Page 71 of Shattered By the Currents

“Have you heard from Raven?”Say yes, please say yes.

“No.”

Dammit. “She’s not in the apartment over your garage?”

“No. I just got home, and no car was here and she hasn’t contacted me about it. Why? Is she okay?”

“I’m not sure. Sorry, Polly, I have to go.”

He hung up and immediately hit a different number.

Ethan answered next. “Hey, Connor.”

“I need you to find Raven for me.”

“Find her? Is she missing?”

“We had a fight, and she hasn’t come home.”

There was a pause. “If she left, she might just need some space.”

“Her ex is here, Ethan. He’s dangerous. One second in his company and I knew that. She ran from him in North Dakota, and now she’s running again. I need to know where she is.”

A sigh sounded over the line. “Give me half an hour.”

It was too long, but fuck, he had no other options. “Thanks.”

He hung up. But he couldn’t just stand around and wait. He grabbed his keys and went out to his truck.

Maybe she went back to the community center. It wouldn’t be a smart option, something she had to know, but if she was desperate enough…

He took a right, then a left. The community center had just come into view when his phone rang.

He hit the answer key on his steering column. “You got something for me, Ethan?”

“Don’t ask mehowI got this, but she’s at the Bald Eagle Motel. Room one.”

That place was a fucking dump. He’d driven past it a couple of times and there’d been junkies out front every damn time. “Thanks.”

“Need anything else?”

“No. I’ve got it.” He hung up and swung the truck around. It took him a fraction of the time it should have to reach the motel, and the place was just as scummy as he remembered.

Two broad-shouldered, dark-hooded men leaned against the building, passing a cigarette back and forth.

One glance and he knew they were bad news. They were also too close to Raven’s room.

He climbed from his truck and crossed the parking lot, feeling the men’s stares on him. He half expected one of them to move toward him. Maybe ask for drugs or money. They didn’t.

Good. He wasn’t in the fucking mood.

He stopped outside room one and knocked.

Silence.

He knocked again, louder this time.

Still nothing.