Chapter Thirty-seven
The wooded trail stretched ahead of them, winding through the towering pines. The late morning sunlight filtered through the branches, dappling the dirt path with shifting patches of gold. Audrey inhaled deeply, the crisp scent of pine and salt from the distant cove filling her lungs.
“Beautiful morning,” Isabella said, adjusting the straps on her backpack.
“Perfect hiking weather,” Audrey agreed.
They had been walking for a while, their boots crunching over fallen leaves, when Isabella hesitated before speaking again. “You know, your mother asked me to come along with you today.”
Audrey snapped her head toward her. “What?”
Isabella gave her a sheepish look. “She’s worried about you. Ever since your grandmother got that note … well, let’s just say she’s not keen on you wandering around alone these days.”
Audrey let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course. I should have known. She still thinks of me as a kid.”
“Cut her some slack,” Isabella said, nudging her with an elbow. “It’s not every day your family gets a ransom-style death threat.”
Audrey crossed her arms. “It’s just frustrating. She never stops worrying. I mean, I get it—she’s a cop, it’s her job to be paranoid—but come on. I can take care of myself.”
Isabella smirked. “Can you, though? I seem to recall someone face planting into a tide pool last summer.”
Audrey groaned. “That was one time.”
Isabella chuckled, shaking her head.
They walked in comfortable silence for a while before Isabella changed the subject. “So … I got a question for you.”
Audrey glanced at her, curious. “Shoot.”
Isabella paused, as if gathering courage, and then spoke. “Would you mind if I went out with Mason?”
Audrey nearly tripped. “What? Mason, as in my mother’s deputy, Mason?”
“There aren’t that many Masons in town as far as I know, Audrey.”
Audrey’s mouth dropped open. “I just thought … I mean, is he even your type? I did not pick up on any kind of attraction between you two. It’s fine, you just took me by surprise—”
Isabella laughed. “Relax. I was just thinking about asking him out. I happen to think he’s cute.”
Audrey’s stomach tightened unexpectedly. “You do?”
Isabella gave her a knowing look. “You’re not into him, are you?”
Audrey scoffed. “No! Of course not. I mean, he’s Mason.”
“So you wouldn’t mind?” Isabella pressed.
“Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure.”
Isabella tried reading Audrey’s tight expression.
Audrey reassured her. “Totally. One hundred percent.”
Isabella nodded. “Okay.”
A moment passed, then, to Audrey’s own horror, she blurted out, “Actually … yes, I do mind.”
Isabella stopped walking. “Excuse me?”
Audrey clamped her mouth shut.
What the hell was that?
“I thought you said you didn’t like him,” Isabella said, her arms crossed.
“I—” Audrey floundered, feeling her face heat up. “I don’t! I just … I don’t know!”
Isabella grinned. “So you do like him.”
“No! I mean … I don’t know!”
Isabella laughed. “Relax. I won’t ask him out. But you might want to figure out your feelings before someone else does.”
Audrey groaned. “I hate you.”
“You love me.”
They continued on the trail in silence, Audrey’s mind racing, when a figure emerged ahead of them on the path.
Audrey’s stomach clenched.
Evan Barker.
He stood leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest, in sweats and wearing hiking boots, looking as if he had all the time in the world.
Audrey immediately stiffened, exchanging a glance with Isabella, who raised an eyebrow.
“Well, well,” Evan said, his lips curving into a smirk. “Fancy meeting you two out here.”
Audrey narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing here, Evan?”
Evan let out a mocking laugh. “It’s a public trail, sweetheart. Last I checked, even a Barker can take a walk in the woods. Or do the Holbrooks own this too?”
Audrey’s hands clenched into fists. “It’s just a coincidence that you’re here at the same time as us?”
Evan’s smirk widened. “Paranoid much?”
Audrey took a step forward, her voice cold. “If you’re trying to intimidate us, it’s not working.”
Evan chuckled. “Now why would I want to do that? I’m just being friendly.” His gaze flicked toward Isabella, who had remained silent so far. “Speaking of friendly … Isabella, right?”
Isabella stiffened. “Yeah.”
Evan’s expression softened just a fraction, his tone turning smooth. “You know, I don’t think we’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to know each other properly.”
Audrey bristled. “She’s not interested.”
Evan ignored her, keeping his lazy, amused gaze on Isabella. “I’d rather hear that from her.”
There was a tense pause, and then Isabella squared her shoulders, her voice steady.
“No.”
Evan blinked, then let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Damn. Didn’t even let me finish my pitch.”
Audrey took Isabella’s arm, stepping protectively closer. “We’re leaving.”
Evan held up his hands. “Hey, no need to get all worked up. Like I said, it’s a public trail.”
Audrey gritted her teeth. “Let’s go.”
They brushed past him, Isabella keeping her head high, and Audrey could feel Evan’s eyes burning into her back.
She risked a glance over her shoulder.
He was still watching them with a menacing glare.
“Isabella,” she whispered. “Stay away from Evan. There’s something dangerous about him.”
Isabella nodded. “Don’t worry. That guy gives me the creeps.”
Audrey looked back again.
Evan was gone.
They continued on for another thirty minutes and had almost forgotten about Evan when Flounder, who had been trotting ahead of them off leash, suddenly spotted a squirrel.
With a thrilled bark, he took off into the trees.
“Flounder!” Audrey shouted, breaking into a jog.
“Do you want me to come?” Isabella asked.
Audrey shook her head. “No. Stay on the trail. I’ll catch up.”
She raced after Flounder, weaving through trees, dodging roots, branches snagging at her jacket, her breath coming fast.
She skidded to a halt in a small clearing, scanning the trees.
“Flounder? Come here, boy!”
Silence.
Then—
A shadow moved behind her.
Before Audrey could turn, a force slammed into her back, sending her sprawling forward.
She barely had time to react before rough hands grabbed her, yanking her up and shoving her forward.
Audrey gasped as her foot hit open air.
The ground vanished beneath her.
She teetered on the edge of a rocky cliff, her arms flailing. Panic flooded her.
Before she could fall, her hands shot out, gripping onto a jagged rock ledge.
She dangled over the precipice, her feet kicking at nothing but empty space.
Audrey’s chest heaved as she looked down. The drop below was sickeningly far, the jagged rocks unforgiving.
Above her, a figure loomed.
Dressed in dark clothing, their face obscured by a black ski mask.
Audrey’s heart pounded wildly.
“Help me!” she gasped, trying to haul herself up.
The masked figure crouched down, resting one knee on the ground.
For a horrifying moment, Audrey thought they were going to pull her up.
But then—
They pried one of her fingers loose.
Audrey screamed.
“No! Please! Don’t do this!”
Another finger.
Her grip weakened.
Her arms trembled.
The masked figure leaned closer, voice low and almost amused.
“Let go.”
Audrey gritted her teeth, clawing at the rock with her free hand, desperately trying to find a new hold.
But her fingers were slipping.
She was seconds from falling.
Suddenly—
A furious snarl.
A blur of golden fur launched itself at her attacker.
Flounder.
The dog sank his teeth into the figure’s arm, growling ferociously.
The attacker let out a sharp cry, stumbling backward.
Flounder held on, shaking his head violently, his teeth dug deep into the fabric of their jacket.
There was blood.
The attacker kicked out at Flounder, wrenching their arm free, and bolted away in the woods.
Flounder turned his attention to Audrey, gazing down at her helplessly, barking wildly.
Audrey clung to the ledge, her arms burning, her fingers slipping.
She couldn’t hold on.
She was going to fall.
“Audrey!”
Isabella’s voice rang through the trees.
Suddenly, strong hands gripped her wrists.
Audrey sucked in a breath, eyes flying open to see Isabella kneeling above her, straining to pull her up.
“Hold on!” Isabella gritted through her teeth.
Audrey scrambled, using what little strength she had left to push up with her legs, desperate to get away from the ledge.
With a final heave, Isabella yanked her over the edge, and they collapsed onto the dirt together, panting.
Audrey pressed a shaking hand to her forehead, her pulse still racing.
Isabella knelt beside her, eyes wild with concern.
“What the hell just happened?!”
Audrey took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
“Someone—someone tried to kill me.”
Isabella looked ready to explode. “Then we need to tell your mother. Right now.”
“No.”
Isabella blinked. “Excuse me?”
Audrey shook her head firmly. “Not a word. To anyone.”
Isabella gawked at her. “Are you out of your mind?! Your mom is the police chief! She’s supposed to handle things like this!”
Audrey swallowed, her hands still trembling. “If Mom or Nana find out … they’ll lose their minds, they’ll never let me out of their sight again. And I can’t afford that.”
Isabella crossed her arms. “You almost got killed, Audrey.”
Audrey nodded, breathing deeply. “I know. Which is exactly why I need to find out who’s behind this before they try again.”
Isabella groaned. “I really hate this plan.”
Audrey forced a weak smile. “Welcome to my life.”
Isabella exhaled heavily. “Fine. But you need to watch your back.”
Audrey looked toward the woods, her pulse steadying but her mind still racing.
Someone wanted her out of the picture.
And now, more than ever—
She needed to find out who and why.