She should’ve been back with the drinks.

He opened a bag of chips, pulled one out, and, while eating it, split the curtains to peek at their pickup. She wasn’t getting something from the truck. She wasn’t out there. He opened their motel door, looked up and down the walk, and into the empty lot.

Maybe she went to the office to get fruit or yogurt for the morning? I could wait. No. I want to be sure.

He put the chips down, slid into his sneakers. Sam had the room key, so he swung the door’s bar guard to prop it open. They seemed to be the only people at the motel.

The office transom bells jangled. Nobody was in the reception area. The manager grunted his way to the counter.

“Sorry to disturb you, but did my girlfriend come back here?”

“No.”

“Hmm.”

“No one’s been here since you checked in.”

“All right. Thanks.”

“Is there a problem?”

“I’m just looking for her.” Kevin shook his head and started back to their room. “Thanks.”

Scanning the empty parking lot, Kevin tried to convince himself that Sam would emerge with an explanation. But what would it be? A small measure of concern twinged in the pit of his gut as he stood in front of their door. He went to the truck, opened the doors, looked in the cab, even lifted the tarp and checked the back.

She wasn’t there.

This was weird.

The vending machine’s hum from around the corner reminded him. Sam had gone to get drinks. He went to it.

No one was there.

He went farther along the breezeway to check the rear parking lot.

Not a soul in sight.

Kevin turned away to return to the room, but then froze—a glint of light.

Wait! What was that?

He turned back, walked slowly, farther into the rear lot. In the weak light, he locked onto two canned drinks standing upright on the ground—one grape, his preference, and one diet cola, Sam’s choice.

What the—why would she leave them here like this?

“Sam!”

Kevin searched the empty lot, swallowed hard, and called her name again.

Fear slithered up his spine as he scanned the immediate area, the mountains, and the darkness, praying for answers.

***

Austin Hardy, a deputy sheriff with Orleans County, took another hit of coffee and studied the road in front of him.

Enjoying an incident-free night shift in his zone, he was taking a personal inventory as he headed to Coventry to patrol the hillside town.

He was 26 and single, with no one special in his life. He dated a bit, but, for him, being gay in this part of the state meant he had to go to Burlington if he wanted a broader social life. He didn’t mind; he had friends there. Besides, he’d always been something of a loner, always kept his nose in a book.