Vanished. Elizabeth Heiter

Evelyn looked up, over the top of the dune, and right at Kyle, who was walking toward them, his weapon sighted on Darnell.

      “Evelyn and I were just helping with the search,” Darnell said, sounding way too calm for someone who had a weapon aimed at his head. “You always this trigger-happy, man?”

      Not lowering his weapon or taking his gaze off Darnell, Kyle held his hand out for her.

      Evelyn took it, and he tugged her up the dune next to him as if she weighed nothing, barely even adjusting his weight. Only then did Kyle holster his weapon.

      But his hand still lingered close to it, and Evelyn recognized the battle-hardened look in Kyle’s eyes as his “mission face.” For someone who usually seemed laid-back and approachable, right now Kyle looked exactly like the trained operator he was.

      Darnell clearly saw it, because he kept his movements slow and his hands away from his pockets as Kyle indicated that he should move in front of them.

      “You need to sign in with the rest of the searchers,” Kyle said as the three of them started walking out of the dunes.

      “How do you know I didn’t?” Darnell parried.

      “Because when I asked around about where Evelyn was, I heard I wasn’t the only one looking for her.”

      Darnell had told people he wanted to find her? That meant he probably hadn’t intended to harm her, just to intimidate.

      As her adrenaline level decreased, Evelyn cursed herself for screwing this up. If she’d stayed focused, she might have gotten him to slip up.

      Darnell shrugged, glancing back at Kyle. “Evelyn was the one who told me about the girl’s abduction. She mentioned the search, so I figured I’d join her.”

      As they stepped out of the dunes and onto the high grass alongside a parking lot full of beachgoers, Evelyn put her hand on Kyle’s arm. When he turned to her, she gave a quick shake of her head. A silent request not to warn Darnell to stay away from her.

      She’d trained in psychology for years before arriving at BAU, which was its own specialized course in how the most dangerous minds worked. And every bit of her training was telling her that Darnell would seek her out again.

      Next time, she’d be prepared. She wouldn’t let him catch her alone and off guard. Next time, he wouldn’t be the only one playing mind games.

      Because he might have spent his whole life fooling people, but her job was to get into his head and make him give her the truth. And her job was the biggest part of her life.

      She knew Kyle didn’t like it, but he kept quiet as Darnell glanced between them, obviously expecting a threat.

      When none came, amusement glimmered in his eyes. “I’ll be back to help some more later. Can’t let this guy get away with it.”

      He sauntered away, then called over his shoulder, “See you soon, Evelyn.”