Deadly Setup

He started to ask her a question, then stopped as a coldness seeped through him as common sense reasserted itself.

Protecting or even consoling Paige wasn’t his responsibility. She’d just had him thrown off her case. She didn’t want his help or concern.

And he didn’t need the frustration. Let her new detective, Brett Ralston, take care of that.

Seth weighed that rationale for a split second before concern for Paige won out. No matter that the relationship between them had grown cold, he still cared about her. “So what’s going on that’s made you in such a hurry?”

Paige stared back at him, her brow knitted. “I’m probably just being paranoid, but I think someone may have been following me.”

“Following you?” Concern crawled up Seth’s spine. He wiped his hands and trashed the napkins in a bin by the wall. “Let me take a look.”

Brushing past Paige, Seth stepped into the stairwell. Automatically, he moved his arm to feel the reassuring bulge of his Glock 23 beneath his leather jacket, nestled in its shoulder holster.

Not that he expected to need it, but he’d learned long ago during his navy SEAL training the value of taking precautions.

Sunlight streamed in from the open door behind him, illuminating the typically dim space. He crossed the narrow landing in three strides as a dull pounding echoed from below, the sound of heavy-booted feet on the metal stairs.

Seth leaned over the balustrade and peered down the stairwell to the ground floor. He glimpsed a shadow moving down the steps. His heartbeat kicked up. Maybe Paige wasn’t being paranoid.

Patterns of short labored breaths echoed back to him through the center stairwell. A moment later, a dark figure loomed into view. He appeared to look around before he stepped from the stairwell onto the concrete first floor.

Seth craned his neck for a better look. Male. Sturdy build. Baseball cap. He watched as the man threw a fleeting glance back up the staircase before he turned and sprinted away, disappearing into the shadows.

Alarm slithered up Seth’s spine. He spun and exploded into a run even before he heard the ground-floor door slam. Bypassing Paige, he headed down a row of parked cars toward the east side of the fifth-floor lot.

“What’s going on?” Paige called to him.

Without stopping, he yelled back, “Check the front lot and see if anyone is getting into a vehicle or leaving. And let me know what kind of vehicle they’re driving.”

Seth skidded to an abrupt halt at the block wall at the back edge of the parking deck. Grabbing the edge firmly, he lurched forward and looked down into the lot below, anticipating a dead end. There was a plethora of outdoor parking; the guy could be anywhere. But Seth hoped this remote lot would be the top choice for someone wanting to be out of the public eye.

Seth’s heart rate surged when his hunch paid off and he spotted a man in a ball cap scurry across the parking lot to a white Ford pickup and climb inside.

Could this be the same vehicle that ran Paige off the mountain?

Extended cab. Long bed. Seth grabbed his phone to get a picture. As he adjusted his camera to zero in, the truck took off out of the lot and barreled around the corner. A fresh burst of anger burned in Seth’s gut.

Who is this guy? He gritted his teeth as that question slammed into his brain.

Turning his head, he saw Paige hurrying toward him.

“What is it?” she asked, her eyes wide.

Seth took an uneasy breath and pocketed his cell phone. “I saw someone in the stairwell. He left through the ground-floor exit. I had hoped to get a look at him.”

“Did you see him?” Paige glanced over her shoulder to the parking lot below.

“Only a glimpse,” Seth said. “Just before he took off in a white pickup.”

Her startled green gaze swung back to him. “Long bed and extended cab?”

He nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

“I knew it.” She breathed in, issuing a tremulous smile of relief. “It has to be the same creep that ran me off the road.”

Despite the concern weighing heavy in his chest, Seth smiled back. Everything was speculative, but Paige’s intuition about someone trying to hurt her was taking on more credibility. The question was, who was that someone? “I’ll make sure to update Detective Ralston on what happened today, now that he’s the detective on your case.”

Paige brightened further, offering a short nod. She didn’t seem to notice his little dig. Not that she owed him anything. Although, given the way their conversation went last night, it was probably just as well he wasn’t running her investigation. They’d butted heads more than they’d discussed her case. Hardly productive.

“Now that we have a possible make and color of a vehicle, will that be enough to narrow down a suspect?”

Seth heard the hope in her voice, and as he looked up, she took a step closer. He caught the scent of her perfume. Vanilla.

Soothing and sweet. The Paige he remembered.

And with her sweet scent came a slew of uninvited memories, a blast of slide-show images flashing in his mind. But rather than letting them linger, Seth squashed them, slamming the book on that chapter of his life. Some things in life couldn’t be undone. And a failed relationship was one of them.

Yep. Good thing he wasn’t on her case.

Seth unclenched his teeth and eased back a step, putting some more distance between them. “We’re dealing with a very common vehicle. Things could take time.”

Paige deflated a little. “I guess it wasn’t much of a lead after all.”

“It’s a start and will get the ball rolling.” Seth came back, adding, “Every clue matters.” At least to him. Although he was no longer running Paige’s investigation.

Her lips quirked upward, and she brightened again.

The knot of uneasiness in Seth’s gut ballooned into a boulder at Paige’s easy smile. Even in his attempt to encourage her, he worried she wasn’t concerned enough about her own safety. Instead, she focused on saving her brother—at all costs. Seth sighed, folding his arms over his chest. “In the meantime, Paige, you should consider going back to Durham to lie low for a while, at least until after Trey’s trial.”

“You’re kidding,” Paige said, a bewildered expression on her face as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “Unless my brother’s case will be reopened and the investigation into Madison’s murder gets underway again, I won’t be going anywhere.”

Seth unfolded his arms, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his bomber jacket, wishing she’d be reasonable. “Under the present circumstances, I don’t think it’s a good idea to hang around and wait on that possibility.”

Paige looked at him, her brows scrunched tight. “Someone in Boone obviously wants me dead. Shouldn’t that alone cast some doubt on my brother’s guilt? At least enough to get Madison’s murder investigation rolling again?”

Seth shifted his weight with a deep breath, an ache settling in his chest as he thought of a more probable explanation for Paige’s attacks. Vengeance.

Tempers flared back to life among Boone residents at the news of Trey’s upcoming trial. Everyone in town was talking about it. And what better way to get back at Trey Becker than by hurting his sister?

“Paige, we’ll need more evidence to cast doubt on what we’ve already collected. What I’m more concerned about right now is the possibility of someone trying to hurt you as a means to get back at your—” He didn’t get a chance to fully explain before Paige’s expression morphed from bewilderment to red-hot anger.

“I can’t believe this,” she snapped, shaking her head, a frown marring her beautiful face. “I doubt there’s anything that would convince you that my brother’s not guilty.”

Not true. All that was needed was evidence. But Seth didn’t bother with a response. They’d beat that dead horse enough already. “Paige, I’d like you to consider leaving town. I don’t think Trey would want you to sacrifice your safety in his defense.”

Paige didn’t flinch at the comment, nor did she respond. Instead she merely looked at her watch and then back at him. “I need to get going. It’s getting late, and I’ve taken up enough of your time. I appreciate you looking out for me today.”

Before he could respond, she was halfway down the row of vehicles, heading to hers.

Frustration roared up in him. Wrangling it back, he watched as she climbed into her rental sedan. He had to stop himself from going after her. He knew nothing he could say would change her mind about anything.

Seth headed down the parking garage stairs to Art’s Bistro, where his takeout order was ready and waiting for him. Although, his appetite was no longer raging—concern for Paige had taken care of that.

God if You’re still out there, watch over Paige. The prayer came out nowhere, surprising even him. He hadn’t talked to God in years, but Seth hoped He was listening.

Paige was going to need it.

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