There was nowhere to turn.
Rock rose beside me.
The ravine dropped away on the other side.
The truck filled the road, its horn bellowing through the fog.
A steel pipe struck the pavement and vaulted into the air.
Another tore through the guardrail.
My headlights flashed across wet metal.
I thought of Reid standing beneath the awning.
I thought of the half-eaten sandwich beside me.
He was going to be furious about that.
Then the windshield exploded into white.
Chapter 2
REID
At eight forty-three, I checked my phone.
No missed calls.
No new messages.
I set it facedown on the workbench and tried to listen as Caleb explained why the inverter installation was taking twice as long as quoted.
“The previous owner wired the cabin himself,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he used whatever colors were emotionally available.”
“Replace the run.”
“I am replacing it. I’m just asking permission to curse him.”
“Granted.”
Owen worked ten feet away, sanding the edge of a hatch frame. The sound scraped through the bay in steady passes.
I looked at the clock.
Eight forty-five.
Noah should have reached Bellweather twenty minutes ago. He might have gone directly into the boat and forgotten to call. He had done that before. Not often, but enough that I could use it as an explanation.
I picked up a wrench.
Put it down.
Caleb glanced at me. “He’s probably under a dashboard.”
“He was supposed to check in.”
“He’ll check in.”
