Page 3 of Archer

Nothing.

I stopped at the front door, then changed course and peered through the window looking over the porch.

A white plastic bag sat on the welcome mat. No car in the driveway. No delivery driver walking away.

I checked my phone again, then opened the app to determine the delivery status.

Your order was picked up.

Your driver is on the way.

No delivery notification.

My pulse increased, but I forced the budding panic aside. I was in Carolina Bay, not Nashville. I’d been here for two weeks without a problem. This was the dozenth food delivery I’d received, and I hadn’t had any problems.

Maybe the driver just forgot to send the photo.

I checked the scene outside once more, then reached for the deadbolt. My hands shook as I unlocked the door.

“Get it together, Harper.” I grabbed the bag, then locked up quickly behind me. Using the deadbolt and the chain.

My skin crawled and my instincts flared. The bag felt wrong. Too light. And when I carried it to the kitchen table, there was no scent of fried chicken or French fries. No evidence of my chocolate malt.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I opened the bag.

There wasn’t any food inside.

Just a music box, small and delicate. Painted with tiny roses.

And I knew without opening its lid that it played “Only You” by the Platters.

My vision blurred as a tear rolled down my cheek.

I’d let myself believe things could be different here.

But I was wrong.

.

Chapter 2

Harper

I dialed Alexis.

She answered on the first ring, and I released a shaky breath.

“Problem with your milkshake or your fries?” she teased. “No. Wait. Sexy delivery man?”

My hands shook violently as I lifted the offending trinket from the bag. I dropped the music box and it clattered against the table. “Only You” began to play.

I slapped it shut.

“Harper?”

I moved away from the table and the door. “He found me.”

Panic built to a crescendo as the words fell from my tongue. Suddenly, my hideout wasn’t so secret, my precious childhood memories not so safe.