One Last Step by Sarah Sutton (free e books to read TXT) 📗

wondered if the closure was enough to take him over the edge. She thanked her, and was soon off the phone.

Tara thought about the words on the tree—they never leave—as she grabbed hold of her laptop and searched Sunset Bed and Breakfast into her search bar. Could this man have had a mental break? Could his warped perception somehow have grown to blame these hikers for his failed business and now he wanted to make them pay?

An article heading popped up in her search results: SUNSET BED & BREAKFAST CLOSES DOWN.

She clicked on it and read.

Located in Lyme, NH and only a hike away from the Appalachian Trail, just off the Smarts Mountain Trail, the Sunrise Bed and Breakfast is claimed to be closing, citing business facilities rundown as a challenge to keep the place running. After operating for nearly 30 years, the Sunrise B&B used to be a prime stop for hikers hiking the Appalachian Trail.

“We are incredibly sad to close it down. This has been a part of our family for years,” Maura, the owner of the B&B that she runs with her son, said through tears.

Yet, while the B&B will be closing, both the owner and her son have plans to still live there in hopes of one day being able to reopen.

Tara stopped reading and looked at the date of the article. It was written just last year and below the article included an address. She still could be wrong, but the location, the name of the place, and all she learned on the phone made her certain that it was a lead she had to follow through with. She reached for her phone again, picking it up in her sweaty palm.

She had something to back up her feeling. Her heart pumped out of her chest as she went through her recent calls and let her finger hit Warren’s name. The phone rang for a few moments until she heard Warren’s groggy voice on the other end, reminding her what time it was.

“Warren, I think I have something,” she said, the words pouring out of her mouth like vomit. “There’s this bed and breakfast in Lyme. I think it’s connected to the murders. I—”

“Mills, slow down,” Warren interjected. “What are you saying?” His voice clearly showed his tiredness and agitation at her call.

“There’s this place, the Sunset Bed & Breakfast. It’s just north of where the third victim was found. Apparently the son of the owner had harassed hikers about a year ago. It makes perfect sense! The setting sun etched into the tree and that’s why the killer probably wrote ‘they never leave.’ He probably keeps the victims there. And—”

“Mills, what the hell are you talking about? I don’t even want to know how you found all that out.”

Tara’s heart sank at his response.

He continued: “You think a harassment over a year ago is connected to a death now? Have you lost your mind? Do you want to get yourself in trouble? You just solved your first case! You’re going to throw all that away? I told you to trust me on this!”

It was clear that Warren wasn’t going to hear her out. He was too blinded by rage at the fact that Tara was still digging when all he wanted her to do was follow his lead.

“Mills, I appreciate your dedication,” he added. “But we have already found the person responsible.”

“But—”

“And do you know how early it is? I was finally hoping to get some decent sleep!”

“I wouldn’t call you unless it was important. I really think this means something. If you just let me finish explaining—”

“Mills, there is nothing more to say. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you. This case is over. It’s done. We’re going home.”

She knew he wasn’t going to listen to her. To him, the case really was over. He quickly hurried her off the phone, leaving Tara alone once again with her thoughts. He was wrong. She could feel it and she wasn’t going to let it go. She was going to the bed and breakfast, even if she had to do it alone.

Chapter Thirty

Tara reached above the steering wheel for the sun visor and pulled the flap downward to shield her eyes. The sun had just fully peeked up over the horizon, sending the sky into a haze of orange. She’d been driving for quite some time now, and the closer she got, the more she felt her heart race knowing that she was getting further and further away from the thought of turning back.

Her phone rang, sending her mind once again into a state of panic. Her phone sat on the passenger’s seat. She reached for it with her sweaty palm and read the name on the caller ID—it was Warren.

She looked at it for a moment as it continued to ring, and then she placed it back down as she had done the three previous times he called. She knew she would have to face him eventually, but she couldn’t yet. There was nothing she could tell him right now that would justify her actions in his eyes. Only finding the killer would save her at this point. She had already gone too far.

She let the phone finish ringing and moments later it beeped to tell her she had a voicemail. She hesitated before deciding to listen to it. Maybe he’ll surprise me. Maybe he had a change of heart. Maybe he believes me, she thought to herself. She pressed the play button and put the phone on speaker.

“Mills! Where the hell are you!” His words cracked through the phone, making Tara instinctively jump in her seat. “Our flight leaves in an hour! I’m going to wait ten minutes and I’m calling Reinhardt. Don’t do this, Mills. You’re going to ruin your career.”

She placed the phone back down next to her as she felt her heart sink. She wished she hadn’t listened to it. How could she have possibly