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Prologue
Saturday
Music played so loud it vibrated in Chrissie Lowe’s teeth. Students crammed into every spare space talking so loud they sounded like a flock of angry geese. Giddy and uncoordinated, she pushed her way between two huge football players to reach the stairs. The dream date with Seth Lyons—star college quarterback—had faded like a rose in winter. The fruit punch he’d insisted she drink to “loosen up” had the effect of making the room go all misty around the edges. Surrounded by people she didn’t know didn’t help the wave of rising panic and uncertainty of being the only girl at the party. The niggly feeling something wasn’t quite right hit her the moment Seth had refused to give her a ride back to her dorm. His insistence she stay worried her, as did the strange, overly interested looks from his friends. Her legs had become Jell-O and she sagged against the wall. “I don’t feel so good. I want to go home.”
“And I figured you were all grown up.” Seth grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around. “Go upstairs. You can rest up in my room.”
Glad of a chance to get away from the thumping music keeping time to the throb in her temples, she glanced at the wavering stairs. “Up there?”
“Yeah, go right to the end of the hallway.” Seth’s hand settled on the small of her back and he gave her an encouraging push toward the steps.
A group of juniors she recognized as members of the football team leaned against the walls, drinking beer and watching with interest as she staggered up the stairs. When they grinned at her and made hooting noises like a bunch of deranged owls, her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. Chrissie smacked away the hands trying to snag her and turned to Seth. “Are these your friends?”
“Uh-huh. Don’t worry about those animals.” He snorted and high-fived his friends. “It will be just you ’n’ me.”
A wave of nausea hit her as his overpowering aftershave mingled with the smells of beer and barbecue. She just wanted to lie down and hoped the room would stop spinning. Using the wall for support, she eased her way through the packed hallway and opened the door. It was the usual-sized room but with two double beds, not like the singles in her dorm. “You’ve double beds?”
“Yeah, us guys need a bit more space than you do.” Seth grinned at her. “Sit down. I’ll get you a couple of pills.” He headed for the open bathroom door.
Warning lights flashed in her brain and the long talk her parents had given her about not drinking or taking drugs filled her swimming thoughts. When she shook her head, her stomach rolled. “I don’t need any pills. I just need to lie down for a spell.”
“Head all fuzzy?” Seth came out of the bathroom. “Feel like you’re gonna spew?” He handed her two pills then a glass of water. “These will make you feel better. You gotta trust me, Chrissie.”
She peered at the pills. “Are they like Tums?”
“I guess.” Seth sat down, making the bed dip. “Come on, Chrissie. We can’t enjoy ourselves with you all messed up like this.”
She peered at the pills. “I don’t take drugs.”
“Do you think I would’ve asked you to come here if you did?” Seth touched her cheek. “I like you because you’re so sweet and innocent.”
When he looked deep into her eyes, her stomach gave a little flip. She so wanted to please him but being drunk and alone with him in his bedroom was a big mistake. Swallowing hard, she wet her lips. “I think I should go.”
“You don’t trust me, do you?” Seth dashed a hand through his hair in an impatient gesture. “You know there are ten girls I know who would’ve jumped at the chance to be invited up to my room but I chose you—I can’t believe you’re turning out to be basic.” He stood and glared at her. “If you don’t trust me, forget it. I’ll give you a ride back to your dorm—but don’t expect to hear from me again any time soon.”
Unable to take his condemnation a moment longer, Chrissie allowed her gaze to linger on his handsome face for just a moment then took the pills.
“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Seth gave her a brilliant smile, and sat down again. “Let me help you with your jacket.” He tossed it onto a chair then puffed up the pillows and eased her down on the bed. “Lie back and relax. The pills will make you feel so good like you’re floating on a cloud.” He stood and stared down at her. “Close your eyes. Let me turn down the lights.”
Head throbbing, she complied. The door opened and a blast of noise from the party filled the room for long moment before the door closed again, reducing the loud music to a tolerable buzz. Has he left me alone? Heaviness filled her limbs and she tried unsuccessfully to lift her arms. A strange numbing sensation had crept over her and she couldn’t move. It was as if the bed had turned into q
uicksand. Frightened, she tried to call for help but only a moan escaped her lips.
Whispered voices deep and masculine surrounded her but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. A dizzy, out-of-body feeling swamped her and it was an effort to keep her eyes open. She tried to focus on the faces grinning at her and then darkness closed in around her.
Chrissie opened her eyes, disoriented and confused, and took in the damp lawn outside her dorm. The freshly cut grass prickled her cheek and the world seemed to be upside down. Stifling a moan, she rolled onto her back and stared into the stars, trying to make sense of what had happened. With effort, she sat up, pulled out her phone, and stared at the screen for some moments, not sure what to do. After sending a text, she stood on trembling legs, stumbled at the curb and her phone slipped from her hand. As it fell down a drain, she stared after it in dismay for a long moment before making her way slowly to the front door.
Luckily, the glass door to the dorm lobby remained open on Saturday nights and her room was on the ground floor. She found her key, safe in the zippered pocket of her jacket, and staggered into the building. Empty, well-lit passageways greeted her as she made her way to her room. She passed the noticeboard and, among the coupons for free pizza, she spotted a newspaper article about the Black Rock Falls College football team. Familiar faces grinned out at her from a team photograph. Leaning against the wall for support, she grabbed the pen hanging by a string, circled four of the faces, and then added a sad-faced emoji and her initials.
Outside, the roar of a powerful engine caught her attention and she looked through the glass door as a car, cloaked in darkness, crawled by her building and then stopped. Panic froze her to the spot. She couldn’t breathe. The click as the car door shut sounded loud in the stillness, and moments later, a shadow crossed the lawn, coming fast. Chrissie fumbled for her key. Once, twice she tried with trembling fingers to slide it into the lock. Her heart pounded in her chest as the front door whined opened. She dared not scream. No one must ever know. As the key slid into the lock, footsteps came down the hallway. She gasped in terror. I have to get away.
One
Monday
Black Rock Falls in August was spectacular. An entire artist’s palette of colors painted the landscape, and from Sheriff Jenna Alton’s front porch, she could see for miles across the vast grasslands to the mountain ranges. Under a clear, brilliant blue sky, the black mountain peaks stood out like a wall of protection around the town, with the pines of Stanton Forest marching up to meet them in a mix of luxurious greens. Wildflowers spilled over the lush grass surrounding her ranch, and from where she sat, she could see the horses frolicking in the corral. Jenna put her boots up on the railing, leaned back in her chair—coffee cup in hand—and sighed. “It’s good to be home.” She smiled at Dave Kane, her deputy and close friend. “I kind of missed this place but I sure needed a vacation.”
“Me too.” Kane yawned. “I wouldn’t have minded a couple more weeks’ rest.” He rubbed the head of his bloodhound, Duke. “But Rowley was worried Duke had started to stress, so next time we’ll take him with us.”
“That sounds like a really good plan. Think about it—two or three weeks of baking in the sun on a beautiful beach, blue skies, white sand… ah, bliss.” She smiled at him. “It was nice to relax for a change, without the constant caseload.”
