Chapter 19
Kori jumped in the shower at Hollow House and reviewed everything she knew as the hot water hit her skin.
Mackenzie had been in that forest. The car and backpack confirmed it. Someone had summoned her there with that cryptic text message. Someone had also been in Mackenzie’s apartment—though Kori still wasn’t sure why.
Someone had slashed Wyatt’s tires.
Someone had watched them from the trees as they hiked.
Someone out there knew something. But who? Not Flo.
Who else did Mackenzie hang out with?
Kori shut off the water and dried her skin with a fluffy towel. Then she found her phone and pulled up her sister’s social media. She began scrolling through various posts.
Mackenzie didn’t post often, especially not in recent months. But there were a few photos from last year.
Kori finally found the photo she’d been looking for. It was of her sister and a woman named Daisy. She vaguely remembered her sister mentioning the woman, someone she hung out with sometimes on weekends.
She turned the name over in her mind. Mackenzie had mentioned the woman before their estrangement. If she remembered correctly, Daisy worked at a coffee shop in town.
Kori typed the name into the search bar along with Blue Ridge Hollow and The Grind House. She immediately saw a tagged photo on a local community page of a young woman behind an espresso machine, laughing at something off camera.
Daisy Ruiz.
Round-faced, early twenties, with blonde hair and an open expression. Bingo! This had to be her.
Kori quickly dressed and dried her hair. Then she headed out.
The Grind House was four blocks from Hollow House. A few cars moved slowly through the melting snow, and only a couple of people walked on the sidewalk, which thankfully had been cleared.
She pushed inside the coffeehouse. Warm air and the smell of fresh coffee immediately hit her.
The space was small and comfortable, with mismatched chairs, local artwork on exposed brick walls, and a chalkboard menu above the counter with the day’s specials.
A young woman looked up from behind the espresso machine. Her nametag read Jess. “Good afternoon. What can I get you?”
Kori glanced behind the counter. No one else was there.
Disappointment cut through her. She might as well get something while she was here.
She ordered an oat milk latte, paid and stepped to the side to wait.
The shop was maybe half full—a few people with laptops, a couple sharing something warm by the window, and the low murmur of conversation accentuating it all.
In other circumstances, she would love it here. She could imagine Mackenzie loving it here. Her sister had always loved small, independent coffeehouses. Whenever the two of them had traveled together, Mackenzie had always insisted on finding one to support local businesses.
The memory caused another pang inside her.
Kori glanced up as someone emerged from the back.
A second barista, one with blonde hair and a round face.
Kori went still, her lungs freezing.
Daisy Ruiz looked exactly like her photo.
Kori had found her.
Now she needed to ask some questions.
Kori positioned herself at the pickup end of the counter as she tried to figure out how to approach Daisy.
As Jess set the latte on the counter, Kori grabbed it and wandered toward the other barista. “Excuse me. Are you Daisy, by chance?”
The young woman looked up, and her eyes widened with recognition when she saw Kori. “Oh, my lands. You’ve got to be Mackenzie’s sister.”
Surprise washed over her. “I am. I’m Kori.”
Daisy set down the stack of cups she held and studied Kori’s face. “I recognize you from a photo she used to keep on her fridge.”
Used to keep on her fridge . . . another reminder of their estrangement.
Kori pushed away the melancholy thought.
Daisy’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here? Is Mackenzie okay? I . . . I haven’t talked to her in a while.”
She swallowed hard before saying, “She’s missing. She went hiking six days ago and hasn’t come back.”
“What?” Daisy’s voice lilted. “She’s missing? You’re sure?”
“Her neighbor hasn’t seen her. Her phone goes to voicemail. I found her backpack on the trail she took.” Kori watched her face. “I’m surprised you didn’t know. I would have thought someone would have noticed by now.”
Daisy glanced down and frowned. “The truth is that Mackenzie and I haven’t been very tight lately. We were close for a while, and then things just . . .”
Her pulse jumped. “Things just what?”
Daisy blew out a long breath. “I don’t know. Things just—”
Before she could finish, the door leading to the back of the shop opened. A heavyset man in a manager’s apron stepped out and gave Daisy a pointed look.
Daisy glanced at him then back at Kori. “Listen, I can’t talk now—not if I want to keep my job. But I get off at six. Can we meet somewhere?”
“Of course. Just tell me where.”
“There’s a bench outside the library on Elm. I know it’s cold outside, but it will be quiet there.” She held Kori’s gaze. “I’ll tell you what I know.”
Kori nodded. “Six o’clock.”
She picked up her latte and walked out into the cold.
Whatever Daisy knew about Mackenzie’s life in Blue Ridge Hollow—about why their friendship had cooled, about what things had changed—Kori would find out in three hours.
Maybe this was the lead she’d been praying to find.