Page 44 of Drew

Head down, Mitch left the last store in the unit and started running.

“Shit. Where’s he going?” Torn between starting the car or following him on foot, Drew grabbed the keys from the ignition, but Callum was already out the door.

Drew wasn’t far behind when Mitch fell on the ice and skidded to a halt. His hood fell back. “Don’t hurt me,” said some blond guy who was definitely not Mitch.

“Who the fuck are you?” Drew demanded.

“Nobody, I swear. This guy stopped me at the bank and paid me a hundred bucks to wear his hoodie and shades.”

“At the bank?” Drew glanced in the bank's direction. He remembered when Mitch had gone into the bank. “That was almost thirty minutes ago.”

“It’s a fucking distraction.” Callum kicked a nearby snowbank, sending powdered snow everywhere.

Drew was already making a call when the imposter got up and ran away. Callum was about to follow but Drew stopped him. “He’s not worth it. He won’t know anything.”

When Alyssa didn’t answer his call, he tried Fredrica. “You’re with Alyssa, right?” He’d asked her and Maddox to stay with Alyssa while they tracked down this lead.

“No, but she’s fine.”

“Why aren’t you with her?” Drew was already striding to the truck.

“Mom forgot her cellphone charger, and I needed to grab it and overnight it to her. The Post Office closes early today. Alyssa’s cool. She can take care of herself. She’s just painting. She’ll be fine.”

“Maddox is still at the house?”

“No, Becky said they thought they’d spotted Mitch on the opposite side of town. He’s chasing down that lead, just in case. Why did something happen?”

“It wasn’t him. It was a decoy. We don’t know where he is.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah, shit.” The truck roared to life, and the Bluetooth took over. “So she’s at the house?”

If she stayed inside with the doors locked, she should be safe. Even if he found her scent, he likely wouldn’t be able to get into the house or even realize that’s where she was.

“Um…”

“Where is she?” Callum demanded, picking up on the same worried note in Fredrica’s voice that Drew had.

“She wanted to sketch the pond. Wanted to get the colors right.”

Ending the call, Drew pressed the pedal to the floor. Mitch had tracked her across multiple states. He’d proven he could hunt. And now he had a head start.

Chapter Eighteen

Her hand stopped mid-stroke when she heard a twig snap behind her. She twisted on the rock she’d perched on, pausing in her painting. After taking a few pictures of the pond, she pulled out a small canvas and a set of paints. She wanted to get the perfect color blend to show the sun's reflection on the icy surface. Working from a digital image wouldn’t be the same, so despite the cold, she’d headed to the pond she and Drew had visited last night.

But now, as she stared into the forest, she realized a morning stroll by herself may not have been a good idea.

“Hello?”

No one answered, yet she knew she was no longer alone.

Slowly, she lowered the brush and pulled her phone from her pocket—a missed call from Drew. When they left to deal with Mitch that morning, she’d figured the problem was well in hand, and she’d be safe to venture out on her own. Apparently not.

Her thumb coasted over the screen so she could read his text messages.

Drew: It was a diversion. Mitch is still on the loose. I am heading to you now. Get back to the house.

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