Page 65 of Trap ’N’ Trace

“Not at the table.” Renee rested her hand on his forearm.

“Sorry, Mom.” He put the phone away. “It’s work.”

Meaning, it was about her.

“Anything wrong?” Bill asked.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” His eyes met hers and one thing instantly became clear.

The pleasantries of the evening had just come to a grinding halt.

…

Two hours later, Kat had rearranged her sock drawer, rehung everything in her closet according to color, and reorganized all her shoes and boots in their shoe cubbies. Still, the jittery feeling in her belly wouldn’t go away. Not after what Dayne had told her on the way home.

The text during dinner had come from his boss, Lydia Barstow. One of Rebecca’s cases had resulted in two men—cousins—being arrested for insurance fraud, and Lydia had sent a team of agents out to Long Island to interview both men. One had been found and had an alibi for the nights Rebecca was killed and she was attacked. The other, Jonathan Bale, was missing. And he had a history of violence.

A thump came from downstairs. Kat flinched, holding her breath. Her heart pounded like a herd of stampeding hippos in her chest.

The thump came again, sounding like…a pot in the kitchen. Probably just Dayne making coffee.

She let out her breath with a loud whoosh. Until six days ago, she’d felt perfectly safe in her own home. Now, she didn’t.

Jonathan Bale had sworn to “kick the shit” out of Rebecca Garman. The motivation was clear. Why he would have come to the Haven and killed Amy was anyone’s guess. But the man was missing and, according to city cameras, had left Long Island earlier this evening, crossed over the Triboro Bridge into Manhattan, and from there, taken the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. The last camera Bale’s car had shown up on had him heading north on the Palisades Parkway. In the same general direction as the Haven.

As Dayne had explained, suburbs didn’t have the same extensive system of cameras that New York City did. After Bale had gotten on the Parkway, he’d disappeared. The man could be anywhere. Driving up Tweed Boulevard. Creeping around outside her fence…

“This is ridiculous.” No way was she getting to sleep anytime soon. She grabbed her favorite pair of beaded slippers and headed downstairs.

Halfway down the stairs, she smelled it. Not coffee. Chocolate.

Dayne sat at the counter, scrolling through his phone, but looked up when she came into the kitchen. “Couldn’t sleep?”

She shook her head, sliding onto a stool next to him.

He went to the stove and picked up a small pot, swirling it then pouring the contents into another mug already sitting on the counter. “Here. It’ll help you sleep.”

“Thank you.” She accepted the mug, her thoughts jumbled at his unexpected thoughtfulness. But it was more than that. He’d gone out of his way and anticipated her needs. She couldn’t recall a man ever doing something like that for her. So simple and genuine. With no expectation of anything in return. “How did you know I’d come downstairs?”

He shrugged. “Heard you banging around up there. Figured you’d be down sooner or later.”

“I didn’t realize I was banging so loudly.” She smiled then took a sip. “This is good. But doesn’t chocolate have caffeine in it?”

“Some. Not as much as coffee or tea. Mom used to make it for me when I couldn’t sleep. All I know is, it worked.” He grinned. “’Course, she might have spiked it with something stronger just to knock me out.”

For a few minutes they sipped in silence, then she had to ask. “Anything new on Jonathan Bale?”

“He’s still MIA.” Dayne tapped one long finger on the side of his mug.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” she asked, taking another sip.

“The last camera to pick him up was at exit four on the Palisades Parkway.”

She swallowed. “That’s my exit.” The chocolate turned bitter in her stomach.

“There’s a statewide BOLO out for him. As soon as he’s spotted, he’ll be pulled over. He’s not getting in here.” Dayne rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Between the guards, me, and Remy, you’re safe.”

Was she? Kat looked into his eyes, at the fierce expression on his handsome face. For now, yes. But he and Remy wouldn’t be here forever, and they couldn’t protect her indefinitely. All the more reason to keep things as impersonal as possible.