let pile up in the time since I arrived in Dusk Valley, I had to get ready to meet Aspen.

Turning the shower as hot as I could physically stand, I stepped under the spray, a moan leaving me as the delicious heat pounded against my flesh and seeped into my weary bones.

I took my time, washing my hair then applying a deep-conditioning mask, exfoliating and shaving my legs. The self-care was much needed and, by the time I climbed out, my mood had perked up considerably.

The worst of the unease from the night before had dissipated, and I did my best to shake the remainder off, assuring myself I was safe here.

As long as Finn was around, no harm would come to me.

Except…all of my worst fears slammed back into me when I stepped in front of the vanity to go through my extensive skincare routine before getting dressed.

There, on the mirror, revealed by the steam from my shower, were three words. The edges of them blurred, dripping with condensation that, given the contents of the message, reminded me far too much of blood.

My blood ran cold as fear, a terror like I’d never known before, sluiced down my spine.

SEE YOU SOON