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On his way out, he stopped to check on Gus, who barely raised an eyelid when Mitch rubbed his head and said goodbye. Mitch locked the door behind him, his eyes on the horizon, drawn to the yellow ball fading into ribbons of pink. On another night, he would’ve sat on his porch, looked out over the woods and taken a moment to watch the sunset, thanking God for his blessings. Instead, he was going to Castle Road to deliver news that would forever change Zoe’s life.
The engine of his patrol car purred to life and he lowered the windows, letting the warm breeze fill his car, taking the chill off his soul.
He didn’t need the GPS to find Zoe’s house. He knew exactly which one it was because he’d recently tried to buy the house, but he’d lost to an out-of-town buyer.
Regardless, there was only one old church that had been converted into a home with a modern extension on the back. It was spectacular and he was still a little sour he hadn’t secured the house.
He drove in silence, collecting his thoughts, mentally planning what to say. But in situations like this, he knew there was no good way to deliver the news. His chest tightened, and he silently prayed for God to give him the words that would minimize the trauma—because for tonight, he had to assume Zoe was innocent.
He turned onto Castle Road a few minutes later. Redwater was a small town, and it didn’t take long to get anywhere. Mitch pulled off Castle Road and headed down the long dirt road that took his breath away even though he wasn’t seeing it for the first time. Manicured trees and hedges lined it until the old church came into view. It really was magnificent, and could’ve been used for a scene in a movie. The old church was nestled into the front of the woods—thankfully not the woods Lana had been found in, as Castle Road was on the other side of town.
The front lights turned on when Mitch came to a stop, likely on a sensor.
He took another calming breath, then forced himself to get out of the car.
Six stone steps led up to the front door and Mitch’s trepidation grew with each step.
He knocked on the door, listening for movement inside. A few moments later, the door was swung open by a woman. Mitch almost forgot what he was doing there as he drank in the beautiful blonde who stood almost as tall as he was, which was rare, given he was almost six feet tall. But it was her green eyes that gave him pause, eyes that sparkled like rare gems—eyes he felt like he was about to destroy.
Mitch cleared his throat. “Zoe Seacombe?”
“Yes,” she said, and Mitch saw the change in her eyes immediately. “You’re the sheriff.” It was a statement, not a question.
He nodded, somewhat surprised she knew that. “Mitch Shaw,” he said. “I’m sorry to come over unannounced, but I need to talk to you for a few minutes. It would be best if we could do this inside.”
She eyed him like she wasn’t going to let him in, but she did. “Of course,” she said, standing aside, holding the door open for him. “Please excuse the boxes. They were in a storage unit and just arrived.”
“I can’t even see them,” Mitch said, forcing a smile as he stepped inside. He looked to her to lead the way.
She returned his smile with a forced one of her own before closing the door behind him.
He knew she was leading him to the kitchen before they entered and realized he was once more envious of this house. He did not envy her life though.
When they entered the large room with arched, wood-beam ceilings—the main part of the old church—he felt a sense of peace settle over him. He wondered if that was what it felt like to live here.
“Do you live here alone?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t be alone tonight. He hoped Zoe had a strong support system.
But the second he asked the question, all hope vanished like a candle flame extinguishing.
“Yes,” she said with a thick voice. “My husband was killed in a car accident.” Mitch saw the raw pain in her eyes. Pain like that was hard to fake.
He sucked in a breath, feeling like someone had kicked him in the stomach. He wished he’d never asked the question, because what he needed to say now felt even more cruel.
“I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said.
She forced another smile and he realized she was well practiced at them. “You just keep going. I don’t have a choice.”
Mitch nodded, swallowing hard. “May I take a seat?” he asked, hoping she would too. He didn’t want to deliver this news while she was standing in the event she fainted.
“Sure,” she said, pulling out the chair next to the one he reached for. “Why are you here?” she asked. Her voice didn’t tremble, but Mitch knew she must’ve been suppressing her emotions. No one liked a visit from the sheriff on a Sunday evening.
“I need to speak to you about your sister, Lana. She was reported as a missing person,” he said, watching Zoe closely.
Her eyes widened. “Is there an update?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
His chest tightened.
“I’ve been dealing with the police in St. Louis. I called them yesterday and they said there were no new leads.” She paused. “Why are the Redwater police involved?”
