“What’s with you and this place? What happened?” Brent asked as they pulled away from campus.
Taylor hadn’t told him much; just that her father had a run-in with a serial killer there. It had been all over the news back then, and it only spoke of the Smiths and how they had kidnapped and killed dozens of children over the years.
The town had become famous for a short period of time. Streaming TV networks did documentaries on it, and Red Creek became a bit of a tourist destination for the nation’s large true-crime following. New condos went up, and her aunt was optimistic for those first few years. Then everyone forgot as the next big thing happened, and Red Creek was now more desolate than ever.
“You know what happened. You watched the documentary.” Taylor’s family had been left out of it, their names changed, but it had been leaked by some of the locals. It had resulted in better sales for her father, and anytime she complained about the attention, he pointed to something the money had bought them. Right now, she was sitting in something the money had bought them: the brand-new car he’d given her for her eighteenth birthday.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Brent said, and not for the first time.
“I know. That’s why we’re going back,” she whispered.
“What do you mean? I thought we were visiting your family. Seeing your cousin,” he said.
Taylor had to be honest with him. At least, as much as she could. She owed him that, especially since she was going to be running around, looking into every possible lead, and might need his help.
“There’s more to it. A thirteen-year-old girl went missing two days ago.” Taylor stared out the window, watching trees race by on the side of the road.
Brent lowered the radio volume. “Wait. What does that have to do with us going there?”
“I have to see. I have to know…”
“To know what? The Smiths are gone, remember? It was all on that show I watched. Conway died of cancer, and his grandkid, Katherine, killed herself in prison,” Brent said, his voice rising in volume.
Taylor couldn’t explain it without sounding totally insane. “I know. I just have some stuff to look into. Isabelle will help too.”
“What’s her deal?” Brent asked.
Taylor didn’t know how to answer that either. “She’s a good kid.” She almost laughed, seeing how the girl was only a year younger than her. Somehow, after spending her whole life in Red Creek, Isabelle seemed a little emotionally stunted. “She works at the local diner.”
The trip went fast, and Taylor’s anxiety increased with every passing mile. What the hell was she doing? She held her phone tightly in her hand and had the urge to text her dad and tell him what she was up to. They were always a team, and she felt the betrayal as if she were stabbing him in the heart. She pressed her eyelids closed and took quick, shallow breaths.
“Tay, are you okay? What is it?” Brent asked from the driver’s seat. He’d never seen her like this. She was good at masking her social disorders in front of people. Now she felt the guise fall off, and wasn’t ready to expose her vulnerability to him.
She pictured her family. Mom, looking beautiful in a sundress, holding Stevie’s hand as they walked across the street to Central Park. Her dad glanced over at her, his hair gray now, a month-old beard covering his face like it had for the last five years. She focused on the good memory and found her breath returning to normal.
“I’ll be okay. Sorry to worry you, B. It’s…” Taylor started, and saw his hand come to rest on her bare knee.
“I get it. You’ve been through some serious shit here, and after years, you’re finally returning. Thanks for trusting me and letting me come with you. Don’t worry. I’m here for you every step of the way,” Brent said, his mouth full of perfect white teeth as he smiled at her.
“What did I do to deserve you?” she asked him, and really meant it.
“Almost there.” Brent broke the moment as he pointed at a Welcome to Red Creek sign ahead.
As if on cue, the sky darkened and deep black clouds rolled in, sending drops against the windshield in a warning to Taylor. Turn back. The two words echoed in her head repeatedly as they headed down the narrow road toward the place from her nightmares.
As they neared the town, her phone rang. It was her dad.
Four
Paul set the phone on the granite countertop, kicking himself for not checking his voicemails earlier.
“She’s not coming home,” he said quietly at the kitchen island. He couldn’t believe it. They had so many plans for the week, and then Taylor had randomly called and left a message, saying she was too busy to come home.
“That’s insane. Call her now. We didn’t send her to school so she can burn out. That girl needs some time at home to clear her head.” Terri was standing at the coffee maker, pouring a cup. She turned to him, and Paul tried not to be distracted by her open robe and what was underneath.
She seemed to catch his leer, and he grinned at her, getting a smile in return, but she still pulled the robe tighter and tsked at him as Stevie hopped off the couch.
“Where’s Taylor?” he asked. Paul’s heart broke. He knew how much her brother wanted to see Taylor.
“She’s still at school, bud. I’ll call her and see what’s up.” Paul took a sip of coffee and headed for his office. He didn’t want to grill Taylor in front of Stevie. The boy adored her.
The phone rang, and eventually went to voice mail. Paul considered hanging up and trying again but pushed the urge down. After the beep, he started to talk. “Hey, honey bear.
