Page 57 of The Hanging Dolls (Zoe Storm #1)

THE

“Well, I’m happy to report that you get a clean chit from me to resume your duty at the FBI.” Aiden signed a form with a flourish.

“Lucky me.” She threw her head back. The last couple hours had been painful to wade through.

“I hope we get to work again soon,” he said seriously.

Zoe’s eyes narrowed into slits as she mentally imagined how it would feel to peel his brain. “I hope not.”

He blinked, almost hurt. “Sorry?”

He’d snaked his way into getting her to like him, but it was only so he could psychoanalyze her, a trick to get her guard down, while she, like an idiot, thought they could be friends.

“Because I don’t trust you, Dr. Wesley.”

“Good morning, Harborwood!” Regina stood at the podium, looking and feeling radiant.

This was the moment she had been preparing for, the moment she was afraid of losing.

The moment she wished her father saw. “I want to begin by expressing how incredibly honored and grateful I am to serve as your new mayor. This town has been my home for many years, and I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure a brighter future for all of us.”

A round of applause, and cameras flashed. Regina basked in the glory of the compliments and the praise, shaking many hands and posing for several pictures.

“However, I know that recent events have cast a shadow over this victory. It has come to light that my former campaign manager was involved in criminal activities. This revelation has been deeply shocking and disappointing, not just to me, but to everyone who believed in our campaign.”

The room fell silent, the tension palpable as Regina addressed the scandal head-on.

“I want to make it clear that I had no knowledge of these actions. The trust you placed in me is something I take very seriously, and I understand that that trust has been shaken. But when I became aware of the situation, I did what was necessary. I cooperated fully with the police, providing them with the information they needed to bring this individual to justice. While this has been a difficult chapter, I believe it’s also an opportunity for us to come together as a community.

We must hold each other accountable, and I promise to lead with integrity and transparency.

Together, we can move forward and build a better future for our town. ”

Zoe’s stint at Harborwood PD was officially over.

She sat on a wooden bench at the docks, gazing into the endless blue ocean.

Boats of all sizes were moored along the piers, their masts swaying gently with the movement of the tide.

The sunlight danced on the water’s surface, creating a shimmering path.

She was going to miss this. That perpetual salty tang in the air, the scent of brine, and the sound of waves lapping against the shore.

Her hands were curled around a cup of strawberry milkshake.

The last time she’d had one was the day Scott died.

Now that she was leaving Harborwood behind her, it felt it was time for her to get reacquainted with her favorite drink.

She took a sip, relishing the sugary, fruity taste coating her tongue and that rich texture sliding down her food pipe.

A smile spread on her lips. Everything was going to be fine. Zoe didn’t have many things, but her superpower was her endless positivity. A renewable source that resided inside her.

Her phone rang. It was Simon.

“Hey,” she answered.

“Just wanted to check on you now that the case is over. When are you coming back?”

Zoe felt the key Keith had given her in her pocket. “I’m thinking of taking a few days off.”

“Zoe Storm is taking time off?” He chuckled. “Did the case impact that you much?”

“Yes.” A moment of honesty. “But it isn’t that. I just want to visit a few friends in Chicago.”

“Fair enough. We’ll survive without you.”

“You can try,” she sang-song.

“Another thing. You should know… Nancy and I are separating.”

Zoe’s breath hitched. A seagull’s cried echoed. A couple of fishermen called out to each other. “Why?”

“Things have been rough.” He sighed. “We’ll see it how it goes. Just wanted you to know. It’s not about you, though,” he added quickly, with a tinge of awkwardness.

“Okay.” What choice did Zoe have but to believe him? “Anyway, I’ll see you soon.”

“See you.”

Zoe hung up. She had never told him about Nancy confronting her. It felt unnecessary to get even more entangled in their drama when she was being dragged into it already. But she pushed the thought of Simon away. There was something more important waiting for her.

She was just unlocking the door to her room when Aiden staggered at the end of the hallway, dragging his luggage. “Hey. Heading back?”

“Yeah.” He pushed his glasses up. “I’m heading to San Diego for a friend’s wedding.”

“Sounds fun. What about your mattress?”

He laughed. “I’ve decided to donate it to the motel.” Then his eyes assessed her. “How are you doing, Storm?”

A shiver rolled through her. Although the case was now closed, it had been picking away at her insides. “It is what it is. Just move on to the next one.”

“That’s a good attitude. You have my number if you need to give me a call.”

“Sure. It wasn’t too bad working with you. And as much as I hate to admit it, we wouldn’t have been able to solve this without you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

She looked at her feet. “You were right about many things, two killers, unresolved childhood trauma. I think we make a good team.”

“I’m sorry, I’m not used to you being nice to me.” He frowned, humor dancing in his eyes.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m a rainbow, you’re the problem here. But still. It wasn’t too bad.”

“No, it wasn’t.” His eyes twinkled. “I’ll see you around.”

“Will you?”

“Absolutely.”

She watched his large frame grow smaller as he walked away and then disappeared around the corner. Despite that hot spurt of shame from Aiden coming so close to knowing her other side, a watery smile tugged on her lips.

She stumbled into her motel room, ready to pack up. She had a sore back—one thing she wasn’t going to miss was the soft mattress.

The room seemed unusually quiet, the kind of stillness that made her skin prickle. Zoe scanned the room, but her weariness made her dismiss the feeling of unease. She moved toward the bed, her hand reaching for the lamp to shed some light.

Before she could react, the closet door burst open behind her with a violent bang.

A figure surged forward from the shadows, a blur of motion that left her no time to prepare.

He struck her—his fist connecting squarely with the small of her back.

Zoe’s breath exploded out of her in a harsh gasp, the pain radiating through her torso like fire.

Instinctively, she tried to fight back. She spun round, aiming a sharp elbow to his midsection, but he anticipated her move. His hand shot out, grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully behind her back. She cried out, her body jerking as she struggled to break free.

He slammed her against the wall with a powerful shove, disorienting her. Her head hit the hard surface, and the room seemed to tilt. Before she could regain her footing, he drove his knee into her side, sending her crashing to the floor.

Her head exploded in pain as she hit the ground. Dazed, she tried to push herself up, but his heavy boot was already on her chest, pinning her down. She swung her legs, aiming a desperate kick at his shin, but he was faster and brought his fist down in a punishing blow to her stomach.

Zoe’s vision swam. The room spun as she fought to stay conscious.

Her mouth was flooded with the taste of metallic blood.

He searched her pockets and found Keith’s key.

She fumbled, trying to get a hold of it.

For a moment, she had it in her grasp—but he ripped it away with such force that it sliced her palm open.

Blood trickled out of her hand but her heart was bursting at the seams.

Not the key. Not that piece of her mother.

“No… please, no.”

He stood over her. “Stop looking into Rachel. Or Viper will have you killed too.”

Zoe lay on the floor, the side of her head pressed into the carpet. Her body felt like lead. Her vision blurred as she followed the shoes of the retreating figure making his way out of the room.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as she tried desperately to hold on, but the walls weren’t just closing in, they were blackening. The edges of her vision searing like burned paper. The door burst open again and this time Aiden ran in.

“Storm!” He crouched down, his worried face hovering over hers. “Storm! Stay with me!”

And then she catapulted into another nightmare.

She was running through the woods, the trees twisting and closing in around her, their branches clawing at her as she pushed forward. The air was thick with mist, making it hard to see, but she couldn’t stop. A young girl’s voice echoed through the darkness, pleading for help.

“Help! Please, help me!”

Zoe’s heart raced as she followed the voice, her feet barely touching the ground. The sound led her to a small clearing where an old, moss-covered well stood. The voice was coming from inside.

“I’m here! Please, help me!”

Zoe leaned over the edge, peering into the blackness below. She could just make out the faint outline of a small figure, huddled at the bottom, hidden in the shadows.

“I’m going to get you out,” Zoe called, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Please, hurry. I’m so scared,” the girl cried, her voice barely audible now.

Zoe reached out, but the darkness seemed endless, the well impossibly deep. She leaned further, straining to reach the girl, but suddenly the ground beneath her gave way. She felt herself falling, the world spinning as the darkness swallowed her whole.

“Emily!”

* * *

Were you totally gripped by The Hanging Dolls ? Then you’ll love the next unputdownable, twisty book in the Zoe Storm series, Run for Her Life .