“Try me,” I said, leaning forward. “If we’re going to figure this out, we can’t keep secrets from each other.”
He hesitated, his fingers tapping against the table. Suddenly, we were interrupted by his ringtone. Jake stared at his phone and I spotted his change of expression. “I'm sorry,” he said, standing up. “I got to take this.”
I suspected he may not come back. He didn't. I went back to sleep.
The following morning, I awoke to the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the faint aroma of sea salt wafting through the open balcony doors. For a fleeting moment, the beauty of the Maldives offered me a reprieve from the chaos that had taken over my life. But the letter, Jack’s threats, and the missing woman weighed heavily on my mind.
I couldn’t stay in bed, not when there
