Page 56 of Veil of Silence

Someone knew where Austin and Nora had been—and this person could reach them again. Next time, the message they sent might be more than just a threat.

Chapter

Twenty

By the time Nora and Austin reached her driveway, she’d checked the mirrors so many times she’d lost count. The gray SUV hadn’t appeared behind them again.

That should have made her feel better, yet she remembered the dark shape behind the windshield. The SUV crossing the painted line to stay behind them. The way the driver had cut across the parking spaces to close the distance.

The driver had definitely sent a message.

As Austin pulled into her driveway, she spotted a new vehicle there—an old sedan with a dented bumper.

Who was here?

“Expecting someone?” Austin asked.

Nora shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

He killed the engine. “I’m coming in long enough to check the house and property. If that SUV followed us because of you, I want to make sure nobody is waiting here.”

Nora unfastened her seat belt and glanced at the house. She’d been expecting him to say that. He was just that kind of guy. “I figured.”

One corner of Austin’s mouth lifted. “You’re learning.”

Yes, she was learning Austin—and quickly. The situation they’d been thrown in together made her feel as if she’d known the man weeks instead of mere days.

She gave him a look before climbing out. As she headed toward the house, Austin surveyed the yard, the cabin, and the surrounding woods before catching up to her. She appreciated his watchfulness.

It felt good not to have to shoulder all the responsibilities alone.

Voices drifted from the kitchen as soon as Nora opened the door. She stopped in the hallway, a moment of panic seizing her.

Then she realized who was speaking.

“Christian’s school assessment.” Nora closed her eyes briefly before looking at Austin. “I was supposed to be here. But with everything that happened, I forgot.”

She’d scheduled her visits so she could make it home in time, but Preston’s disappearance and the trip to Southern Heritage had driven the appointment completely out of her mind.

Guilt filled her as Nora hurried down the hall with Austin behind her.

Christian sat at the kitchen table with Zack Grant from the school district’s Student Services Department. Nora knew Zack from church, and she’d asked him to come.

The man was in his forties, with short red hair, wire-framed glasses, and the patient expression of someone accustomed to putting nervous families at ease.

Her mom looked up, relief appearing first and concern quickly replacing it. “There you are. I was beginning to worry.”

Nora set her purse on the counter. “Sorry. Things got complicated.”

Zack smiled as he closed a testing booklet. “We’re almost finished. Your mother explained that something came up with one of your patients.”

“That’s right.”

Nora introduced Austin, calling him an “old friend.”

Then she stepped toward the table and nodded at the scattered papers. “How’s it going?”

“Better than expected,” Zack said as he adjusted his glasses. “His reading comprehension is strong, and he’s doing especially well in math.”