Lost Love Cove (Sunset Keys #5)

Chapter 1

CARRIE

Carrie stood frozen in the middle of Lori’s living room, her hand pressed against the arm of the chair as if she needed the grounding. Her heart thudded so loudly that she could hear the rush of blood in her ears. What had just happened?

Her son. Her own son had walked out of this house with Ian Marshall.

Without a word of warning. Without explanation.

She replayed the scene in her mind again and again, hoping she had misread it, but the memory didn’t change.

Ian had slipped something into her palm as he left, and Trent—Trent of all people—had gone with him or taken him.

It felt like betrayal. The kind that cut so deep it burned.

Andy’s voice jolted her back. He had his phone to his ear, his face pale under the hard set of his jaw. He said very little, just a handful of clipped yeses, his tone clipped and careful. When he hung up, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

“My captain wants me back at the station,” Andy said.

Carrie blinked. That was it? That was all he was going to give her? “What about Trent? What about Ian? Did your captain say anything about my son walking out of here with a man who was supposed to be under questioning?”

Andy’s eyes softened with regret, but his shoulders stayed stiff. “I’m sorry, Carrie. I’ve been instructed not to discuss that with anyone.”

The words hit her like ice water. “Not to discuss it?”

He gave a helpless little shrug. “I’ve also been advised to ask you and Matt to back off investigating any further. Someone will be in contact with Matt and Mrs. Carlton about their properties.”

Carrie stared at him. Back off? Did they think she could just set aside the fact that her family had been dragged into this mess, that her granddaughter had been kidnapped, and now her son had vanished with a man who might be involved with Dick Stanstead?

“What?” she breathed. “That’s absurd. We’re in the middle of this whether we want to be or not.”

Andy’s phone bleeped, and his gaze darted to the screen. “I’m sorry, Carrie. Captain’s orders.” He stumbled over his own words, as if he didn’t like them any more than she did. “Thank you for your hospitality during the storm.”

Carrie opened her mouth to argue, but he was already moving to the door.

“Hey!” Alisha’s voice cut sharply across the room, making Carrie jump.

She’d been so caught up in her own spinning thoughts that Carrie had almost forgotten Alisha was there.

“Wait a minute!” Alisha’s voice brooked no argument. She looked furious, her eyes flashing.

But before Alisha could storm after Andy, Carrie caught her by the arm. “No.” She kept her voice firm, though her insides were in shreds. “Let him go. He won’t tell us anything.”

“There’s something really fishy going on here.” Alisha swung toward her, eyes narrowing. “Do you know where your son works? Because I can tell you, I’ve been to one of his ‘operation sites.’ And having consulted for the Bureau, I can honestly say it didn’t look like any FBI site I’ve ever seen.”

Carrie stiffened. The way Alisha said it, full of certainty, rattled her. But instinct rose to her defense. “Then he must have taken you to another agency’s site to keep you safe from the storm. Somewhere with the resources to find Maggie and Cody.”

Even as she said it, doubt crept in.

Alisha’s expression softened. Her shoulders slumped a little, and she let out a long sigh. “Maybe. I’m sorry. It’s been a long day and night.”

Carrie forced a smile. “Yes, it has. Emotions and tensions are bound to be high after the last twenty-four hours.”

Alisha rubbed her forehead. “I’ll go check on the kids. Let me know if you hear anything from Trent—”

Carrie caught the pause, the flicker of hesitation, before Alisha added quickly, “So I can keep my father updated on the property situation.”

Carrie raised her brows but said nothing. She’d seen the spark between her son and this woman. She had thought at first it was her imagination, but now she was sure it wasn’t. The spark was real, even if they were both too suspicious and worn down to admit it.

Still, a sharper thought needled its way through: she had known Trent his entire life, and now she was beginning to realize she might not know him at all.

Alisha left the room, and the sound of the door shutting behind her echoed through the quiet house.

Carrie reached into her pocket, her fingers brushing the folded square of paper Ian had slipped to her. She pulled it free, her breath hitching as she unfolded it.

Carrie

I’m sorry I had to break into Lori’s house.

I think Dick has my wife and son. There are documents and a disk that Trevor hid in the main bedroom.

Find your son Trent. He was the one who helped Lori and Trevor when they needed someone to look into things for them.

Trevor got a tracker from Trent and put it in this box.

I will activate it once I’m off the island.

—Ian

Carrie sank into the nearest chair, the note trembling between her fingers. Ian had written this before leaving with Trent. He must have planned to leave it behind for her to find.

But what cut deeper than anything else was the line about Trent. He was the one who helped Lori and Trevor when they needed someone to look into things for them.

Her throat tightened. It wasn’t a private investigator Lori had hired to look into Trevor’s suspicions. It had been Trent.

Her own son.

Neither Lori nor Trent had told her.

The betrayal stung like salt in an open wound.

Carrie pressed the note flat on her lap, her chest heaving as waves of anger and confusion tangled inside her. She wanted to trust Trent. She wanted to believe in him. But why hadn’t he told her? Why had he hidden it, not only from her but from the entire family?

And why, of all things, would he walk out with Ian now?

Her gaze drifted up toward the stairs. The main bedroom. That was where Ian had said Trevor hid the documents and the disk. If Ian was right, Trent would know exactly where to look.

She rose on unsteady legs and went upstairs, her mind spinning. The bedroom she had been using during her stay looked exactly as it had the night before, except for the faint disturbance of furniture shifted and floorboards pried up. Ian had already been here, searching.

Carrie touched the dresser for balance. Her head ached with the weight of betrayal and fear.

A sharp ringing broke through her thoughts. She fumbled for her phone.

The screen showed Tessa.

Carrie closed her eyes and drew a steadying breath before answering. “Hello, sweetheart.”

“Mom!” Tessa’s voice spilled over the line, high and strained. “Good grief, I’ve been beside myself. I’ve been trying your number, Maggie’s number, Lori’s landline—none of you have answered!”

“There was a storm—”

“I know there was a storm,” Tessa cut her off.

“But are you all right? Is Maggie all right? You know how she hates storms. And what is this about her getting tense when someone mentioned her father? Maggie never mentions her father. And who is Matt? Lori told me he’s her neighbor, that he bought the Winters’ house next to hers.

What kind of trouble is he in, buying a property he thought was an outright sale, only to find out it’s a land lease? ”

Carrie pulled the phone from her ear for a second, dizzy from the rush of words. Tessa had always been like this when she was anxious—talking a mile a minute, barely breathing between questions.

Carrie braced herself. She knew what she had to tell her daughter would change everything.

“Tessa,” Carrie said gently. “First, Maggie and I are fine.” She paused, steadying her voice. “The storm passed with minimal damage. We are safe.”

“What about Matt?” Tessa pressed. “Lori told me he bought the Winters house. She said something about probate and a land lease. I want to see every document he has. We’ll arrange a video call with all of us, and I mean all of us.”

“I’ll ask Matt to gather his file,” Carrie said. “We can set up a call.”

There was no graceful way to soften the next part. Carrie drew in a breath that felt too tight. “Sweetheart, there is something I need to tell you, and I need you to stay calm.”

“Mom,” Tessa said, and the single word came out thin. “What happened?”

“Maggie and Cody were taken for a short time,” Carrie said. “They were rescued quickly and they’re safe. They were brave. A woman named Paula helped them. They’re here now.”

Silence fell so completely that Carrie heard her own pulse.

“I’ll be on the next flight,” Tessa said. “Get Maggie ready. She’s coming home with me.” The line clicked dead.

Carrie lowered the phone and stared at the black screen.

She had known Tessa would react like that.

Maggie was the center of her daughter’s life.

Tessa trusted only two people to care for her the way she would.

Carrie and Trent. Some days not even Connor, Carrie’s ex-husband, made the list. Carrie’s heart pinched at the thought that she might soon be counted among the supervised.

A burst of barking and running feet rose outside. The front door banged against the wall. Maggie and Cody and both dogs tumbled into the entry in a bright rush of energy. Their cheeks were pink from the wind. Sand clung to their shoes.

“Gran,” Maggie said, breathless with excitement. “Can I go with Matt and Alisha to help with the beach clean up? There is seaweed everywhere. People are out with bags. We can help.”

Carrie’s first impulse was yes. Her second was the cold echo of Tessa’s voice. She swallowed. “No, honey. Not today.”

Maggie’s face fell. “But I want to help. We’re fine.”

“I know you are,” Carrie said, forcing herself to hold that steady line. “Your mother is already on her way. She won’t like you going out again after what happened.”

Maggie’s eyes narrowed. “So this is because of yesterday. We’re safe now.”

Matt and Alisha stepped in behind the children, salt air curling in with them. Matt read the room in a glance. He set a calming hand on Maggie’s shoulder.