Page 144 of Shadows of Obsession

"We could just go door to door and knock to see who answers," Connor suggested, his tactical mind working through the options. "Did she say anything about being here with anyone? Family or someone else?"

"A boyfriend," I answered shortly, jaw clenched as I started the Jeep. The engine roared to life, and I turned the vehicle toward the cluster of cabins, hands steady on the wheel despite the chaos in my mind. "She said her boyfriend was still sleeping."

Boyfriend. It has to be Daniel.

"We could split up?" Connor proposed as we pulled up near the cabins and shut off the engine. We exited simultaneously, the doors slamming behind us with sounds that seemed too loud in the quiet night.

"Not a bad idea," I nodded, already scanning the cabins for any sign of which one might be hiding Anna. "You start at the far end; I'll start at the close end. We meet in the middle."

Fast but thorough. Check every cabin.

We parted ways, our footsteps crunching on the gravel as we approached the cabins from opposite ends. I made my way to the first cabin, the one closest to where we'd parked, nearest to the barn where Anna had been working.

As I drew nearer, I immediately noticed that all the curtains were pulled shut, every window blocked. That wasn't unusual for guests wanting privacy, but something about it felt wrong. Even with thecurtains closed, a faint light emanated from what looked like the living area, while the rest of the cabin appeared dim and lifeless.

Someone's awake. Or left a light on.

I stood silently outside the door, pressing my ear against the wood, straining to hear any sound from within. My breath sounded too loud in my own ears, my heartbeat a drum in my chest. But inside—nothing. Complete silence.

Why is it so quiet?

My eyes fell on the vehicle parked outside. A black SUV with Nevada plates that caught the moonlight. But it was the sticker on the back bumper that made my blood run cold, narrowing my vision to a single point of focus.

A moose. With the letters VT in the middle.

Vermont.

Anna was from Vermont, and so was Daniel. That had to be his car, even with Nevada plates. It was too much of a coincidence not to be.

It's him. Daniel. He's here. He has her.

Realization hit me like a physical blow, stealing the breath from my lungs and replacing it with ice-cold fury. Daniel had found her. Tracked her here to this place that was supposed to be safe, and he had her in that cabin.

Instantly, I crouched outside the door, my military training kicking in as I made myself a smaller target. My heart pounded in my chest as I reached up to try the handle, already knowing what I'd find.

Locked.

My mind raced, fingers fumbling through my pockets until I found my keys. I had a spare for each cabin; Anna had made sure I had them when I'd started helping with turnovers and maintenance. With trembling hands that I forced to steady, I sorted through the keys, the metal clinking softly in the quiet night, until I found the one with the matching cabin number etched into it.

Stargazer. Cabin three.

I needed my gun, needed to be prepared for whatever was on the other side of that door.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I made my way back to the Jeep as quietly as possible. My footsteps were controlled, purposeful,relying on years of training that had taught me how to move silently. I reached inside the center console, fingers closing around the familiar weight of the small revolver I always kept there.

The gun was loaded, I always kept it loaded, a habit from my Marine days that Anna had accepted without question. Its weight was both comforting and terrifying, a tool that could save Anna's life or end Daniel's, depending on what I found inside.

Slowly, I approached the cabin again, every sense heightened to maximum awareness. I could hear my own breathing, feel the slight breeze against my skin, smell the pine and earth, and a faint scent of cigarette smoke somewhere nearby. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to move faster, while my training insisted on caution.

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

I paused outside the door, heart hammering against my ribs hard enough to wonder if anyone inside could hear it. The revolver was clutched tightly in my right hand, finger resting alongside the trigger guard, not on the trigger yet. With my left hand, I carefully inserted the key into the lock.

One chance. You get one chance to do this right.

With one last deep breath, I turned the key slowly. The click of the lock disengaging sounded like a gunshot in the still night, echoing in my ears.

My mind raced with worst-case scenarios that churned my stomach and sent bile rising in my throat. What if I was too late? What if he'd already hurt her? What if she was—