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I tore back into The Chickadee, and my wild anxiety sent all eyes to me. Eve’s coworker, Laura, came over.
“What’s wrong?”
“I found this in the parking lot. Was she wearing these to work?” I brandished the fallen sneaker.
Laura paled. “I think so.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “You don’t think it has anything to do with the campus attacks? We were just talking about them.”
“Think of anything strange or different that might have happened during her shift. What customers were here? Did anyone leave at the same time as Eve?”
“I don’t know! There have been lots of dressed-up people coming and going for Fall Fest…lots of regulars. One of her professors came in, a cute one, tweed jacket and elbow patches. He’s been coming in all year though, and he left way before her.”
“Professor Jefferies?” I demanded.
Laura shook her head helplessly, tears filling her eyes. “I don’t know his name.”
“Okay, that’s fine. Don’t worry, I’ll find her,” I assured the now crying coworker and stormed out of the building.
If I have to raze this fucking town to the ground, I’ll find her.
I strode back to my truck and threw the sneaker onto the passenger seat. Pulling out my phone, I considered my next move. I could call the cops, but it was too early to report her missing. Still, I could demand that they help and drop my name. It might be worth a shot. But then again, it was Fall Fest, and I knew there were street parties and events going on all around town. The cops would be stretched thin tonight. It could take hours for them to get me an address for Jefferies.
But there was one person who was bound to know.
Pushing down my disgust at having to reach out to the worst person in the world, I dialed Colette’s number.
It rang and rang, unanswered. Fucking bitch was ignoring my calls. I started my car and snapped on my seatbelt, then peeled out of the Chickadee lot. We’d see how much she liked ignoring me in person.
I made it to Cliff Point in record time. I’d never even raced that fast, in all the time I’d been fucking around with Sammy and his illegal races.
I turned the corner to see the house, just as the huge gate rolled open. A white SUV nosed out, and my headlights illuminated the person driving. Colette. My father had given her a few days to get her shit out of the house. She usually took a driver going out. She had to be going somewhere she didn’t want anyone to know about.
I leaned on the horn, knowing I wasn’t going to reach her in time to block her from pulling out. She turned and saw me, clearly recognizing my car. She took off, heading away from town along the dark and twisting coast road. The same one where I’d contemplated going over the barrier only weeks ago.
I put my foot down and followed. We raced through the darkness, bending and turning around the mountains. She wasn’t a good driver, but it was early enough that there were a few cars coming on the other side, making it impossible for me to pass her.
I was stuck behind her, right on her tail for several minutes. Every time I attempted to slide out in front of her, she swerved wildly to block me. Her driving was erratic. Colette was losing everything and was a desperate woman. After we talked, she’dbe even more desperate. I wouldn’t leave her alone until I found out where Jefferies might take Eve. I’d break every single bone in her body if I had to. I might do it anyway, just for kicks. A less expensive form of therapy.
We hit a long straight section of the road, and I accelerated before she could block me, and drew up parallel to her. I couldn’t see her through the side windows; they were too tinted. I eased in front instead and passed her, immediately slowing so she was forced to slow, too. We drove on. A couple of cars passed us, making it impossible for her to do anything. I kept slowing. We turned onto another straight road. This one was familiar. It was the section of road with the broken railing.
Colette jerked out suddenly and tried to get past me. I blocked her, then headlights appeared in the distance, coming on the other side. Colette didn’t pull in. She was blocking both lanes. I had no choice but to drop back. I wasn’t endangering the innocent people driving on the other side. Her white SUV moved in front of me and slotted back into the correct lane, as the car passed on the other side, honking the entire way.
We were halfway along the straight road. I needed to get in front of her again. I gunned the accelerator and swerved out. Colette veered crazily in front of me, her need to make sure she blocked me greater than her caution.
I saw the moment she lost control of the car.
It started to drift, sliding on scree from the jagged cliffs that lined one side of the road.
She overcorrected, trying to fight the spin, and only made it worse. I braked sharply, falling back as the white SUV overturned and rolled. The loud screech of metal filled the air,and I watched the car roll and roll, getting closer and closer to the broken barrier.
The very rear hit the tip of the remaining safety rail and stopped the momentum, but it made the front end of the car spin out over the drop. I knew what was down there. I’d stared that death in the eye not long ago. I coasted in on the hard shoulder near the wreck. The car was hissing and creaking. As soon as I got out of my car, I could hear Colette’s screams for help.
I headed around the side of the ruin to the driver’s seat. It was the part of the car that was overhanging the edge the most. Colette was struggling with her seatbelt, her face a mask of blood, her white dress a scarlet nightmare. Her eyes fixed on me.
“Beckett! Help me. Get me out, before it falls,” she rushed out.
I surveyed the situation. The car looked stable enough, but you never knew what the crumbling cliff edge below was doing right now.
“Beckett, please! You can’t let me die. You can’t live with that on your conscience. You’re not a killer, Beckett.”
