Page 60 of The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

He makes a face. “We used it, of course, but it’s tricky.”

“Because you’d be searching for a body, and even that’s tough to find at the bottom, before it bloats and rises.”

He glances up sharply in surprise.

“I looked it up when you said you were using sonar,” I say.

He nods. Then he squints into the setting sun. “I wish I had more to tell you.”

“I understand.”

The sounds of tires on the dirt road has us all looking south. Ben’s old pickup appears, rolling along. It passes us, and stops about fifty feet away, close to the shore.

As we watch, Ben gets out. He doesn’t even acknowledge us. Just takes a tent bag from the pickup bed and tosses it down near my bonfire spot.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Smits calls.

“Setting up camp.”

“Should have done that last night. Little late now.”

I see Ben’s jaw tense, but he only starts unzipping the tent bag.

“You don’t need to do that, Ben,” Josie calls as she heads toward him. “I’ll stay with Sam.”

“No one needs to stay with Sam,” I say.

“Yeah.” Ben meets my gaze. “Someone does.”

I flinch at that look. I’d thought he meant he was making sure I was safe tonight. But he didn’t say that, did he?

Keeping an eye on me. Ensuring I don’t test that exception Ms. Jimenez mentioned? Fire a few shots from Gail’s gun and claim I narrowly avoided death?

“I will stay,” Josie says firmly.

Her father shifts, his gaze cutting to her in a way that says he understands, as her boss, but as her father, he really doesn’t want her here.

I agree.

I don’t know what happened last night. My brain has been working overtime to shut down every wild imagining. But I do know I don’t want Josie here. I don’t want anyone here. I’ve already endangered Gail, might have gotten her—

I take a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.”

“I’m staying,” Ben says. “You saw a man in the shed. Someone has been leaving mutilated dead animals on your doorstep. And now your aunt’s disappearance is just a tragic accident? Can someone tell me why it’s the damned caretaker—not the local cops—who has a problem with that explanation?”

“Of course we’re concerned,” Josie snaps. “Why do you think I’m staying? For a girls’ night in?”

He meets her gaze. “Yeah, kinda.”

She rocks forward, but he raises his hand. “I’m not insulting you, Smits. I’m saying you and Sam are obviously chummy, and that might relax your guard. I don’t have that problem. Also, if someone targeted Sam and her aunt, they might see a twenty-year-old girl—even a cop—as another potential victim.”

“I’m twenty-three,asshole.”

“Already? Huh.” He shakes out the pop-up tent. “Point still stands. You really want your daughter here, Sheriff?”

Smits clears his throat. “I would advise you to come home, Josie, and let Ben handle the night shift so you can put in the day shift tomorrow.”

“I really don’t need—” I begin.