I had put my attention back on the TV so I wouldn’t have to look at her, but when I could still see her out of the corner of my eye and she didn’t make a sound, I finally turned to look at her again. She looked like she was in shock and disgusted. At least she’d stopped crying.

We stared at each other for a few seconds longer and I finally held my plate out toward her. “Pancakes?”

Sanity seemed to settle back over her face and she darted into Mason’s room. My shoulders shook with silent laughter and I had to fan at my face, which I knew was bright red from holding it in. I was taking another deep breath to control myself when she ran out, now clothed.

“See you next time, Melanie!”

She stopped short of the front door and looked at me like I belonged in an asylum. “My name’s— Never mind. Tell Mason I’ll, uh, see him at work.”

I was laughing so hard that I was still crying by the time I made it back to my apartment. Both guys were standing at the window, eating pancakes.

“What’d you do?” Mason asked in awe. “She ran to her car.”

Another giggle burst from my chest as I washed my plate and put it in the dishwasher. “I have no idea. I thought she was so sweet. Guess I smell bad.”

Kash smirked at me and studied my red face and wet eyes.

“Is she coming back?”

“No, Mase, she’s probably not. Sorry, homie, I know you’re really upset about that one. But now that you have a free apartment, I gotta ask you to leave me and Kash to mine.”

He put his plate down on the counter and picked me up in a big bear hug. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

“Oh, full stomach. I’m gonna throw up all over you.”

Setting me down quickly, he kissed the top of my head and slapped Kash’s back as he rushed out of the apartment. Kash walked over to me and helped me clean up our breakfast-for-dinner mess, and after a few minutes of silence, he finally turned and asked, “So what really happened over there?”


Kash

WE’D JUST FINISHED a two-hour-long meeting of going around and around and coming up with absolutely nothing on the Carnation Murders or James Camden and were now in a private meeting with Detective Ryder. Everyone was getting discouraged with this case. For a while, Camden had been slipping up more and more, and then with the doubled meal receipts we’d been sure something was about to happen soon. Then when classes had started again at the colleges around Austin this last week, we’d all been working around the clock trying to find anything on him and even brought in more officers, sure that he’d do something drastic. But he’d been completely invisible for weeks now.

But along with the discouragement . . . I knew there were a few of us who were more scared now that he was quiet.

“I think he either, one, knows we’re onto him, or two, has found his next victim and is doing whatever he does before he takes her. I just think it’s weird that throughout the last school year, he would pop up every now and then, and then over the summer, when school was out, he popped up like mad . . . and now school is back in session and he’s a ghost.” Ryder nodded and I continued. “Something about that just seems wrong. Like he was getting himself ready for this? I don’t know.”

“No, you’re onto something. Why would he disappear right before school starts up when he lives in a college city?” Ryder rolled up some papers in his hand and hit his other palm with them furiously. “Nights you aren’t working, I need you looking for him at other places with me. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.” Mason and I confirmed it, shook hands with him, and left his office.

Mason waited until we were in my truck before asking, “Are you going to be able to swing that without Rachel noticing?”

“Yeah, she had to cut back on hours anyway because of classes and she’ll have a lot of homework. I’ll just say they need me more, more business with the students being back and all.”

“Kash, I know you think you’re still protecting her, but I really think it’s time you told her everything.”

“We’re not going over this again, Mase. Have you told your family where we are?” He didn’t answer, and I knew he hadn’t. “Then I’m not telling Rachel anything until this is all over.”

“You asked her to marry you. That’s a big fucking deal. And you swore you would tell her soon!”

“And I will.”

He snorted. “When, Kash? At the altar? Wait until she says I do and then say everything really quick before you do the same?”

“Screw you. You know I’d never do that to her.”

“Well you shouldn’t be doing this to her, it’s not fair to her.”

“I get that, Mase! I fucking get that! I’m sorry you don’t agree or approve of my situation, but it’s not like I sat there and decided to hurt her by moving our relationship to this next step by asking her. I literally couldn’t think about anything but asking her to marry me. I should have waited, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Okay?”

“No. It’s not. You need to tell her.”

I ran a hand over my face and kept it over my mouth as I shook my head. I wanted to. I just wanted to keep her safe more.


Rachel

WALKING INTO THE gym, I stopped short and took a step back when I saw Candice and Blake talking right around the corner. It never got easier seeing him. I’d seen him almost every day for the last two weeks, and though he hadn’t once spoken to me, there were always the notes . . .

A shiver climbed its way up my spine and I clutched at my bag to help with the shaking that always came when I saw or thought about Blake. When I began receiving awkward looks for just standing there, I acted like I was checking my phone as I focused on what Candice and Blake were saying. My mouth popped open when Candice confirmed with Blake that he was going to come back with us for Thanksgiving.

“Yeah, there’s no reason to waste money on a plane ticket if you’re driving. So I’ll just go with you and Rachel.”

“Okay, I’ll let my mom know you’re coming with. I told her I didn’t know if we were coming back or not, but Rachel and I really want to see them.”

Uh, Candice might be going. But if Blake is going to be there, and traveling with us, then I sure as hell won’t. I can wait until Christmas to see them.

“Let’s just hope Rachel is done with this game she’s playing by then.”

My body stiffened and I heard Candice sigh.

“I know, this whole thing she’s doing is . . .” Her voice trailed off as they walked away and I forgot that I was supposed to be appearing inconspicuous.

Phone temporarily forgotten, my eyes were wide as I leaned around the corner and watched as they made their way toward the back of the gym. What game? I wasn’t playing anything!

“Rachel.”

“What?” I practically shrieked, and whirled around, only to see Marcus, a guy from my class, standing there looking like he thought I was going to explode . . . again. “Jesus, Marcus, I’m sorry. You scared the crap out of me.”

“Uh, yeah. I figured that. Are you going to go all the way in, or are you just going to keep standing here on the side?”

“No, I’m . . . I’m going. I just—yeah, I’m going.”

He tried to hide his smile as he gestured for me to go ahead of him. I didn’t want to be here, but seeing as I had to be here to pass this class, I didn’t really have an option right now. I heard the tail end of Candice and Blake making plans to grab dinner that night and had to force out an awkward conversation with Marcus so I wouldn’t start screaming at Candice right there. I knew that Blake was her family, but I’d never felt as betrayed by her as I had these last three months.

I didn’t look at either of them as I passed by them, I just walked with Marcus until we hit the very back of the gym and then said my good-byes to him, silently thanking him for being a distraction from them.

“Hey, Rach.”

I ground my teeth and forced a closed-lip smile as I turned to look at Candice.

“Just letting you know I won’t need a ride home today, but I’ll be home tonight.”

“Oh? You don’t have practice today . . . do you?”

“No, but some of the girls are going out for an early dinner.”

Liar. “ ’Kay. Have fun.”

“Hey.” She touched my arm and I turned to look at her again. “Are you okay?”

“I’m great.”

She actually looked concerned, and I think that pissed me off more. Because I knew she loved me, and I loved her. She would always be like my sister. But Blake was ruining us. “You sure? Are you and Kash fighting?”

“Ha, uh, no. Not any more than we usually do anyway, not anything that’s serious. I’m really fine, Candi.” I met her stare and hoped she understood my next words for what they were. “I hope you have fun at dinner tonight.”

Her eyes widened and she bit on her cheek as she nodded with exaggerated slowness and pursed her lips.

Yeah, I’m calling you out on your lies, Candice. Keep them coming; all you’re doing is showing me how much I don’t matter to you.

“Are you staying at our apartment tonight? Or will you be with Kash, or . . .”

“Or . . . ?”

“Will you be somewhere else?” she asked, challenging me.

“Where else would I be?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

“I’d be happy to if I had any idea what you were even getting at.”

“Whatever, Rach. I give up,” she huffed, and stormed off in the other direction.

How the hell had that gone from me catching her in a lie to her being pissed at me?

15