A single message.
STOP DIGGING.
Her stomach dropped.
Scout’s voice came low beside her. “You okay?”
He was closer than she realized.
Tessa stared at the screen, then locked it with a thumb that didn’t shake.
“No,” she said quietly. “But I will be.”
And she kept walking.
Burke’s eyes locked on the screen. “That’s him.”
Scout’s voice came low. “Then we’re close.”
14
Cloud Gap — Late Evening
The road wound higher through fog and wintry mix, the kind of cold that turned the pavement to glass. By the time Scout reached the cabin, his wipers scraped against ice and the porch light glowed amber through the trees.
Tessa opened the door before he could knock. “You found it.”
He tipped his hat, flicking rain off the brim. “Hard to miss the only place with lights this far up.”
Her eyes dropped to the folder tucked under his arm. “Burke wanted you to have this tonight.”
Tessa took the folder, thumb already sliding under the clasp. “What is it?”
“Sara’s phone update,” Scout said. “We got into it.”
Tessa’s face tightened. “And?”
“Text messages,” he said. “The day she disappeared. Warnings.”
Tessa flipped the first page, eyes scanning fast. “Back off the Pierce case.”
Scout nodded once. “Yeah.”
“So sheknew.”
“She knew,” Scout said. “And she kept digging anyway.”
He nodded toward the folder. “New statements too. College thread. Lauren Pierce’s roommate finally sat down with Burke—gave more than she wanted to. And a couple women from the department.”
Tessa looked up, eyes sharp. Then she stepped back. “Come in before you freeze.”
The place was nicer than he expected for a rental. Tidy, lived-in enough to feel real. The stone fireplace dominated the room, cold and waiting for a match.
She turned toward the windows, where ice pellets traced silver lines down the glass. “I keep thinking about her—out there in this weather. I hope she’s warm.”
“She hated the cold,” he said softly. “Always layered up like we were headed to Alaska.”
A small smile ghosted across her face. “You really knew her.”
