If You Know Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense

Months since Chicago and he couldn’t even consider that a challenge. It had been a fuck, and a fuck
-up
, but not a challenge.
    He needed one, needed the challenge, the thrill.
    Think
, he told himself. He needed to think. And as much as he’d like to get more personally involved in removing Nia Hollister from the scene, he just couldn’t risk it, he knew.
    Keeping his distance was crucial. It wasn’t like she was getting close to anything, really. Yeah, she’d been in the woods, but finding his place without knowing where it was would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Nobody could find those spots by accident—just wasn’t possible.
    He couldn’t panic, couldn’t take any more stupid chances.
    With that thought in mind, he headed into town.
    “She doesn’t look happy to be here,” Remy said, pushing his sunglasses up on his head and studying Nia. “Matter of fact, she looks pissed. Reilly, I got to tell you, that woman in a pissed-off mood doesn’t do my state of mind much good.”
    Law looked at Nia. She was out pacing by the truck, her hands jammed in her pockets, staring off into nothing.She wore one of his shirts and under it her shoulders were rigid.
    Yeah. Somebody who didn’t know her would definitely look at her and see somebody who looked pissed off.
    Law looked at her and saw somebody who looked terribly alone.
    But he didn’t say that. He suspected Nia wouldn’t appreciate it and he doubted Remy would believe it anyway. “Well, if she’s right, and I think she might be, wouldn’t
you
be pissed off in her shoes?”
    Remy scowled and pushed his sunglasses back down over his eyes.
    “Don’t worry,” Ezra said, giving Remy a wry smile. “If she gets testy, Law and I are going to be the ones out there with her.”
    Remy snorted. “And that is supposed to make me feel better? You know what your wife would do to me if something happens to you? Any idea what Hope will do to me if something happens to Law?”
    “Stop it,” Law bit off. “She’s not looking to get us out in the woods just to shoot us in the back, okay? So stop.”
    “No, she wants to go out there because she thinks that somebody other than Carson killed her cousin and the proof is … where exactly?”
    “Look, we’re just taking some time to walk around, okay?” Ezra said, his voice edgy. “Now are you going to keep bitching and whining or what?”
    “Don’t you think if there’s something out there to find, you should have your men out here instead of her and the Grisham wannabe here?”
    Law curled a lip at him.
    Ezra, his face blank, said, “And what do I say when I call them out here? I’m looking for … something? Idon’t know what? And I’m looking because this woman’s gut instinct says something more is going on?”
    “Damn it, Ezra. You’re walking awful damn close to a line here. If you fall, you’re fucked.”
    With a thin-lipped smile, Ezra said, “Don’t worry. I got good balance.” Then he shifted his gaze to the house. “Besides, if she’s right … this is a risk worth taking.”
    They might have said more, but Nia apparently had run out of patience. She turned on her heel and came stalking their way. “Are we heading in any time soon?” she demanded, ignoring Ezra, ignoring Remy, focusing only on Law.
    “Yeah.” He smiled at her, reached up and curled a hand around her neck, his fingers digging into the tight muscles there. “You sure you’re up for this?”
    She bared her teeth at him in a mockery of a smile. “I didn’t come here to sit around and twiddle my thumbs.”
    “I know.” Looking past her shoulder, he focused on Remy. “You’re staying with the other two until we’re back.”
    A muscle twitched in Remy’s jaw but he gave a terse nod.
    “And nobody comes in,” Ezra added.
    Remy’s brows arched. In a voice heavy with sarcasm, he said, “I’ll be sure not to have parties while you’re out, Dad.” Without waiting another second, he stormed to the house.
    “He’s pissy,” Nia said.
    “He’s in a mood.” Law gave her neck one last stroke and then let his hand drop, focusing on the woods. “From the best I can tell, we’re roughly a straight mile from the first one. After that, there are a couple of others scattered around, one about a half mile west, but we have to hike down the cliffs to get to that one. This could take a while.”
    “Then let’s get to it.”
*   *   *
    It wasn’t exactly a straight mile to the