Page 165 of Paranoid

The bad feeling intensified. “What’s going on?” she demanded.

In the glow of the dashboard lights a tiny smile played across his lips.

She stated the obvious. “Xander’s phone is here.”

“He must’ve left it.” He just kept driving.

“He wouldn’t.”

He lifted a shoulder. “Oops.”

“‘Oops’? What does that mean?” He acted as if they were playing some kind of weird game. What a dick! Leaning against the passenger door, arms crossed over her chest, she glared at him. “Where is he?”

“Waiting,” Lucas said, toying with her.

Her eyes narrowed and she felt all of her senses go on high alert. Something was wrong here. Very wrong. “I don’t like this.”

No response.

“Take me home.”

“No can do.”

“What? Lucas, I mean it,” she said with more authority than she felt. “Take me home. Now!”

“And disappoint Xander?” He shook his head, blond hair shimmering oddly in the dash lights. “Don’t think so.”

She glanced through the windshield and saw that they’d left town and he’d slowed in the darkness, turning onto the long, pockmarked lane leading to the old fish-packing plant. It loomed in the distance, an aging behemoth settling onto old piers over the river. “Why are we here?” she asked, her anger dissolving into fear.

“Geez, Harper. What’s with all the questions? We’re here to meet Xander, just like I said.” Hands on the wheel, he slanted her a quick smile. Meant to be disarming.

It wasn’t. Something was up with Lucas. Something terrifying.

The Jeep bounced along the lane until they reached the chain-link fence sectioning off the riverfront part of the property. A sagging metal gate, rusting in places, was hanging open, the chain that usually secured it cut and dangling over a side post where a long-handled bolt cutter had been propped.

He’d broken in. To this evil

place where his father had died, at the hands of her mother.

“I don’t like this.” Dread was pumping through her bloodstream. Somehow Harper had to tell her mom where she was. Or her dad; that made more sense. He’d know what to do. She swallowed hard and though she was so scared she was nearly shaking she felt for her phone, sneaked a peek, and hit her father’s name on her contact list. The phone was still on silent mode so, hopefully, Lucas wouldn’t know what she was doing.

“But you will. Like it. Even love it. I promise.”

It was a lie. She knew it.

“You broke into the cannery?” she asked, giving away their location.

“I guess if you want to get technical. Well, yeah.”

“I’m not going in there, if that’s the idea,” she said, and pointed at the cannery. What the hell was this? She had to escape. Get away from him. Avoid that damned packing plant like the plague. This was wrong. All wrong.

But Xander? Where was he? In that menacing old building? Her stomach curdled at the thought.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” he was asking, cutting the engine.

“Where’s your sanity?” she threw back at him, then thought to use his name. “Lucas, this is nuts!”

“Don’t think so.” All joviality was gone. Now he was dead serious and she fought a rising sense of panic. She had to get away. Run. Think, Harper, think. He was a football star, remember? A runningback or something? He’s faster than you even though you ran long distance in track. You have to be smarter than he is.