Page 16 of Shattered By the Currents

Zac glanced at the bar before looking back at him. “It’s good to see you smiling with another woman.”

A muscle twitched in his jaw at Zac’s use of the wordanother. It was fair though—he hadn’t exactly dated since Margaret. “That’s not intentional. I just haven’t met anyone.”

“Still…it’s good to see you happy and getting out there again.”

“Don’t get too excited yet. Raven and I are just friends.” Even friends was a stretch. Tonight was the most they’d talked. Ravenhad told him about her mother’s dementia and her father’s Parkinson’s. She’d mentioned her work at the community center, and Lottie Fuller’s annoyance over not getting the job. And he’d shared more about his life too. About his sisters and mother. His work in the SAR team.

He shot his gaze to the bar, searching for her. But the second he saw the back of Raven, he also noticed something else. Not something—someone. One of the bartenders. A guy who looked to be in his early thirties, almost glaring at Raven.

“Who’s that?” Zac asked, obviously spotting the same guy.

“Don’t know. But a few months ago, I remember him ignoring her when she tried to order a drink.” The fucker hadn’t even tried to be subtle, just walked straight past her. “He’s also the one who heckles her at town meetings.”

Connor’s legs itched with the urge to be closer. To her. The bar. The situation in general. But then Dusty, the bar owner, served the women.

His muscles relaxed.

“You still planning to talk to Herbert again, Connor?”

Connor glanced over at Ethan. He’d reported back to the team what Herbert had said about Lila. Other than believing she was murdered, they hadn’t gotten any more information out of him that day. Connor had been wanting to go back and talk to him ever since. “I plan to visit him tomorrow.”

“At least now we know why he always goes to that spot,” Joel said.

Ryan cradled his beer. “We need to know why he’s so sure she was murdered.”

They needed to know a lot. Whether the five women missing or found dead over the last twenty-five years were connected. Whether they wereallmurdered.Who’dmurdered them. And whether that person was still in the area or planning to take anyone else.

Connor’s fingers tightened around his beer as Gerome, the sheriff’s son, walked toward their table.

Jesus Christ. They were having a good night. He didn’t need this asshole changing that.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my dear search and rescue friends.” Gerome smiled, bottle of Scotch ale in hand.

“You here withactualfriends, or are friends hard to come by for you?” Joel asked.

“You’re the funny guy, right?” Gerome lifted a brow. “And the guy who let a murderer lead him away from where his woman was locked in a cellar.”

Joel shot forward, but Ryan was faster, standing between them.

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Joel growled.

Gerome lifted his hands. “But am I wrong?”

“JoelsavedPolly that day,” Connor said, a deadly quiet in his voice. “Which is more than anything your father did.”

Gerome looked him up and down. “You think you’re better than him?”

“And busier,” Ethan said.

There was a narrowing of Gerome’s eyes. “You should all watch your backs. Quite a few people have been killed since you got here. Any more and the town will lose faith in you.”

“I’m sure your big mouth will have something to do with that.”

Gerome just chuckled at Joel’s words before stepping back and downing some of his ale. “Have a good night, boys. Or don’t.”

“What was that about?” Polly asked as she returned, Maggie by her side.

Connor glanced around them. “Where’s Raven?”