“It’s okay,” Colin said. “I’ll go by myself.”

Gavin and Lila shook their heads. “Lila and I will go with you,” Gavin said. “She’s safer with us.”

Colin shook his head but he was too tired to argue any further. “Fine,” he said. “Now can we get some sleep?”

Chapter Fifteen

Colin squeezed Lila’s hand as he walked down the main street of Hocken. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, to have everyone stare at him? Yell at him? Run him out of town?

Instead no one gave him a second look. They didn’t recognize him. It was actually kind of disappointing. He’d spent so long thinking over what had happened, being haunted by it, and to realize that they had forgotten him as soon as he left town…

He shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts as they approached the vet surgery.

“You should stay out here with Gavin,” he said to Lila, not liking that she was here one bit.

Lila shook her head and Gavin just stared at him. Neither of them, it seemed, was prepared to let him do this alone.

When they walked inside there was a young woman he didn’t recognize behind the front desk.

“Hello,” she said with a bright smile. “How can I help?”

“I’m looking for Sara Monroe,” he said.

Immediately the smile dimmed and a wary look came into her eyes. “She doesn’t work here anymore.”

A mix of relief and disappointment surged through him.

“Jess?” A large man stepped into the office from the back. “Is my next appointment here yet?”

“Hi Zach,” Colin said quietly, wondering if his friend would look at him with disgust or pity. Lila pressed tighter against his side. Gavin slung his arm around Lila’s shoulders and patted him on the back.

“Colin!” Zach said with surprise and a smile of greeting crossed his face. “It’s been a long time since I saw your ugly mug. What are you doing here? You looking for a job?”

Colin was shocked by the friendly response. He’d hoped for politeness at the most. “Ahh, no, I came here to see Sara actually.”

Zach scowled. “Why would you want to talk to her? Wait a minute,” he added before Colin could reply. “We’ll be in my office, Jess, can you let me know when my next appointment arrives?”

Jess nodded, looking at them curiously.

“Come on through,” Zach directed.

Colin led the way, still holding Lila’s hand.

“Have a seat,” Zach said, sitting behind his large desk. Colin seated Lila then took one himself. Gavin stood at the back of the room, his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He glared at Zach, obviously trying to intimidate him.

Zach just grinned.

“This is my brother, Gavin,” Colin introduced. “And our girlfriend, Lila.”

Lila sent him a surprised smile, then reached out and grabbed his hand again. No way was he hiding their relationship. If people in this town didn’t like it, well, he really didn’t care.

Zach’s smile grew wider. “Pleased to meet you both. So tell me, why are you here looking for Sara?”

Colin explained what had happened. Zach’s smile faded and his face grew concerned. “Why the hell did you bring Lila here then? Hell, if I knew Sara was capable of this I would have warned you that she’d gone off her medication.”

“Medication?” Colin asked.

Zach nodded seriously. “She started to act really weird after you left, making all these crazy accusations. I forced her to go to the doctor. He gave her some medication which helped a lot. I think she might have schizophrenia, but Doc wouldn’t say. But then she must have stopped taking her medication.

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