Page 44 of Knox

“This afternoon.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “I walked through the rooms with Knox while he checked all the locks before we left. It wasn’t there.”

“And the window upstairs?”

I looked to Knox for this one.

He caught my gaze and answered. “This morning before we left. It was locked.”

The sheriff made notes. “No signs of forced entry on the window or any of the doors.”

“None,” Knox answered again.

“Which means either he’s skilled at bypassing locks, or⁠—”

“Or what?” Knox’s voice was hard.

I looked from him to the sheriff, unsure what wasn’t being said.

“Or he has a key.”

My lips parted as I processed the horrifying possibility.

“I don’t think so,” I said, finally. “I have the only keys. My parents have a set, but they’re in Charleston. Marissa has a set for emergencies, but she would’ve told me if she lost it.”

“We’ll touch base with her to be certain.” He made another note. “What about contractors? Property management. Other family members or employees. Anyone who might’ve had access?”

I shook my head. “My parents had the locks changed after construction.” But even as I said it, doubt crept in. It wasn’t as if they’d made the changes themselves. They would’ve hired that work out. How many people had been through this house then? How many workers, vendors, inspectors?

“We’ll check with your parents about who had access during the build,” Nash said. “In the meantime, I’m recommending you change all the locks as soon as possible.”

“On it,” Knox said.

The sheriff studied us both. “Knox, can I talk to you for a minute?”

They moved to the far end of the room, voices low. I couldn’t hear what the sheriff was saying, but I saw Knox’s expression darken. Saw his hands curl into fists at his sides.

When they finished, Sheriff Sullivan returned to say goodbye. “We’re going to find this guy, Sloane. I promise.”

After the local lawmen left, the house felt too big. Too empty despite Knox’s presence. As if someone could be hiding anywhere unnoticed. We locked ourselves inside and settled in the kitchen.

“What did the sheriff say to you privately?” I asked.

“He suggested a security upgrade. Archer and Colton will take care of that. I’ve already reached out. They’re designing a plan. Once they figure it out, they’ll place orders for materials tonight, then come over to begin setup in the morning.”

“That’s fast. Good.”

“It’s possible they won’t be able to get their hands on everything they want with such little notice. Some things might require a trip to the mainland, but we’ll know more when they get here.” Knox’s voice was rough. “I don’t like any of this. This guy is escalating fast, and that’s serious cause for concern.”

I turned and leaned against the countertop for support. “Yeah.”

“Following you on the trail was his MO. The attack at your party, on your property, was a significant move away from his chosen protocol. Now this? Breaking into your home while we were away? Making sure we knew. To say he’s getting bolder doesn’t cover it.”

I folded my arms across my chest, rubbing my palms against my biceps to erase the goosebumps rising there.

Knox blew out a long, labored breath, but his blue eyes held mine. “I don’t know what the missing hikers went through before they disappeared, or if they experienced anything like this, but it seems to me this guy is obsessed with you. That scares the hell out of me.”

I swallowed hard. Seeing the worry and fear in Knox’s eyes sent shocks of terror through my core. “You’re saying that your presence won’t deter him like I’d hoped,” I said. “And that he’s not going to stop until he has me.”

The words hung between us, ugly and true.