Jaxon moves quickly, catching Claire in his arms just as she’s about to collapse. She leans on him as they walk.

“Will you lock up?” Jaxon asks. His voice is calm, but I hear the fear behind his words.

I open my mouth in protest. “Wait. I’m coming with you.”

“Babe, someone needs to lock up and send everyone home. I’ll be back to get you as soon as I can. Unless you know how to drive my motorcycle.”

I fume, frustrated that I can’t be there for Claire too, but this isn’t about me.

Jaxon helps Claire around the counter. “Just send everyone home.”

“Jax—” I cut myself off when I realize what I was about to say. What am I even thinking? But I want to do something. I want to help somehow. “We don’t need to send them home. I’ll shut down the café and teach class.”

Jax turns to me in shock. “Really? You don’t have to do that.”

I wave him off, not wanting to give myself an opportunity to back out. Stepping up to Claire, I cup her cheeks, careful not to jostle her too much.

“Everything will be fine here, okay?” She nods as her eyes build with more tears. “Just take care of you and that baby.”

“I’ll call you as soon as she’s situated,” Jax tells me, his voice softer. I know he’s appreciative, and maybe a little worried too, but this isn’t the time to work through our feelings. “I’ll keep calling Danny too,” he continues, rambling as if to keep his mind busy. “I’m sure he’s still out on that search.”

“What search?” Claire looks up in confusion.

Jaxon’s eyes dart to me and then her. “I’ll tell you in the car. Nothing to worry about. He’s just tied up.”

Jaxon’s eyes meet mine one last time before the two of them rush out to Claire’s car, and I lock the door behind them. After turning the sign in the window to Closed, I make my way back into the studio to open the doors for Canvas and Wine.

“There was an emergency, so Jaxon won’t be able to teach tonight,” I inform the crowd, who eye me with a curiosity I completely understand. “I know, I know. I’m much better looking, but do me a favor and keep that between us.” The crowd laughs, and I feel the tension begin to roll off my back.

“I’ll be your instructor tonight,” I say with a small smile. “If you want to leave, I completely understand. If you choose to stay, well, you’ll have to be patient with me. It’s my first time teaching. I’ve only ever been the student.”

 

 

Miraculously, I’m able to teach the entire two-hour class without a panic attack. In fact, it’s been the opposite. Maybe it’s because I’m too busy thinking about Claire and her baby, the missing hiker and the boyfriend she left behind, and the accusing way Tanner glared at me this afternoon. For the first time in a long time, painting has become my distraction from the more stressful things in life.

I served two rounds of drinks without delaying class too much, and everyone has been loose enough to laugh and paint like they normally do with Jaxon. Maybe Val and Claire are putting too much stake in Jaxon’s charm. Maybe it really is more about the art and the location.

I’ve just given the class their final instruction when the café phone rings. My heart leaps from my chest when I see Jaxon’s name light up the screen.

“Hey,” I answer in a hushed whisper. “How is she?”

There’s a shaky exhale on the other end of the line before Jaxon’s words race out of his mouth. “They’re taking her for an emergency C-section. Something about her placenta rupturing. They won’t give me a straight answer. She says she’s okay, but I know she’s trying to keep calm for the baby’s sake. I’m still trying to get ahold of Danny. You almost done there? Shit, how’s class? You okay?” He finally pauses for a breath.

“Don’t worry about things here,” I offer gently. “Everything is good. Just take care of Claire. Maybe try calling Tanner and have him radio Danny. He might be too deep in the woods to get any reception on his cell.”

“Did that. Just waiting for him to call me back. I can’t think straight right now. I’m just worried—about you, too. You sure you’re okay? I’ll come get you as soon as I get ahold of him—”

“Yes, Jax. I promise, I’m fine. Class has been great. They don’t even miss you,” I tease, hoping to offer some comfort. “Look, Claire needs you right now. I’ll find a ride home to get my car and meet you at the hospital as soon as class is over. I’m sure I can get a lift from Meg or something. Do you know what time she closes up the bakery?”

“She’ll already be gone by now, but her name should be on the directory under the front counter. I’ll text her and let her know you’ll be—shit,” he curses in mid-sentence. “I forgot about Lacey. Can you—?”

“Yes, Jax. I’ll take care of Lacey as soon as I get my car. Just sit tight, okay? Keep trying Danny. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Aurora.”

Those words coming out of Jaxon’s mouth make all the craziness of the past two days a little less overwhelming. I practically float through the next half-hour, wrapping up class, closing the till, and cleaning up before finally giving Meg a call. The lights are off so as not to attract passersby, and I’m sitting on Jaxon’s desk, facing the window with my feet on his chair.

Meg answers on the third ring. “Hey.” The familiarity in her cheerful tone tells me she thinks I’m Claire.

“Hey, Meg. It’s Aurora. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was hoping you could give me a ride home. Jaxon’s at the hospital with Claire, and I’m kind of stuck at the shop until Danny gets to the hospital.”

“The hospital? Is everything okay?”

“We don’t know yet, but I’m sure it will be fine.” I bite the inside of my lip, hoping that’s true.

“Okay, I’m hopping in the car now. Give me two minutes.”

A tap on the front door halts my response. A beam of light hits me next, and I have to cover my eyes and squint between my fingers to make out who’s trying to get my attention. It’s Tanner and his damn flashlight. Like father, like son, I guess.

What does he want now?

“Aurora? You there? I’m on my way.” Meg’s voice comes out in a rush.

“Uh, yeah,” I say, without taking my eyes off the glass. I wave at Tanner to let him know I’m coming. “Thanks, Meg.” I hang up and let out an annoyed breath.

Pulling the door open with a yank, I gesture for him to come inside, but he shakes his head. “Glad I caught you, Miss June.”

“It’s Aurora,” I tell him, my tone leaking with annoyance. Why does he insist on being so formal after all the years we’ve known each other? I sigh. “What is it, Tanner? I need to get to the hospital.”

His face twists. “Why?”

Now it’s my turn to be confused. “Jaxon said he was calling you to tell you. Claire has been trying to get ahold of Danny. She’s in the hospital, and I’m headed there now.”

“Ah, yeah. That. Danny got the message. That’s unfortunate news, but you aren’t going anywhere.”

“Yes, I am.” What the hell is his problem?

Tanner’s eyes narrow and he lets out a quick breath. “Not after what we just found. You’re going to want to come with me, Aurora. This is serious.”

My stomach drops. “Tanner, you need to stop being so vague and tell me what is going on here. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

He shuts his eyes and shakes his head. “We don’t know that yet, do we?”

“Tanner,” I plead. He needs to look at me, to see me and stop thinking the worst. That’s all he’s done since the moment I stepped into town.

“Aurora,” he barks. “I just ran the plates on that SUV I found in the woods, and I have reason to believe the owner of the vehicle is with the girl who disappeared last night.

The room begins to spin. SUV? No, it can’t be.

“Did you find her?” I swallow, avoiding his accusation entirely.

Tanner shakes his head, adding to the rising anxiety in my chest. “She’s still missing. But the man she was with—” He pauses, eyeing me a little longer, as if readying to assess my reaction. Finally, he sighs.

“Aurora, do you know a Scott Turner?”

 

I’ve only felt gripping fear like this one other time in my life: seven years ago, when I found out Aurora was missing and I joined the hunt to find her. Most of the town had already proclaimed her dead by the time we started looking. None of the other bodies had been found; why would she be so lucky?

And then she was found, so close to death, and all I could do was wait by her side while she lay unconscious. Her aunt Cyndi arrived, and I was immediately thrown out of her hospital room. I never got to see her wake up. I never even got to see her at all until I showed up at Cyndi’s, refusing to leave until I got a chance to speak to her. I was so angry. Angry at her father for what he’d done. Angry at her aunt for relaying the message that Aurora didn’t want to see me. And angry at Aurora for kicking me out of her life, especially after everything she went through. I’d never wanted to be there for someone so much. Knowing she was okay and that I may never get to see her again was true heartache, and I promised to never allow myself to feel anything like that again.

But you can’t plan for things like this. Claire has lost too much blood. Her baby’s life is at risk, and the doctors have been prepping for emergency surgery for what seems like forever. What’s worse, I’ve relayed a message to the station, but I’m not sure if Danny received it. He’ll be gutted when he realizes what’s going on.

So here I am on the other side of the door, the same one Cyndi kicked me out of years ago, waiting to see if my best friends are about to lose their baby.

And where the hell is Aurora? I’ve been trying to call Meg and the café for the last half hour, but there’s been no response. She should have been here by now. There’s got to be something I can do besides pacing these halls, waiting. Everywhere I turn, there are whispers. Rumors flying about the missing hiker and how history is repeating itself because Aurora June came back to town. As much as I hate that Aurora’s name is part of the chatter, the coincidence is chilling.

A young woman.

On a hiking trip with her boyfriend.

Went missing during a storm.

All startling common denominators of mysterious incidents. But the eeriest similarity was found in the tree carvings scattered around the woods near where each girl was last seen by her significant other. Even Aurora has a carving, which is the strangest thing of all, because she was the only one of the girls found alive.

So of course everyone will jump to conclusions about Aurora being to blame for the latest event, like Tanner already has. In his mind, as a descendant of her father, she’s sure to have the same instincts to kill.

They’re all fucking crazy if that’s what they truly think. Blaming Aurora is the easiest response to the news about the girl, but it’s not logical. Anything could have happened to her.

Maybe she got lost. Maybe she slipped off a cliff or into the lake. Maybe a wild animal got to her. I shiver. Who the hell knows? But anything is more likely than Aurora June laying a finger on anyone.

I saw Aurora last night, the way she wandered onto my property completely zoned out and drenched from the storm. She was haunted by her nightmare. A nightmare that I’m sure had everything to do with what happened seven years ago.

I’m pacing the halls in front of a large waiting room window when a tall man in uniform darts around the corner, practically skidding to a halt when he sees me.

“Danny,” I breathe out in relief. “We’ve been trying to get ahold of you all night. They kicked me out, man. I’m not family.”

“Where is she?” His cheeks are flushed from running, and his bangs stick to his forehead as he tries to catch his breath.

“Just through there. Room 117. Go. I need to find Aurora, but we’ll be back. Call me as soon as you can.”

Danny curses and takes off running. “I will. Thanks, man.”

And just like that, he’s flinging open the emergency room doors and disappearing down the hall.

I breathe a little bit easier knowing Claire will have Danny by her side, but without knowing where Aurora is, my chest still pounds with worry. I slide into Claire’s car and take the long, winding stretch of mountain road back to the café. Then I hop out and peek through the windows, trying the Creek Café phone again as I approach. It rings and rings, and through the windows, I see nothing but darkness.

I check all the doors. Locked.

She definitely left. So then, where is she?

“Jaxon?” My heart beats fast as I spin toward the voice. I know it doesn’t belong to Aurora, but hope still fills my lungs.

“Meg, thank God.” I look around. “I tried calling you. Did you talk to Aurora?”

She nods. “Yeah, that’s why I’m here. I was going to give her a ride, but she was just leaving when I got here. I didn’t realize you called.”

“What do you mean she just left when you got here? She didn’t have her car.”

Meg looks toward the main road and shrugs. “I saw her get into Tanner’s car. Maybe she got tired of waiting for me. I was only a few minutes later than I told her I’d be. I hope everything’s okay.”

My veins are too filled with adrenaline to take time to process what she’s just told me. Instead, I call Tanner’s cell, cursing under my breath when he still doesn’t respond. Where the fuck are they? I take off running down the strip of shops until I get to the sheriff’s station and throw open the door, only to find—no one. Not a soul. Just static from the scanner.

Leaving the station again, I find Meg standing there with her arms crossed and a worried expression. “Jax, what’s going on?”

I shake my head, feeling just as confused as she looks. “Which way were they headed?”

“South, I think.”

I nod. “Maybe he took her home to get her car. She was probably in a rush to get to the hospital and didn’t want to wait. I’m going to drive up to her house to see if I can catch her. Do you mind waiting here for a bit? Just call me if anyone shows up. She doesn’t have a phone, and I don’t want to miss her if she comes back.”

“Of course.”

And I’m off again, jumping into Claire’s car and flying through the mountain roads to Aurora’s cottage. When I pull in to the driveway, my heart stops. The lights to her place are off, and her car is still in the same place she left it last night.

Tanner didn’t bring her here.

She never came home.

I head for my house next. She mentioned she was going to check on Lacey. I sigh as soon as I pull up my drive. Once again, nothing. No sign of anything outside of the ordinary. As I shut off the engine, I hear a scratching sound coming from the inside of my house.

Sighing, I jog to the front door and unlock it, letting Lacey out. “I’m sorry, Lace. You’ve been locked up all night. Go potty, girl. But hurry. I need to find Aurora.”

Lacey pushes past me. After being cooped up most of the night, she’s feeling antsy. If it weren’t for her incessant need to venture deep into the woods on her own, I’d let her do her thing without supervision, but I don’t have time for any of her shenanigans right now.

Aurora probably had Tanner take her to the hospital and we just missed each other. I’ll head back there as soon as Lacey takes care of business. I wait impatiently for her to find her favorite spot on the outskirts of the woods to relieve herself. As I guessed, she takes her time, probably sensing that she doesn’t have much of it.

I’m checking my phone obsessively and redialing the café, Tanner, and the station without luck. Meg hasn’t called either, so I know she hasn’t spotted anyone.

All I can do is hope that when I show up to the hospital again, Aurora is there. Because I don’t like this feeling. Not one bit.