Return to Red Creek by Nathan Hystad (free ebooks romance novels .txt) 📕

Taylor doubted it, but she wasn’t going to say that. “They’ll be fine. How about we find a beer?” She started for the door, and Brent ran ahead, chatting to Scott as they entered the house.

There were loads of people in the house, and Taylor swallowed, trying to calm her nerves. Being around this many people at night always sent her anxiety through the roof. She’d been doing better over the last year, but it always sneaked in, hitting her when she didn’t want it to. Thinking about telling her parents she had a boyfriend, one she’d already offered a bed at their townhouse, wasn’t helping.

She closed her eyes and wished the jumbled concerns away. It didn’t work. It never did.

“Taylor!” Karen shouted her name, and Taylor was shocked to see her roommate at the party. She was swaying side to side, a red drink in a clear cup nearly splashing as she ran toward Taylor.

“Karen, are you okay?” she asked as her roomie almost plowed into her.

“I’m great. Scott invited me. He’s cute, isn’t he?” Karen looked around the room, her eyes wide behind her thick black-framed glasses.

Taylor had never seen Karen drunk before. She was normally quiet and subdued. “Sure. How many of those have you had?” she asked loudly, to counter the music’s volume.

“Only a few. Don’t worry, I’m just having a good time. Where have you been?” Karen asked.

“Studying.” Taylor saw Brent wave at her over the sea of people between the front door and the kitchen. “I’ll talk to you in a bit. I’m going to get a drink.” Taylor felt uneasy about leaving her friend alone there, but she seemed to be enjoying herself.

Her phone vibrated, but she left it in her pocket as she pressed through the partygoers, no one seeming to be aware that someone was trying to sneak past them. The phone went off again, and by the time Taylor got to Brent, she had it in her hand.

There was a text from her dad.

Dad – Spring break. Two words worth repeating. We all can’t wait for you to come home. We miss you around here, honey bear.

Her dad. Always texting like he wrote, in full sentences. She was about to reply when another message popped up, this one from her cousin Isabelle.

Isabelle – It happened again. I’m scared.

Taylor read the message over, goosebumps rising on her arms. It happened again. I’m scared.

It could only mean one thing, and Taylor knew it. The room was shrinking around her, the noise unbearable to be around. Someone was touching her shoulder, talking in her ear, and she felt a cup press into her hand. She dropped it, beer splashing on the ground.

Everything snapped back, and the music started playing at normal speed as Brent’s surprised face focused in front of her.

“I have to go,” Taylor muttered, and pushed her way to the front door. She heard Brent calling at her from the kitchen, but she didn’t stop. Karen tried to grab her arm, but she pulled it free and left the house. She ran now, not letting herself think about the text. Not out in the open like this, definitely not at night. She kept her gaze forward, trying not to allow herself to look around. If she did, she’d see shadows…everywhere.

A few minutes later, she was in the hallway leading to her dorm room. Then she was inside, and Taylor slammed the door shut, locking it before sliding herself down the slab, her butt coming to rest on the carpet. Only then did she pull her phone out and respond to Isabelle.

Tell me what happened.

Two

“Beth, calm yourself. Just because someone went missing doesn’t mean our old friend is back to his old tricks,” Paul said, staring at his laptop. His sister had been frantic when she called, and Paul couldn’t really blame her. As soon as he found out about the missing girl, he’d also feared the worst.

“Twelve years, Paul. No kids have gone missing for twelve years. Not since Tommy O’Brian. Not since…” Beth left out his daughter’s name.

“What have they uncovered so far?” Paul asked.

“I’ll send you the link. I can’t get into it right now. My nerves are frazzled,” his sister said.

“Other than that, how are things?” Paul knew they’d been having a rough go of it the last year or so, with Darrel getting injured at work and Beth having to bring in the lion’s share of money for their household.

Beth let out a deep sigh. “Darrel’s working, so that’s good. He was getting kind of stressed out being penned up at home for so long.”

“His back’s better?”

She shrugged. “It’s better than it was. He’ll never be able to lift things like he used to, but he’s good at his job. He’s supervising the spring road repair crew.”

Paul was glad to hear it. “Good. Are you guys doing okay? Do you need me to – ”

Beth cut him off. “Paul, we’re fine. Thanks for helping out last year, but we’re going to be okay, I promise.”

He hadn’t wanted to bring up money, but seeing her so worried on his screen sent him into big-brother mode. “Consider the subject dropped.” He saw an email arrive from Beth, with a link to a local news report from upstate. “Got the link. I’ll watch later.”

“What if it’s back?” Beth asked, her voice a hushed whisper.

Paul looked around his office, making sure he was alone in it. “Then we deal with it.” He wasn’t sure what that meant. “But I think we’ll find this isn’t related.”

“I hope you’re right, Paul. I better go. Curfew is mandatory, and Isabelle’s working at Chuck’s tonight. I told her I’d pick her up,” Beth said.

“Good. Go get your daughter,” Paul said, reminding him of his own girl.

“Good night. Watch the report and let me know what you think.” The screen went dark, and Paul closed the window, opening the link from her email.

He turned up the speakers.

“I’m Henry Palmer