CHAPTER 15

Since moving his few possessions into the cabin three plus years ago, Max hadn’t once traveled beyond Grand Rapids. But from Ely he was now on his way to Minneapolis, driving roads he’d never wanted to see again. How had he let his plans get so interrupted?

Something about going back to the city felt like he was crossing a threshold, stepping through time into a past life. There had been a time that nothing seemed more important than his dream to be a homicide detective. He had dated, and played sports, and did the kind of things that young men did, but his eyes never left the prize. He would become a detective and serve in Minneapolis.

Then he met Jenni.

In college, Max worked for Campus Security, mostly escorting women home from the library after a late night of studying. One young lady had a particular knack for requesting an escort only when Max was on duty. She was pretty and flirty, going so far as to invite him up into her dorm room, a breach that would have gotten Max fired. Max always politely declined.

It was on the fourth or fifth trip that Max met the woman’s roommate, Jenni. The encounter had been brief, a shared glance and a nod of the head, but that had been enough. He couldn’t get Jenni out of his mind—her smile, the way her eyes caught the light.

The world changed on a Thursday night when Max was working security at an event and he saw Jenni again. She was with a group of girls waiting to enter, and when she saw him, Jenni waved.

“You’re Officer Romeo,” she said.

“Officer Romeo?”

“That’s what my roommate calls you.”

That made Max smile. “It’s Max… Rupert.” He extended a hand, but instead of shaking it Jenni held it—and that was it. Max knew in that moment that he wanted to hold Jenni’s hand for as long as she would let him. How many hours had he spent reliving their time together? Now here he was, on a four-lane interstate, heading to Minneapolis, despite his promise to her that he would have nothing more to do with that world.

After three years of driving the curvy back roads of the Northwoods, Max thought the other cars seemed to be going unusually fast. He locked in his cruise control, a maneuver that took him a couple rusty tries, and stewed anew on his predicament.

Why was he making this trip? Because Lyle refused to believe that his daughter could do what countless other women had done—run away? Why was that so hard to believe? People disappoint you and abandon you. No one thinks it can happen to them, but it does. Just ask Niki Vang, Max thought darkly.

As he neared Minneapolis, Max began to regret making the trip. He hadn’t expected the memories to be so strong. He would keep the visit short. He would find proof that Sandy had run off and help Lyle come to terms with that truth. Once he had done that, Max would crawl back to his little corner of the woods.