Page 1 of Keeping Collette

Chapter One

Desperation pushed Collette Harper to do something she wouldn’t normally do.

She hated it, but she had no choice. She had no one else to turn to. No one else who would believe her. Although, there was no guarantee her boss, Astrid Conway, would believe her either, but she had to try. Her sister’s life depended on it.

Was she about to take advantage of her working relationship with Astrid? Yes.

Could she lose her job by interrupting a private event? Possibly.

Collette didn’t care. They were risks she was prepared to take, because there was more to her sister missing than the police thought there was.

Given what they knew about their family, the police’s theories had been that Courtney had run away with either a dealer, or a boyfriend Collette hadn’t known about. Or Courtney had followed their parents’ footsteps and had found the lure of drugs too hard to resist and had overdosed somewhere. Where that may have occurred, hadn’t been of interest to them. They had other more pressing cases than the missing daughter of known drug addicts.

They’d taken some details down though, so she’d been hopeful, even while knowing what they’d said to placate her had been absolute bullshit. Courtney despised drugs as much as she did. She’d seen what it did to their parents and wanted nothing to do with experimenting or using them.

Today’s follow up with them had been worse than her first time at the station. Today they’d said because Courtney was eighteen and an adult, she could leave and do whatever she wanted without needing parental, or her sister’s, consent. That had cut deep. Of course, Courtney didn’t need Collette’s approval to do anything, but she couldn’t shake the feeling her sister going missing was more than Courtney needing time and space away from family.

She was trying to do the right thing and had gone through the proper channels, but Collette had walked out of the police precinct today more disillusioned than when she’d walked in. She got they were overworked and underappreciated, but this was her sister’s life, and she wasn’t going to rest until she’d found her.

Which was why she was where standing she was.

Collette hesitated before entering the restaurant. Should she wait until she saw Astrid at work on Monday? That would be better, and less intrusive. Doing that, though, would mean more days would pass with no one looking for Courtney. Her sister was somewhere where she wasn’t supposed to be. Frightened. Scared. Or worse.

Collette choked on the thought of her sister being dead. Tears sprang up and trickled down her cheeks. Courtney was the sweetest girl, she didn’t deserve whatever was happening to her.

No, she wouldn’t allow herself to put that thought out to the universe. If she didn’t think it, then it wouldn’t happen. She ruthlessly swiped the tears away and took a couple of deep breaths to get herself under control.

Once she’d settled enough, she yanked open the door and entered the establishment. The buzz of conversation, the chill from the air conditioning, and the scent of freshly cooked food hit her all at once. If only she was coming in to enjoy the fare, and not upset a group dinner.

“Remember the reason,” she muttered to herself.

Come what may, she had to do this, and she’d deal with the fallout like the adult she was.

There was no other choice.

The greeter looked up and smiled. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“I’m meeting some friends.” Collette looked around the restaurant, but couldn’t see Astrid or anyone she was with. This was where they were having dinner. Astrid had asked her to make the booking.

“Perhaps I can help you find them,” the woman said kindly.

“Thanks. The booking was under Astrid Conway.”

“Oh, they’re in the banquet room. With a group that big, we usually give them the privacy to be as noisy as they want, without disturbing the other diners.”

“Right, that makes sense. Just point me in the direction and I’ll make my way.” If she was going to be turned away from Astrid, which she doubted, but anything was possible, then she’d rather do it without this nice woman watching.

“Of course, if you head toward the back of the restaurant, there’s a doorway to the left. You’ll be able to see them.”

“Thanks so much.” Collette glanced at her name tag. “Mary, you’ve been very helpful.”

The woman beamed under the compliment. Far too many were unkind to the people in hospitality and retail. They were doing their jobs, and for minimal money, too. A little kindness always went a long way.

Collette weaved through the crowd, her stomach grumbling as she walked past the tables. Food had been the last thing on her mind the during the previous couple of days. She’d forced herself to eat because her body needed the fuel and she needed to function, but they hadn’t been large meals. A piece of fruit here. A cookie there. Not the greatest of nutrients.

As she reached the room, her steps faltered. Again, she questioned her reasons for doing what she was about to do. She hadn’t come this far to fail, though.

Straightening her spine and lifting her chin, she plastered a smile on her face and crossed the threshold into the room, her gaze immediately drawn to a dark-haired man sitting at the end of the table, drinking from a bottle of beer. There was a bit of an arrogant air about him. He was good looking, and if things were different, she may have tried to talk to him, but they weren’t.