Maybe it was a longshot, but she had to try. There was no losing here. Katz was in custody, so if he was the killer, he wouldn't be able to finish the job anytime soon. If he wasn't the killer, though, then it was worth looking further into.

  The only thing Nicky wished was that this car could drive faster. She was already running the damn thing into the ground.

  Nicky was driving fast down the highway, the night's darkness quickly overtaking her.

  "Lyons," Ken said.

  Nicky glanced at him.

  "We're gonna find her," he said. "One way or another."

  Emotion struck her chest. "There's only one good way to find her and that's alive."

  "I know," he said, "and I agree. But if we don't..."

  "There's no if we don't. We find her alive. That's it."

  Ken didn't reply, but Nicky knew how she was behaving. She knew that nothing could ever guarantee a missing person being found alive. She knew that most missing persons were never found at all.

  But she couldn't deal with another Masie. And so, she blocked out the idea that it was even possible. Meghan was alive, and Nicky would find her.

  As she drove, she tried to calm the steady thud of her heart, but she found herself going back to the place she always went back to. The place where her worst memories existed, but also the place that somehow brought her the most comfort. In this place, Rosie was alive, and they were together—no matter the circumstances.

  The lake house. Rosie. The man.

  It all took over, until Nicky couldn't stop herself from becoming immersed in the memory, even with the lights of the highway ahead of her windshield.

  ***

  "We need to get out of here," Rosie said.

  Nicky shivered, sitting on the floor of the cold, empty cabin.

  "He could be out there still," Nicky had said.

  She was the older one. She was the one who should have been in charge. But she was scared. Scared that the wrong move could cause them to lose their lives.

  They'd been in the cabin for three days now with nothing to eat but a few stale crackers, and a bucket for a toilet. He came and went, only to check in on them, ask how they were doing, and smile. He always smiled.

  They'd tried the door many times, but it was too well-locked. There was no other exit.

  They were trapped. He'd boarded up every window, every nook and cranny that they could possibly try to break free from. Plus, without being able to see outside, they couldn't tell when he was there and when he wasn't. Sometimes they'd hear his tires crunch over the gravel, signaling that he'd left, but he'd always come back soon. Always.

  This was one of those nights. They'd heard his tires leave a half an hour ago, and as always, had tried to figure a way out. But they couldn't. He'd never been gone for more than thirty minutes before.

  Nicky's mind raced as she looked around the dark and empty cabin. They'd tried removing nails from one of the windows so they could get to the other side, but it was hard for their small fingers to do without tools. But three days of slowly picking at them was starting to work, and if they were going to do it, maybe now was the best time.

  "We need to try again," Rosie said.

  Tears welled in Nicky's eyes. She was so scared, so scared they would die, so scared they were going to be trapped in this prison forever, so scared they wouldn't be able to find the strength to open the door and leave, so scared that maybe she'd be too scared to do it, and the door would stay shut, and they would be stuck here in this cabin for the rest of their lives, never being able to find the courage to open the door, never being able to find the strength to leave.

  She took a deep breath. She had to be brave. She couldn't let him win. She couldn't let him take away her self-worth, her dignity, her pride, her will to live.

  "Okay," she said, hoping her voice sounded stronger than she felt. "Okay, let's do it."

  Nicky managed to break a window with a piece of wood, and she and Rosie had been able to crawl out, moving slowly and quietly so they wouldn't attract attention, just in case the man was somehow still around.

  They were moving through the woods together now, moving as fast as they could. Each step was a risk, but they had to get out of this forest, get away from this man.

  "I can't feel my feet," Rosie said.

  "We need to keep going," Nicky said. "We're almost there, we can—Rosie?”

  Rosie didn't answer.

  She was gone.

  The moon was out, but it wasn't bright enough to see far ahead. Nicky turned around and around, but she couldn't find Rosie.

  "Rosie!" she whispered. "Rosie!"

  There was no reply. Nicky looked back at the cabin, which was still visible through the trees. It was farther away than she had thought. She had never been so far away from it, not since the first day they came here.

  Then, suddenly, there was light.

  Headlights.

  He was back.

  "Rosie!" Nicky shouted.

  "I'm stuck!" she heard her yell.

  "Where? I can't see you!" Everywhere was dark. But the sound of the man's wheels crunching over the path to the cabin was getting closer by the second.

  Nicky ran as fast as she could, dodging tree roots and trying to stay quiet.

  The car pulled up to the cabin, and the man got out. He was holding a gun. Nicky was out of time. She had no choice but to stay hidden.

  "Rosie, where are you?" Nicky whispered.

  No response.

  Nicky peered between the foliage to see the man had noticed they'd broken out.

  He was staring at the empty window.

  There was a flash of light--a flashlight.

  The man was looking for them.

  "Rosie, please, I can't find you!" Nicky whispered.

  Another flash of light.

  Then, Nicky heard Rosie scream.

  She could see her now--the man was dragging her out of the forest, toward the cabin. She kicked and screamed, but he was too strong.

  Nicky froze in place, terrified.

  She could still get away. But that would mean leaving Rosie.

  I'll get help, she told herself. I have to get help.

  She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, away from her sister--away from the cabin.

  She had no idea what was going to happen to them. She didn't know what he was going to do. But she knew she needed to get away.

  The forest was menacing in the dead of night. Nicky tore through the trees. The canopy of trees blocked most of the moonlight. The blackness of the forest was a blanket, smothering her. Leaves and pine needles crackled under her feet, like a thousand men stomping through the woods.

  Nicky’s fear was breaking through the adrenaline. It tasted bitter. She could feel it choking her.

  This was real. Whatever had happened during those three days changed her life forever. She didn't want to go back there. She didn't want to be that girl anymore. She didn't want to have to cope with those memories. She didn't want to know what had happened between her and that man.

  Nicky struggled to breathe. It wasn't just a physical struggle--it was something inside her. She could feel it, deep within her. She could feel her body resisting her.

  But finally, she made it to the road.

  She was in the middle of the woods, and the only thing she could see was the vast, open wilderness in all directions. The only thing she could hear was the soft rustle of leaves and the occasional birdcall. The only thing she could feel was the cool, refreshing breeze on her skin and the sturdy earth beneath her feet. She was alone and unprotected and there was nothing she could do to get help if she needed it.

  She started walking, staggering a little, trying not to trip on the uneven road. She knew where she was going. She had to find someone, anyone. She had to find help.

  So she walked, and walked, and walked, and the whole time, not a single car passed.

  It wasn't until a light appeared ahead that Nicky began to feel hope.

  It was a gas station.

  There was a convenience store attached, and a few cars parked out front.

  The light was bright, and as she got closer, she saw that it was a sign, written in large, red letters:

  OPEN 24 HOURS

  Nicky could see the outline of a man standing behind the counter, and she saw the glow of a cigarette. She walked inside, the bell above the door jingling to alert him she was there.

  She eased over to the counter, but the man didn't look up. He was sitting on a stool, reading a newspaper, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

  Nicky cleared her throat, but still, the man didn't look up. He didn't seem to notice her standing there. Nicky was about to ask if she could use the phone when he turned his head. He stared at her curiously, letting the cigarette fall to the floor and extinguishing it with his shoe.

  "Please," she begged. "The police. I need the police."

  That was when the man stood up, realizing this was serious.

  The next few hours were a blur. Police arrived. Nicky's parents were called. And Nicky had to lead them back to the cabin by memory.

  All the way there, she wasn't sure if it was real. It seemed like a dream. She was walking and seeing things she knew weren't there. She saw the man in the woods, calling her name. She saw Rosie in a ditch. She saw the cabin, abandoned, dark and quiet, and she heard angry, guttural moans from inside.

  But when they arrived, the cabin was just as they had left it. The man's van was gone. That was the first red flag.

  Nicky pointed out the cabin where the man had taken Rosie, the muddy tracks leading up the deck, and she told them everything she could.

  But it was only minutes before the police turned back around.

  "Sorry," one officer said. "There's no sign of any girl here."

  Rosie was never seen again.

  ***

  Nicky came back from the memory as the exit on the highway came up. The moon and stars shone above, their luminescence blurred by the interstate lights. The sky was a deep blue, and the stars looked like diamonds on the black velvet backdrop.

  It wasn't the first time she'd gone into full memory mode while running on auto pilot. It wouldn't be the last. She turned the wheel and took a right off the highway, onto a dark road. In the passenger seat, she could feel Ken's eyes on her.

  "You haven't talked in at least twenty minutes," Ken said. "That's not like you, Lyons."

  "Sorry," she said. "I was just thinking."

  "About what?"

  Nicky didn't reply. She'd already revealed too much to Ken the other night in the hotel. He was going to start thinking she was too soft, even though she wasn't. Nicky's memories, her PTSD--she didn't consider them a weakness. She considered them a strength.

  "What's going on?" Ken asked.

  "I'm not soft or anything," Nicky clarified. She wasn't being rude, just wanted to gently let him know that he didn't need to worry. And maybe she did care about earning his respect.

  "I never said you were," Ken replied.

  "I know." Nicky kept driving for a moment. "Was just thinking about what happened again. That's all."

  “With your sister.”

  Nicky nodded with a lump in her throat.

  "It's not your fault,” Ken said. “You didn't know what was going to happen. And you were a kid too."

  "Yeah, but I was her big sister." She paused, her voice thick. "I shouldn't have been the one to get away."

  "I get that." Ken looked out the window. "You're the only one in the office I've told about what happened to Tiana.”

  Nicky paused. She didn't know that. But Ken was far from an open book, so that made sense. Working with Ken had changed her opinion of him. He'd always seemed to aggressive and rude in the office, and in many ways, petty and jealous. But that wasn't Ken Walker at all. Like her, he was in this to save lives, maybe to repent for the people they both couldn't save.

  "I won't tell anyone about your story," Nicky said. "It's between us."

  He nodded. "Thanks, Lyons."

  Ken fell silent, and the rest of the ride was quiet as well. But Nicky was too wound up. She fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station that wasn't playing any bad music. She finally settled on a classic rock station, which was playing "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence.

  She seemed to always choose songs that brought up memories.

  She glanced over at Ken, who was still listening to the radio. He looked grim and detached, with his eyes on the road. She wondered if he ever went off into his own world, like hers. Into a world where his friend was still alive. A world that hurt in the most addictive way.

  Quietly, Nicky continued driving down the long, dark road, and hoped this one would lead to absolution for herself, Ken--and Meghan.

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  His hands trembled against the wheel of the car.

  Everything was going horribly wrong.

  He couldn't believe it. Not only had his last fiancé failed her vows, but now he had nowhere to get rid of her. Until he disposed of his last pathetic excuse for a bride, then he couldn't give his true love the ceremony she deserved. He was nothing, if not faithful.

  He was back on the highway now, and his ex-bride was still in the trunk, still kicking, still screaming. In backseat behind him, gagged and bound, was his new woman, his new love.

  He had the jitters as he met her bulging eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Don't worry, dear! I told you I'd get rid of her. I promise!"

  She made some noise through her gag. He was disappointing her. No, no, he couldn't do that.

  "I'm sorry, sweetheart! I promise she'll be gone, and we can be together!"

  His true love only cried more. He hated seeing her in pain.

  He punched the steering wheel. Damn it! He needed to get rid of his ex-bride, who was causing his new bride so much pain. He turned on the radio for the fourth time in as many minutes, but there was no news to report. He tried to relax, but the slightest movement only caused the screaming in the trunk to increase.

  He turned the radio off.

  Relax, he told himself. So, his old spot was no good. But it wasn't like he didn't have a backup plan. What was he, a fool? Of course not. He would get rid of his filthy ex-bride and he would do it quickly.

  A smile curled at his lips.

  This was going to be easy.

  Turning up the music, he sang along to his favorite song, and tried to clear his mind of everything except the music. He was going to be a good husband to his wife, they would be a good couple, not like his parents. Not like Mother.

  The song was the one he had sung at his last wedding, and though it had seemed forever, it was only four minutes. The song ended and the announcer came on. "That one, that one is for the beautiful bride and groom."

  "Oh, shut up!" he muttered bashfully. “You’re too kind. We’re technically not married yet!”

  He changed the station to classical music, because it reminded him of Mother.

  He remembered the way Mother would keep him in the basement for hours, all the windows shut, never letting him leave. And she would whisper to him through the door, telling him how much she loved him. How much he meant to her. How much she would never hurt him. How much he was the only one she could ever truly love.

  She was so lonely after Father was no longer around. But Mother made it clear that he, he could never leave her. He was hers.

  But he had escaped Mother, and now he was free to live his own life, to choose his own love. He was no longer the little boy who had listened to the classical music she played in the basement of their home. He was a man. He had a new love, a new wife. He did not need to listen to the soft songs that reminded him of his mother’s voice.

  He changed to an old country song he used to sing with his father on the old acoustic guitar.

  The song was about love, but it was about love lost. A man sang the song to the woman who had destroyed his love, and though she stood in front of him, she was no longer the beautiful bride he had married. He had no more use for her, because he had found love again with his new wife-to-be. Only this time, she was completely different.

  He wiped his eyes. He was being foolish. A good man should forget such things and focus on what was important.

  And right now, the only important thing was getting rid of his ex-bride.

  And he knew just the place.

  A home away from home...

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  Nicky's heart fell to the floor.

  The old warehouse was demolished. All of it. The remains of the building were spread out in front of her, under the night sky. The bricks and mortar lay in shattered pieces on the ground. The wooden beams and support posts had been torn down, leaving nothing but splinters and rubble in their wake. The once-solid structure now looked like a skeleton, stretched out on the ground in front of her.

  Beside her, Ken let out a whistle. "Something tells me this isn't where he's going."

  Nicky's hands shook. "Grace said it was here, but the internet probably hadn't updated yet. This demolition was recent." Nicky could tell by the way the track marks from the machinery were still embedded in the earth.

  Nicky paused. Took a moment to breathe, collect herself. The air was cool, as if it had just rained. The crickets sang all around them, their high-pitched notes weaving in and out of each other, as if they were trying to create a melody. The road stretched out before them, a narrow, pitted path that disappeared into the darkness. They were way off the highway, and the only light came from the stars and the moon.

  Okay, so this was the wrong spot. And they were running out of time. But Nicky couldn’t let this defeat her.

  The only way forward was up.

  "We don't have time to waste." Nicky hurried back over to the car and hopped behind the wheel. Ken followed, buckling into the passenger side.