“Ah, you see…that’s the beauty of it all.” Her finger slid to the trigger. “I don’t plan to cover anything up. Not anymore.”
Like before, Cassie didn’t feel the strike of the second bullet, either. And as her eyes fell shut, she realized…
I can’t feel anything anymore.
No pain. No fire. Just an overwhelming sadness knowing she’d never get to see Archer’s gorgeous face ever again.
I’m sorry, Archer. I loved you. I really, really did.
17
Archer drove slowlyaround the paved cemetery roads. Cassie had texted him earlier to say she was riding here with Barbara Montgomery. He’d been sitting in the team’s war room, shocked as hell when he’d read the name. But before he could write back asking for an explanation, Cassie had sent a second text letting him know it was a long story, and she’d explain later.
That was nearly ninety minutes ago.
His two-hour meeting had turned into three, and since he’d known he had some time before dinner, he’d stopped at a florists’ shop to pick up Cassie some flowers. First real date, and all.
He’d wanted to do things right.
But when he’d gotten to her house, he’d found it empty. Cassie’s car was still in the garage, but her coat and purse were gone. And the dinner she’d promised to start half an hour ago still sat uncooked and prepped in glass containers inside the fridge.
Something’s wrong. I can fucking feel it.
Archer had immediately tried calling, but each time he’d tried, it had gone to voicemail.
As a precaution, he’d installed a shared location app on her phone the first night he’d stayed with her, which was how he knew she was still here. But she’d been gone a long damn time just to stand around a cemetery—especially in the chilly afternoon air—so Archer had jumped in his truck and headed straight here.
“Any sign of her?” Lucky’s voice came through the truck’s speakers.
He’d called him while leaving the house, just to fill him in.
“I’m coming up on the turn to Montgomery’s grave now.” Peering out into the distance, he spotted a black BMW parked near the man’s final resting place. “I see a car I’m assuming is the mother-in-law’s.” He scanned the area. “But I don’t see any sign of Cassie or the other woman anywhere.”
His gut tightened with a sense of dread he couldn’t shake.
“I’m headed that way.”
“That’s okay.” Archer shook his head. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Dude, I’m already almost there.”
“You are?”
“I got into my car the minute you called.”
Despite the worry rolling through him, Archer smiled. “You’re a good friend, Lucky.”
“Well duh. Tell me something I don’t already know.”
Rolling his eyes, he was about tell the other man about his plans where Cassie was concerned. That was definitely something Lucky didn’t know.
No one knew. Not his team. Not even his parents. Only Archer.
Only just as he opened his mouth to reveal his grand romantic plan, he spotted something in the grass next to Montgomery’s grave.
“What the hell?”
“What is it?”