Page 25 of Shattered By the Currents

Now, the older man looked at him. And there was a pain there. A clarity that was often missing. “There is no way, absolutely none, that she would disappear on me. She was my baby.” His voice cracked. “And someone took her from me.”

“Herbert.” They both looked up as Briar walked toward them, a kind smile on the caregiver’s face. “It’s dinnertime.”

“Jilly make her famous pot roast?” Herbert asked.

“Of course. It’s Monday.”

The frown on Herbert’s face eased. “Let’s go.” He looked back at Connor. “It was nice to talk to someone about Lila. Maybe one day I can tell you about all the great things she did with her life.”

“I’d love that.”

Connor was slower to get up. The information from Herbert wasn’t much to go by. Ethan’s research had already told them she was a journalist, but now he wanted to know which story she was chasing here in Deep River. Was that what had gotten her killed? And did her father know more than he’d said?

With a sigh, Connor rose. He’d just stepped into the building when an elderly couple walked through the sitting area.

The woman’s eyes lit up. “Connor.”

“Hi, ma’am.”

“Call me Gene.” She turned to her husband. “Craig, this is Raven’s friend.”

The man’s bushy brows pulled together. “Raven’s friend?”

“New friend,” Connor corrected. “You must be Raven’s father.”

“Yes.” The man took a moment to size him up. “How do you know Raven?”

“We’ve run into each other around town a few times.”

“He’s search and rescue, dear.” Gene patted his arm.

Connor could see bits of Raven in both of them. She had her mother’s soft features and gentle expression, but her father’s eye shade—the bright blue.

“We should get to dinner,” Gene said, before looking back at him. “It was nice to see you again. If you run into Raven tonight, ask her to call us. We haven’t been able to get through this afternoon.”

He frowned as they walked away. Why hadn’t Raven answered calls from her parents? From what she’d told him last night at the bar, they were close and she worried about them.As he headed out, he hit her number. It rang, then it rang some more. By the fourth ring, he knew she wasn’t going to answer.

Was she in trouble?

Quickly, he typed out a text.

Connor: Hey. I ran into your parents at the residence. They said you aren’t answering their calls. Everything okay?

He wasn’t sure if she’d text back. They hadn’t known each other for long, and she didn’t owe him anything. But dammit, he needed to know that she was all right.

Three dots popped up. Then disappeared.

His finger twitched to hit her name and call her a second time. Then her response came through.

Raven: Hey, Connor. Yes, all is fine. Just a busy day. I’ll call them back tonight.

Connor: Are you sure?

Another pause between responses, this time longer.

Raven: Just ready to sleep off a long day.

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