Page 31 of Tactical Revival

“Do you think Lanetti is alive?” While the girl hasn’t been overly friendly with me lately, the last thing I want is anything bad happening to her. She’s innocent. Sweet. Grew up in this town.

“I’m praying she is.” He turns toward me. Something passes in his gaze. An emotion I can’t quite pinpoint. “Margot.”

“Yes?” Is he going to tell me he cares for me? That he feels whatever this is, too?

He runs a hand over the back of his neck. “I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful. Please? You and Matty both.”

That hope is dashed, but his worry over me warms my heart. “Of course. But—do you think whoever it is will come for us?”

“I think that if this is about me, they might. I can leave. Honestly, I probably should.’

“No. Please don’t. I actually feel safer with you here.”

“Margot. Whoever this is targeted Lanetti likely because of how often I’m at the diner. Probably because I was talking to her outside the bakery. I’m living here. What do you think will happen to you and Matty? I can stay at the lighthouse.”

“No. If there’s danger, you need to be here. Please, Jaxson.” Reaching out, I place a hand on his arm. It’s more for me than him. If there’s a killer in Hope Springs, I would much rather the detective be here. Even if whoever took Lanetti followed him here. “You’ve been staying here for a year now, if you leave now, whoever it is might still consider us a good way to get to you. And if you leave, there’s no one here to keep us safe.” I swallow hard as his gaze drops to my mouth, then back up to meet mine.

“I won’t let anything happen to you or Matty.”

“I know you won’t.”

Jaxson pulls away from me when his cell rings. As he pulls it out of his pocket, I get a quick glimpse at the name Rosalie flashing on the screen.

Who’s Rosalie?

He tosses the phone onto his bed, and my cheeks heat. Is there someone in his life that I don’t know about? Irrational jealousy is a thorn in my side.

“My ex-wife,” he says.

“Oh. Sorry. I—” Did I say something out loud?

“You looked curious but like you didn’t want to ask. Rosalie is my ex-wife. And of course she would be calling now. In the middle of the night. Because that’s her timing.”

“You mentioned she’d been calling.”

“Incessantly.”

“I’ve been getting weird calls, too, if it’s any consolation.” My statement is meant to be a half joke, to put him at ease, but the expression on his face is anything but amused.

“What do you mean?”

“Someone called and hung up without saying anything twice today. It’s probably someone trying to make a reservation from a place with bad service. Happens occasionally.”

“Do you know the number?”

“It came up unknown.” I narrow my gaze on him. “What is it?”

“I’m going to have Elijah pull your phone records, okay?”

“Jaxson.”

He fires off a text, then shoves his phone into his pocket. “It’s just a precaution, Margot. I’m not risking it.”

“Hey, honey.” I smile despite the unease in my gut as I greet my son at his best friend’s front door. He’s been here working on his science project nearly all day, and while it’s only a mile from here to the B&B and he’d planned on walking home, I couldn’t bring myself to let him do that.

Not while Lanetti is missing and there’s a possible killer on the loose.

Lanetti. Her mother is terrified for her daughter’s well-being. I can’t even imagine what the woman is going through. What would I do if something happened to Matty? Lose my mind. I would absolutely lose my mind.

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