She held her breath, preparing for the pleasure, and that’s when she heard it. A rattle. Different than the night noises she’d grown accustomed to—tree branches creaking in the wind, distant shouts, engines revving.

The thump of the radiator kicking on in the middle of the night. This was something different, something foreign. Metal scraping on metal.

She looked at the window, but of course there was nothing there. She was two stories up at the back of the building and there was nothing outside except the parking lot. One thing she’d learned a long time ago was to trust her instincts. She got out of bed and walked carefully to the doorway that separated the bedroom from the kitchen, living room, and dining area. The rattle came again, louder this time, and she knew what it was. Someone was jiggling the doorknob on the front door.

v

Reese sat halfway in her cruiser at the end of Clover while Carter and Bri wrapped up the scene. Tory had already taken the body back to the clinic. Reese figured they’d have an hour or two at most once she notified the FBI before the feds demanded jurisdiction. She could fight them for investigative control, but they weren’t going to let them keep the body. Still, she couldn’t put off contacting them—a man was dead and his family as well as his superiors needed to be notified. She pulled up the number for the Boston field office and punched it in.

• 158 •

RetuRning tides

A minute later, a man said in a bored, flat voice, “Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent McCoy, how may I help you?”

Reese introduced herself, gave her rank and location, and said,

“I’d like to speak to Special Agent Robert Lloyd’s supervisor, please.”

“What’s this in reference to, Sheriff?”

“Just get his supervisor and I’ll be happy to explain. Here’s my number.” Reese gave him her cell phone number. “I wouldn’t be calling in the middle of the night if it weren’t important.”

“Well, the office opens at seven, so if you’ll tell me the nature of your problem I’ll pass it on.”

Reese had spent a lot of years in the military police, most of it as a senior investigator. She knew how carefully the rank-and-file guarded the peace and privacy of senior agents, especially in the middle of the night. She also knew the agent on the phone was obligated to relay her message now—it was an official request, with or without further details. He was just trying to impress her with how busy they all were at the FBI.

She wasn’t about to tell him that a fellow agent had been killed in the field. If there was an ongoing investigation, she couldn’t risk compromising it. In addition, the Bureau would want to put a cover story in place before news of the agent’s death became public. If it ever became public. “Thanks for your help, Agent. Have a nice night.”

Reese checked her watch. Ten minutes to four. At least the supervisory agent who was about to be awakened had had almost a full night’s sleep. She climbed out of the cruiser and started back down the alley to see where things stood with Carter before heading over to the clinic. Suddenly, she heard a shout and then someone came barreling toward her, a flashlight swinging crazily back and forth like a light-saber cutting a swath. She sidestepped quickly as Bri raced past, yelling something into her phone as she ran.

Reese didn’t bother asking questions—she just took off after Bri.

She managed to make it to the cruiser and yank open the passenger side door just as Bri slammed it into Drive. Reese dragged her door shut, punched the lights and sirens, and grabbed the ceiling grip as they rocketed forward.

“What’s going on?” Reese said.

“Caroline. Somebody’s trying to break in.”

Reese radioed for backup.

• 159 •

RAdCLY fFe

“Where are you?” Bri yelled into her phone as she drove one-handed. “No! Don’t try to leave.” Bri fishtailed around the corner onto Bradford and floored the accelerator. “We’ll be there in one minute.

One minute. Where is he? Can you see him?”

Reese reached across the space between them and gripped Bri’s forearm. “Angle the cruiser into the alley at the bottom of the staircase.

If he’s inside, he’s got to come down that way.”

Bri nodded grimly and jammed the cruiser nose first into the gravel walkway that led to the outside staircase and their second floor apartment. She was out of the car with her weapon in her hand before the vehicle had rocked to a stop but, following procedure, she waited at the bottom of the stairs for Reese.

“Bri?” a voice called down from somewhere above. “Baby, I’m out here.”

Reese tapped Bri on the shoulder, indicating she should wait, and after scanning the alley, stepped back and looked up. Caroline was leaning over the second floor deck staring down at them.

“Did he get inside?” Reese asked.

“I don’t think so. I’m not sure.”

“Stay right there. Do not go back inside.” Reese returned to Bri, pointed to the staircase, and they both started up, Bri covering the door in case an intruder should bolt from the apartment, and Reese scanning the street and alley below them for any sign of a suspect.

Bri pulled her shirttail out with her left hand and used it to turn the knob, keeping her weapon up and ready. She shook her head. Locked.

“Use your key,” Reese whispered. An intruder could have jimmied the lock and slipped inside, and then let the door lock again behind him.

Bri used her left hand to insert the key and slowly turned the lock.

She glanced at Reese, who silently mouthed a countdown, and on three, Bri twisted the knob and pushed open the door. Bri went in fast and low to her left and Reese went high and right.

“Clear,” Reese shouted after surveying the small room. To her right, sliding glass doors opened onto the front deck. She and Bri moved quickly to the rear, each taking a bedroom.

“Clear,” Bri shouted.

“Clear.” Reese holstered her weapon, radioed backup to stand by, and strode through the apartment to the front deck. By the time she got there, Bri already had Caroline wrapped tight in her arms.

• 160 •

RetuRning tides

“Let’s go inside so you can tell us what happened,” Reese said.

“Okay, babe?” Bri kissed Caroline’s forehead.

“Uh-huh. I’m okay.” Caroline patted Bri’s chest and eased out of her arms.

Inside, Bri sat on the futon sofa with Caroline curled against her side.

“What happened?” Reese asked.

“I woke up and I heard something strange—after a while I realized it was the doorknob rattling. When I went to check, I saw someone standing on the landing. I knew it wasn’t Bri, because she would’ve used her key, and he was bigger than Bri.” Caroline’s voice cracked and she shivered. “I called Bri. I didn’t think to call nine-one-one.”

Stony faced, Bri rubbed Caroline’s arm and murmured, “You did good, babe. Real good. Don’t be scared.”

“Did you recognize him?” Reese asked evenly, needing to get the facts while they were still fresh in Caroline’s mind. When Caroline had time to think about what might have happened, her fear could cloud her memory. As difficult as it was for the victim to talk about the details of a crime, it was critical that they do so as soon as possible. And Reese needed to be the one asking the questions. Bri had done well outside, had handled herself with a clear head. But right now, Bri was completely focused on Caroline, as she should be. “Did he say anything?”

Caroline shook her head, staring at her fingers entwined with Bri’s. “I couldn’t see his face. I think I screamed when I saw him.” She lifted her eyes to Reese. “He laughed. He laughed like he was having a good time.”

“Fucker,” Bri muttered.

“Then I pushed speed dial for Bri and ran toward the deck. I didn’t know where else to go and I didn’t want to be stuck in the back of the apartment. I thought I could maybe jump off the deck if he got in.”

Bri made a low sound in her throat, like an animal in pain, and turned her face into Caroline’s hair.

“You did well, Caroline,” Reese said. “When you were outside, did you hear him run away? Did you hear what direction he might’ve gone?”

Caroline frowned. “It’s funny, I can always hear Bri on the stairs.

They’re kind of creaky and noisy and she usually runs up them.” She smiled and rubbed Bri’s leg. “I didn’t hear him go down, and I would have if he was running. I think he just took his time walking away.”

• 161 •

RAdCLY fFe

“What about a car door slamming? A motor starting? Motorcycle, maybe?”

“No, nothing. And I didn’t see anyone on the street out front, so he must have gone down the alley to the back.”

“That leads to Center Street, and from there to Cemetery Road,”

Reese said. “Plenty of places to disappear back there.” She radioed the backup officers and instructed them to cruise through the streets directly behind Bri and Caroline’s apartment. “It’s a little early yet for recreational walkers,” she told the officers, “so take a good look at any single males who don’t seem like they’re on their way to work.

Make sure you have the description of William Everly I circulated earlier.”

Caroline gripped Bri’s leg tighter. “You think it was him?”

Reese was aware of both Bri and Caroline staring at her, waiting for her to announce that a nightmare had re-entered their lives. “I don’t know. I’m going to swing by his mother’s place right now, just to check.

You two went to school with him—or not that far behind him, at least.

If he was coming home, but didn’t want to stay with his mother, who might he crash with?”

Bri looked at Caroline. “Ned Phelps? They were pretty tight all through high school. Who was the girl he was dating right before…”

“Um, Suzy Silva, I think.” Caroline grimaced. “I never paid that much attention to him.”

“And I don’t want you to waste a lot of energy on him now, either,”

Reese said, standing up. “I want you to be cautious. I want you to be aware of your surroundings. All the things Bri has probably already told you and that you know anyhow.” Reese leaned down and kissed Caroline’s cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bri started to get up, but Reese waved her back. “It’s almost end of shift for you. Stay here. Anything you need to write up, you can do tomorrow sometime.”

“No,” Caroline said instantly. “Bri, you go back to work.”

“How about this,” Reese suggested to Caroline. “How about we take you over to Rica’s—she won’t mind if we wake her up. In fact, it might be a good idea if you stayed over there the next few nights while Bri’s on the night shift.”

Caroline looked at Bri. “You okay with that, baby?”

“Absolutely. Come on.” Bri rose and put her arm around Caroline’s

• 162 •

RetuRning tides

waist, her gaze on Reese. “Reese and I have to check on Everly’s potential locations. Right, Sheriff?”

Reese studied Bri, silently taking her measure. Bri’s eyes were hot, but steady. Things had changed since the morning, when she’d told Bri she didn’t want her involved in the hunt for Everly. This morning he was just a potential problem. Tonight, someone had threatened Caroline. She knew what she would do if Tory were threatened. She couldn’t deny Bri the same right, not until Bri showed she couldn’t handle it.

“Right,” Reese said. “Let’s get to it.”

v

An hour later, Reese and Bri had cruised past Everly’s mother’s house as well as the addresses of the high school friends Bri and Caroline had remembered. His mother’s house was still dark. The garage door was open, and his truck didn’t look as if it had been moved. At five thirty a.m., some of the other residences showed lights inside—people getting ready for work.

“What now?” Bri asked, her voice flat.

“I’ll send someone by the school this morning to talk to his teachers, the guidance counselors, and the principal. See if we can draw up a more comprehensive list of Everly’s previous associates.

Then we’ll question all of them.” Reese pulled into the parking lot at headquarters. “We’ll step up patrols in his old neighborhood and watch his friends. This is a small village. If he’s here, we’ll find him.”

“What about Caroline? What about during the day?” Bri scrubbed her face vigorously. “Jesus, I don’t want her to feel like she can’t go out, you know. She shouldn’t be the victim here.”

“You’re right, she shouldn’t be treated like one. Caroline is smart.

She’ll be careful.” Reese gripped Bri’s shoulder. “Trust her. She needs that from you.”

Bri swung her head around and stared at Reese. “I do trust her. But I couldn’t take him, and I’m tougher and stronger than Carre.”