What She Found

The wind howled, snow swirling in the darkness.

Hayden shivered under multiple blankets and turned over.

Hunter's side of the bed was empty. She had expected him to come home, but when the hours ticked by and he hadn't, she figured he was still mad at her.

She'd called and texted him, but he never replied.

When her phone rang, she startled. But it was just Reese.

"It's late," she said as she answered.

"Hayden." Reese's voice was wrong. "Please. You have to come meet me."

She shut her eyes, her heart chaotic. "What's going on? Is it Hunter?"

"No," he responded. "It's Maya. She's missing."

"What are you talking about? Where is she?"

"I don't know," he snapped. "I need your help, Hayden. You know Mason, so you can—"

"Reese, I don't know him. Not anymore. Besides, do you really think he's the one doing this? Maya probably just needed space. There's a lot going on. She's not stupid, you know? I'm not, either. I see the way you look at me."

"It's not—" Reese's breathing hitched. "This isn't about that. Maya didn't show up to work tonight, and we all called her several times. Because it's not like her to skip out on an assignment. Especially not this case. She's pretty invested."

"Mason's not a kidnapper," she said.

"No, he's just a killer," Reese said coldly. "If you won't help me, then I'll find her myself."

He hung up.

Hayden sighed, got dressed, and left her apartment.

But she didn't head to the precinct.



Her fingers curled around the glass of vodka. The bar was crowded, noisy, and sweltering from all the drunk bodies around her.

But it was better than being alone.

"Hayden?"

She turned.

"Hunter. Jesus. Where have you been?"

He shrugged and sat down beside her, ordered a bourbon, and ran a hand through his hair. He looked tired, almost defeated, as he gazed at her.

"What are you doing here? You hate bars."

"I needed to clear my head," she told him. "Reese called me."

Hunter stiffened. "And what did he have to say?"

Hayden tapped the glass with her fingers. "He said Maya's missing. He thinks Mason took her."

"Fuck," Hunter whispered. "This guy just keeps surprising us, huh? Do you think he did it?"

"He killed Ryan, so maybe."

"That's not right. Ryan was never kidnapped before being killed."

Hayden looked at him. "That doesn't matter. There's no set of correct steps for a killer."

"Yes, there is. You watch enough shows to know that. It's called modus operandi."

"Mode of operation," Hayden murmured.

Hunter nodded. "So, if Mason really took Maya, he would have also kidnapped Ryan beforehand. If he plans on killing her. But maybe—"

"There's a copycat, and not a very smart one at that."

Hunter finished his drink, then stood.

"We should go see Reese."