Page 169 of Paranoid

She crossed the bridge and her headlights caught the reflection of taillights. Xander’s Jeep. Parked at the gate, which was ajar, the chain holding it closed snipped by bolt cutters that had been left in a tuft of grass.

Oh. Dear. God.

She pulled up behind the Jeep, which was all buttoned up. No one inside. The night was close, the smell of the river teasing her nostrils, a sense of foreboding in the air.

She speed dialed Cade.

And he picked up.

Thank God.

“This is Detective O’Meara,” Kayleigh answered.

Rachel’s heart sank. They were together? Cade and Kayleigh? She was answering his phone? In an instant Rachel imagined the two of them in bed, laughing and kissing, touching and . . . no, no, no. They were working together. That was all. And she didn’t have time for anything but finding her daughter. Again she glanced at the sinister complex supported by rotting piers.

“I want to speak to Cade.”

“He’s . . . not available.”

“And you have his phone?”

What the hell was going on?

“For the time being, yes. I know that Harper’s missing and I think I might know where she is.”

“She’s at the damned cannery. That’s what I’m trying to tell Cade. I want someone out here ASAP.”

“It’s more than that. She’s with Lucas Ryder and I think he’s the killer.” Kayleigh sounded breathless, worried. And Rachel heard the sound of air rushing past, as if Kayleigh was in a car, driving. Where the hell was Cade?

“Lucas? No. She’s here with Xander. His car is parked at the gate and they’ve broken in.”

“No, you’ve got it wrong. I’ve heard Harper’s voice mail to Cade. She recorded a conversation between her and Lucas Ryder.”

“Why the hell are you reading my husband’s—my ex-husband’s—texts and listening to his voice mail? Wait. Never mind. I don’t care and I don’t have time to talk about it. I’m going to find my daughter.”

“Rachel, wait for me, or for someone from the department to get there. He’s . . . he’s armed. Dangerous. Unhinged. Wait for me. I’m on my way. I’ve called for backup, so just wait. Don’t go into the cannery. I’ve got a deputy who will be there in three maybe four minutes and another one on the way.”

“My daughter’s in there. Cade’s daughter. There’s no waiting.”

Rachel clicked off, then saw the text that had come in while she was on the phone.

From the same anonymous number that had texted before. But this time the message was different and as she read it, Rachel’s heart turned to stone:

I lied. I don’t forgive you. And by the way, bitch, I’ve got your daughter.

Along with the chilling message was a picture of a very frightened Harper.

Her knees threatened to buckle. She stared at the picture a second, then gathered her strength. As she did she spied what looked like blood. Dark splotches staining the grass and gravel, catching what little light there was, leading inward to the cannery.

To hell with Kayleigh.

To hell with Cade.

She picked up the bolt cutters.

She was going in.

CHAPTER 39