Page 26

Twenty-five

WHAT WAS WRONG with him? Greyson noted the clock, again , and grunted out an exhale. He’d finished his extended workout and figured Riley would be done not long after him, so he opted for some more push-ups but still no Riley. Five more laps around the track and still no Riley. A half hour went by slow as molasses and still no Riley. Just a half hour and he was missing the woman beyond measure. This was bad. Extremely bad. He was becoming dependent on her—as she was on him in some ways. The two of them were bound with an invisible connection he couldn’t quite explain. But it was strong enough to crumble his guard and fill him with hope for a future that could never be.

Footsteps sounded on the hall’s tile floor. There was a bounce in the person’s gait . Riley .

She rounded the corner, and happiness swirled inside him. “How was your massage?”

“Great. How was your workout?”

“Good.” Though his heart rate kicked far higher in her presence than when he ran on the treadmill. “Ready to head to the room?”

She nodded.

They crossed back over the snow-packed path to their building, and Greyson held the outer door open. “After you.”

She smiled, stepping inside but waiting by the entrance. “Find anything exciting?” she whispered as she tugged his arm to lower his ear level with her mouth.

“Afraid not.”

She nodded, but her smile waned.

They’d hit another dead end with the locker key. Where between the retreat and Riley’s door had Kelly left it? And how could she put Riley in danger? It had come hard and fast, starting with the man outside her home. Frustration seared through him as a door shut down the passage. He shifted his gaze toward the sound.

Kevin strode forward, an odd expression on his face as if he’d just been caught stealing a cookie from the jar.

“Hi, Kevin,” Riley greeted him as he strode toward them, fast and focused on the door behind them. She tilted her head. “You giving an in-room lesson?” she asked, stepping between him and the exit.

“What?” He frowned, his brow furrowed, his stance rigid.

“I just assumed you were in here because you were giving a lesson. What other reason would you have for being in a guest’s room?” she asked with a smile—the one that emerged during a case when she was playing mental chess with a suspect.

“Right,” he said, glancing at his watch. “I need to get to my next lesson.” He wedged past Riley and exited the building.

Riley rested her hands on her hips, the yoga pants accentuating her curvy form.

He swallowed; his mouth dry.

“Shall we, honey?” she asked.

He blinked. “Wh—”

Another couple entered the building behind him.

“Of course, luv.” He reached for her hand and she slipped hers in his. Her touch soft and warm. What did it matter—it was just for show. He swallowed again. But it did matter—more and more as their concentrated time together went on.

After Riley greeted the couple, they strolled to their room hand in hand.

Entering, she left her hand in his, not even hinting at moving away. Warmth spread through him.

“I think I’m going to take a shower.”

“Sounds good.”

“Why don’t you join me?”

“Uh... what?” He’d misheard her. Surely, she didn’t mean ... “You ... I...” Great , Greyson , sputter like a fool .

“Yep. Come on, honey.” She pulled him with her.

What on earth was happening?

She tugged him into the bathroom and shut the door. Moving for the shower, she yanked back the curtain and turned the shower on. Water gushed then sprinkled out like heavy rain on pavement.

“What’s going on?” he asked as steam wafted in the small space. No way Riley was truly suggesting what she’d said.

She leaned close and whispered, “If I was a betting woman, I’d wager the door we heard Kevin shut was to our room.”

“Most likely.”

“I say we go through the room top to bottom. See if anything is out of place...”

“Or missing.” Their guns. He flung the bathroom door open and rushed for the safe. Punching in the numbers, he opened the heavy door. They certainly hadn’t cheaped out on their safe choice.

He streamed out a long breath, the tautness easing from his shoulders—gun and badges still in place.

Riley stepped to the dresser, opening the drawers. He strode to her side. The intent concentration on her face as she studied the contents deepened.

He followed her gaze and heat rushed up his neck and into his cheeks. Silk PJ shorts and tops, ladies’ garments...

She looked up at him, her eyes widening as she slammed the door shut. Her cheeks red as an apple, she sputtered. “I...”

He stepped away, indicating with outstretched hand that he’d search the clothes hanging in the closet.

An hour of meticulous searching later, they’d found nothing out of place or missing.

Grey dropped on the edge of the bed, wondering if Kevin was just that good at putting things back in place or if he’d been in the room for another reason. He surveyed the room, his gaze fixing on the vase and flower bouquet. Could it be...

Riley shot him a curious look as he stood and moved for the flower arrangement they’d received with breakfast. It was the only new thing in the room. Examining the crystal vase, he found nothing. Straightening, he eyed the flowers. Was it possible...?

He dipped his head and examined the flowers one by one and bingo. A small white chip was nestled in one of the daffodils. He waved Riley over and noted the bug. She straightened; her beautiful blue eyes wide as she fixed her gaze on him.

Gesturing to the bathroom, he led the way. Once inside, the room full with steam from the still-running shower, he shut the door.

Riley leaned against the marble vanity.

He stepped close to her, standing so near they were practically touching. He inhaled the scent of lavender and was that eucalyptus? Must be from her massage because those scents hadn’t been there earlier. But they smelled lovely just like her.

She waved her hand in front of his face.

He blinked. “Sorry. Was just running things through my mind.” She needn’t know what.

“Gotcha. Sooo,” she said, drawing out the word. “I learned a few things at the spa.”

“Oh?” He quirked a brow.

She shared everything—the fact that Jenny saw Kevin stalking around outside not long after the visitor to their window, and that a Jared Henshaw was gone the same morning Kelly left.

“That was a lot of information to get in thirty seconds,” he teased. It was an inside joke from a sitcom they watched, but it held true. That was a lot of information to get in a short period.

She took out her phone and started typing. “I’m asking Deck if he and Christian can go check this Jared guy out ASAP.” She stilled. “Do you think Jared could be the one Kelly is running from? I mean, they both were gone the same morning.”

He crossed his arms. “I’d say it’s fair to assume there’s most likely a tie between the two, and that’s one possible scenario. We need to dig deeper into the possibility.”

“Agreed.” Her phone vibrated. “Deck said they’ll head to Jared’s today. He lives in Red River.” She shifted against the vanity. “I’m curious why they bugged our room,” she whispered as the steam engulfed them.

“Maybe they know we’re looking for Kelly,” he said, the room warming by the second. “Maybe they’re worried.”

“Like they know what happened to her?”

“Maybe.” He leaned against the counter beside Riley and planted his hands on the vanity behind him. “Or maybe they figured out we’re PIs.”

“Either way it’s not good.”

“Agreed.”

She hopped up to sit on the vanity, her leg brushing his side as she got comfortable. He smiled.

Her lips quirked to the side, concern furrowing her brow. “I pray Kelly’s okay. That she got where she was going after she dropped the key off with me.”

“Oh!” she squeaked, her beautiful eyes widening.

“What?”

“It just hit me. What if the man I saw in the trees outside my house was Kevin? I mean, something isn’t right with the guy. Maybe Kelly was running from him until she dropped the key at my house. Deck said the first car he heard left by the back way. And the second car came several minutes later and then left from the front of the ranch. Maybe he lost her trail and came back here.”

Frustration with the danger Kelly had put Riley in reared again. “I pray he doesn’t know you have the key.”

“You and me both. But we can’t rule out this Jared character either. It’s extremely coincidental that they disappeared at the same time. And what if Julie lied about Kelly leaving of her own accord?” The questions kept coming and he couldn’t help but smile.

When she paused to take a breath, he cut in. “Everyone here seems to cover multiple positions—Alvin, Kevin, et cetera. I thought it was simply because it’s a smaller staff and they rotated, but what if Jared’s job shifted to something far more sinister?”

Riley fanned herself, perspiration dotting her brow. “Interesting... We’ll need Deck and Christian to dig deep on this guy.”

He nodded, fighting the urge to pull his shirt off. It suctioned to his skin, the moisture-wicking fabric no longer doing its job against the onslaught of steam. He tried to ignore it, but to no use. It was no different from her seeing him in a bathing suit. Reaching his hand to the back collar of his shirt, he pulled it up over his head and slipped it off. “The heat was just too much,” he said, flinging the shirt over his shoulder.

Red flushed Riley’s cheeks. She stared at him, then cast her gaze to the side, clearing her throat.

He narrowed his eyes. Was she blushing because of him? Nah. She didn’t look at him like that. Well, not normally, but she had been since they’d arrived at the retreat. But that was all for show, wasn’t it? But no one was around to see it now.

“So...” Riley cleared the squeak from her voice. “What should we do next?”

Her close proximity warmed him more than the steaming shower, but he focused to keep his voice neutral despite the fast-paced feelings rumbling through him. “We pretend all is normal while we’re in the room, or they’ll know we found the bug and are on to them.”

“And then what?”

“We dig deeper on the staff.”

“Good idea, but that’ll have to wait until we get back.”

“Back from?”

“We’re going to the hot springs.”

Given the temperature of the shower steam and the unspoken heat radiating between him and Riley, he’d say they were already there.

A couple hours later, she and Greyson strolled down the empty passageway of the guest quarters. Not a soul around.

Riley studied him, hard.

“What?” he asked, one brow quirked.

“I’m curious,” she began.

“Shocking.” He grinned.

She smirked but continued. “I’m just wondering how it feels being back in the field after so many years away? You seem to really love it.”

“I do, but...”

“But Cassie,” she said with solemnness.

“And more.”

“That’s what you said.” Her nose crinkled like it did when she was thinking hard. Her face blanched. “Oh...” She bit her bottom lip. “Never mind. Sorry I asked.”

No doubt she’d just put the timing together.

“David wasn’t the only reason I left the field,” he said, holding the outer door open for her. Wind swirled the flying snow in wisps.

“Was it the combination of his death and Cassie’s timing wise?”

“Yes.” He nodded once. “But...”

“You don’t have to share if you don’t want to,” she said as they caught sight of the shuttle waiting at the far end of the property, just outside the rear gate. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed.”

“It’s okay. To be fully honest, there’s one more reason, but now’s not the time.” He gestured to Kevin waving them over from the far end of the retreat center. All the other guests appeared to be on board the shuttle. No wonder the place was empty.

“Okay. You tell me when you’re ready. If you want to.”

Shockingly, he did want to. It was the one secret he’d never shared with anyone, but something inside whispered for him to share with her.

But can I really do that , Lord?

It’ll bring healing you so desperately long for .

I don’t deserve healing. I let them down. I failed them. It’s on me.

Stop carrying what isn’t yours and watch your back. Evil is coming your way.