Page 35 of Phoenix Rising

“I took a class on Greek mythology. I didn’t remember that being the lion’s name until you described him.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that a milquetoast man like Homer Duncan would cosplay the persona of a monster the size of a truck with enhanced speed and strength?”

Reese shrugged. “Maybe that’s how he wants to see himself. He might’ve been overlooked or bullied all his life. This could be his way of being seen and heard.”

“Gosh darn it, you’re going to make me feel sorry for him, which I totally would if I knew he wasn’t responsible for Paige’s disappearance.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t want that,” Reese murmured. He didn’t get any creepy vibes from Duncan as he had with Yogi Vishnu and Herbert “Pops” Calhoun. Nothing stood out as a matter for Paige and her award-winning instincts to pursue. There was a reason she’d come to Arizona, and Reese was becoming increasingly convinced that she’d discovered something that jeopardized her life. They had several possibilities but no substantial leads.

Usually, Reese’s instincts were spot on, but he couldn’t formulate a picture in his head. There was something that niggled in the back of his brain, but it wouldn’t coalesce into anything that helped with Paige’s disappearance.

They were now out of leads. They’d exhausted the clues Paige had provided with the brochures in her suitcase. It was time to sit down and review the facts to develop a plan of action. Though he wasn’t looking forward to it, they may need to retrace their steps and go back to each business to dig deeper.

The evening was lovely as they walked to the resort. The sunset painted the surrounding rocks in beautiful shades of reds, blues, yellows, and oranges, and the smell of piñonpine and juniper scented the air.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of Reese’s neck stood at attention, and he spun around. “Look out!”

#

Audria had been enjoying the leisurely stroll back to their resort. It was a perfect mix of colorful sky, incredible surroundings, and fantastic company. The next thing she knew, she was flying through the air and slamming to the ground with Reese’s weight crashing down on top of her.

All the oxygen left her body, and pulling in a breath was impossible. She tamped down the urge to panic and waited until her lungs filled. Reese rolled them down a small ravine. The car had jumped the curb headed directly for them before returning to the street.

Reese leaped up and ran, trying to catch the license plate, if Audria had to guess. She sat up gingerly and assessed her condition. Her arm hurt from where she’d landed on it, and tiny pebbles bit into her legs, but she was otherwise unharmed.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay? Do you need an ambulance?”

Audria looked up to see a man and woman hurrying over to her. “No, I’m okay.” They helped her to her feet.

“Good thing your husband has such quick reflexes,” the man said.

Other people rushed over to help until a crowd surrounded her.

“We saw the whole thing,” a teenager announced. “I even recorded it.”

The girl showed Audria the video, and her stomach pitched, seeing how close they had come to being run over. One thing was certain: It was no accident. The car had aimed for them.

Chapter Eleven

That had been close—too close. Reese had been distracted, staring at Audria as the sun set. It had been an impulse to reach for her hand, and when she didn’t flinch, he tightened his grip. Then, the car had come careening their way.

They’d barely missed being flattened beneath the styrene-butadiene rubber of the car’s front tire. A second later . . . he shuddered, unable to complete the thought.

He jogged back to Audria to find her surrounded by a cluster of people.

“That was incredible,” a man said when he spotted Reese. “You have reflexes like a cat.”

The group stood around rehashing the scene and chatting when all Reese wanted to do was run his hands over Audria and make sure she wasn’t hurt. It looked as if she was still having trouble breathing, and he spotted a drop of blood on her elbow. His jaw tightened. He’d landed on her pretty hard. He’d rather cut off his arm than ever hurt her.

People started to wander away until they were alone. “I’m so sorry for tackling you. Are you okay?”

“I’m good, and there is no reason to apologize. If you hadn’t broadsided me, I’d be wearing a Goodyear stamp on my forehead right now, so thank you.”

He wiped the blood with his thumb. “I didn’t have time to be gentle. We need to clean these cuts.”

Her hand cupped his cheek. “Reese, unclench.”

He exhaled and pulled her against him. “That was too close.” He glanced around, making sure the car wasn’t returning for another try. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t enjoy being in the open. Are you okay to run?”

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