Page 72 of Secrets in the Deep

Finally, she saw her mother’s key card. She grabbed it and raced back. Faye and Preston now stood in the hallway.

“What’s going on?” Faye asked, arms wrapped around her waist.

“I don’t know.” Emily swiped the card and practically fell into the room.

Her world narrowed to the sight of her mother on her stomach, on the floor by the bathroom door, completely unmoving.

Emily tore across the room and dropped. “Mom!”

Footsteps sounded behind her.

“Oh my gosh! Melanie?” Faye gasped.

Preston cursed.

Her mother’s eyes scrunched. “Emily?”

“Yeah, I’m here. What happened?”

“I came out of the bathroom, a-and someone grabbed me around the throat from behind. I kicked them and screamed, and they hit me.” Her mother whimpered and touched the back of her head. “They tried to pull me toward the window. I fought them off.”

Emily studied her mother’s head. There was no blood. But that didn’t mean she was okay. “I’m going to get you help.”

“What’s going on in here?”

Emily looked up as Roscoe stepped into the room.

“Call an ambulance and the sheriff’s station,” Emily said. “Now.”

Ryan steppedout of the old firehouse. He was leaving far later than intended. He’d wanted to leave an hour ago. Stop at home. Take a shower before picking up Emily. But after the last-minute search for the kids, there was no time to even think about stopping at home. Unless he’d wanted to be even later. Luckily, their base had showers, and he kept a stash of clothes there.

The firehouse had basically been gutted and redone, all organized and paid for by an anonymous benefactor. The same benefactor who paid their salaries. Who the hell that was, he had no idea. At this stage, he wasn’t even sure Mayor Ferris knew, though he’d hinted otherwise.

Ryan climbed behind the wheel of his truck and pulled onto the road.

These last few days had been a whirlwind. Thinking about anything outside of Emily was fucking impossible. Even his team felt his distraction. Hell, Ethan had offered to lead the team training this morning, because Ryan had been so distracted.

Maybe part of the distraction was that they hadn’t talked about what was coming next. He assumed she’d go back to California. She’d have more jobs lined up that would take her all over the world, and he’d be needed here.

But she’d have days off. And if she chose to spend them with him, he’d suck up every last one of those days.

But what if she didn’t want to move here?

Hecouldn’t move. He was the leader of this team and had made a promise to this town.

He scrubbed his face, everything feeling so fucking complicated.

Five minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot at the inn just as his phone vibrated with a text.

Nora: Do you know if I stretch my arms really wide, I can almost touch wall to wall? Well…kind of. You probably wouldn’t even have to reach out, your shoulders would get stuck.

His lips twitched. Despite his insistence that his sister stay with him, she’d chosen to move into Polly’s garage apartment. The place was the size of a shoe.

Her parting words had been something along the lines of not wanting to throw off his style and third-wheel it.

He wasn’t sure how long his sister planned to stay.Shewasn’t sure. Any time he asked, she said she had no idea.

Ryan: Well, there was another option, you know.