Never Die Alone

Personally, the smartest thing he could do was back away from her and this entire mess.

Then again, he thought as he drained his beer, he’d never been smart where women were concerned.

CHAPTER 12

Jase was waiting for her. Big as life, long legs stretched in front of him, he leaned against the hood of her car as she exited the restaurant two doors down from Aubrey House where she and Tanisha had coaxed Selma to eat some di

Jase started to push himself upright, but she held up a finger to keep him at bay, silently asking for a little time. He got the message.

“So you’ll be all right?” she asked Selma.

“Of course not, but . . . yeah . . . no . . . Oh, God! I don’t think I’ll ever be ‘all right’ again.” Pale and shaky, Selma scrabbled in her purse, no doubt searching for her cigarettes.

As Selma found a half-empty pack and lit up a filter tip, Tanisha’s dark gaze met Bria

It had been Bria

The tone of the meeting had been somber, almost bleak. As twins, everyone had heard of the 21 Killer, and Bria

Even usually talkative and smiling Jenkins had been somber. Enrique had put aside his hostility and Elise, though constantly knitting, hadn’t turned the discussion back to her problems. Milo had remained silent, and Jenkins had sadly shaken his head throughout Selma’s story. Tanisha, who’d always been hard on Selma, had shown a kinder side and insisted on joining them for di

“You sure you want to go home?” Tanisha asked as the three women walked to the spot where Selma’s little Chevy was parked.

“Yes, of course. I’ll be fine.” Selma drew deeply on her cigarette. “I mean as fine as I can be.”

Bria

“No, no. The girls could come home or call the house phone. Oh, please God!” She took a calming drag from her Salem Light, and added, “No, I really need to go home.”

“Then I could come over,” Bria

“Or me,” Tanisha offered. “I got nothing goin’ at home.” She slid a meaningful glance toward Bria

“No, please . . . it’s been a long day and a long night before that. I just need some time to think and—” Her phone jangled and she jumped. Juggling her cigarette, she anxiously pulled the cell from her bag. “Carson,” she said, her frown deepening. “Look . . . I’d better take this. He might know something.” She answered with so much hope in her voice that Bria

She slid a glance at Jase, ever-patient, it seemed, as if he didn’t have anything better to do than wait there beneath a tree. Lingering in the lamplight, his hands in his pockets, he appeared cool and at ease, which she doubted.

“Damn,” Selma said on a breath that drew Bria

“I’ll follow you,” Tanisha said. Before Selma could argue, Tanisha sent Bria

Bria

“Look, Selma,” Bria

“No! Go. Talk to Bentz or the police or anyone else who might help. Work on it from that end. Please. I . . . I just can’t deal with the cops or any more questions right now, but we have to get the word out, have to find the girls . . .”

“I will,” Bria

“List? Oh, yes. Right.”

“And the time line,” Bria

“I will,” Selma promised. She settled behind the wheel of her Chevy and rolled down the window.

“Take care,” Bria

Selma placed her cigarette in the car’s ashtray. “Thanks.” As Bria

Bria

Jase had straightened, his hands in his pockets, his athletic silhouette backlit by headlights as a truck rumbled past. His gaze found hers, and for the briefest of seconds the back of her throat turned to dust and she was a schoolgirl again, harboring a secret crush.

Damn.

No matter how it all played out, she figured, this was go

Zoe’s ankle throbbed and her skin was burned, hot to the touch. Add to that, she was hungry and thirsty. Yeah, the river was right there, a few feet away, but so far, she hadn’t drunk from it. Well, as long as you didn’t count the kabillion gallons of water she’d swallowed during her swim the night before. She couldn’t just lie here of course. If she did, she was a sitting duck. Besides, no one would find her in the dark.