Landon nodded. “I’ll call you when I’ve found another place to stay and have some more stuff for you.”
Shoving the case at him, Lowell muttered, “You said this place would be good for the summer. Said no one paid attention to just another summer camper. Said folks mind their own business at a fishing resort.”
“Most of them do,” Landon grumbled, turning another scowl toward Shelby.
Lowell turned toward the door. “I’m out of here.”
“Wait. I could use your help getting her out to the car.”
“I told you you’re on your own with that. It’s your own stupidity for grabbing her in the first place.”
“I had to know what she’s seen. Who she told. She said she hasn’t seen anything or told anyone, but I don’t believe her. I had to have some insurance that I’d get away from here safe.”
Shaking his head and muttering, Lowell reached for the doorknob, only to freeze when someone knocked. Lowell and La
ndon stared at each other for a moment, and then Landon called out nervously, “Who is it?”
“Mr. Landon, it’s Maggie Bell. I’m sorry to bother you at this hour, but I need to ask you something.”
“You’ll have to come back later.”
“Please, sir, just a quick question.”
“Get rid of them,” Lowell hissed.
“Give me a minute,” Landon called out. Moving with clumsy haste, he threw the briefcase into a cabinet, then reached for Shelby. She shrank back from him, but he had his sweaty hands on her forearms before she could evade him. He threw her over his shoulder and carried her to the small storage closet under the stairs that led up to the sleeping loft. Shoving her unceremoniously inside with the broom and the vacuum cleaner, he stood back.
“Not a sound from you,” he grated, pointing an unsteady finger at her. “I’m warning you.”
He slammed the door, leaving her in dusty-scented darkness. She leaned against the hollow-core door, straining to hear through the thin wood, ignoring the pain in her shoulder where something dug into her skin through her blouse.
“Get upstairs. If anyone sees you, you’re a business associate, here for a meeting,” she heard Landon say to Lowell.
She heard footsteps on the stairs, and then the front door opened. “What do you want?”
“We’re looking for my cousin,” Maggie said, her voice slightly muffled by the closet door. “Shelby. She’s gone missing.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but what makes you think I’d know where she is?” Landon demanded.
Shelby’s heart clenched when she heard Aaron’s deep voice. “She left my place at almost two this morning. We were hoping maybe you saw something.”
“At two in the morning? I was asleep. Even had I been awake, I don’t make a habit of spying on my neighbors, unlike some people.”
“Maybe you heard something?” Maggie asked, her voice sounding so strained as to be almost unrecognizable. “Needless to say, we’re afraid something has happened to her.”
“Sorry, but I can’t help you.” The response was brusque, and sounded as though he was moving to close the door.
Shelby was sure Maggie and Aaron were doing everything they could to look beyond Landon, who was undoubtedly blocking the doorway. She tried to cry out, but the only sounds that emerged from her were stifled grunts. In desperation, she threw herself against the door, against the cleaning supplies around her, resulting in a satisfactory crash.
“What was that?” Aaron asked sharply, raising her hopes.
“That was none of your business,” Landon snapped.
“Mr. Landon—”
“I’m afraid I’m the one who made that racket.” Shelby groaned hoarsely when she heard Lowell descend the stairs, speaking with rueful humor. “I just dropped an armful of grooming supplies upstairs. You’ll have to forgive my, um, friend for his rudeness.”
“Mr. Landon, if we could just—”