Novels by Jo Peters

You know how, when you’re young, you’re told that wishes come true?That if your tooth falls out and you slip it under your pillow, the tooth fairy will come in the night and trade it for something better. Something magical. Something that means you’re safe.I believed that once.I wished for a lot of things back then. Small things. Big things. Stupid things. Things a kid shouldn’t have had to wish for in the first place.But standing there alone on that sidewalk, watching the black Range Rover disappear down the street, I wished for just one thing.I wished this nightmare would end.I wished I could get the hell out of Cedar City and pretend none of this had ever touched me.The town felt like it was closing in, like it had teeth and was slowly sinking them into my ribs. The air felt thicker than it had a few minutes ago, harder to breathe. Every sound seemed louder. Every passing car felt like it slowed just enough to look at me.“You’re not welcome here” That’s what the place screa

“What… what do you mean?” I asked, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them.Shock must have been written all over my face, because Tate stopped walking and stared at me like I’d just said something strange. For a second, it felt like we were both surprised by each other’s reactions.“What do you mean, what do I mean?” he asked slowly.“You said your girlfriend was kidnapped,” I replied. “I— I didn’t realize…”“Oh,” Tate said, exhaling as if the air had been sitting heavy in his chest. Then he shrugged lightly, like he’d said it a hundred times already. “Yeah.”He started walking again, hands in his pockets, eyes straight ahead.“My girlfriend was kidnapped a while back,” he continued. “Alongside her twin sister. And some other girls too.”My heart skipped.“What’s her name?” I asked, already dreading the answer.“Laura,” he said quietly.The name hit me like a punch to the ribs.Laura.I kept my face neutral, but inside my thoughts were spiraling. Laura Grayson. One of the

I stayed where I was for a few seconds after the boy jogged past me.If I followed him too fast, and I’d draw attention and too slow, and I’d lose him.So I waited. Counted my breaths. Let my pulse settle just enough. Then I followed.I kept my distance as he moved down the street, his pace easy and relaxed. He wasn’t in a hurry. He wasn’t looking over his shoulder. Whatever he was wearing on his wrist didn’t worry him at all.People waved at him, not the polite nod strangers give each other. These were real waves. Familiar ones. A man stepping out of a store lifted his hand and smiled. A woman walking her dog called out his name. Someone driving by honked lightly, not in anger, but greeting.The boy waved back every time. He looked easy to talk to and confident, like he belonged everywhere he stepped.Popular, I thought. Or protected or probably both.I pulled my hood lower and kept walking, pretending to check my phone, pretending I had nowhere important to be. The town was fully aw

The phone was still pressed to my ear, Jesse’s voice roaring through like a freight train.“What the fuck are you doing there, Hale? Get your ass back to New York immediately!”I exhaled slowly, letting the chill of early morning bite at my face. “Jesse, listen….”“No, you listen! You’re being summoned. That’s an order! Now move!”I laughed, sharp and bitter. “An order? From you? Three thousand miles away? Do you have any idea what’s happening here?”“You’re in over your head, Andy! Do not make this harder than it already is!” he replied sharply.That did it. Who the hell does Jesse think to psychoanalyse me?“Damn you Jesse, just because you're sitting in that nice little office of yours doesn't give you the right to talk to me like that. I said angrily. “I’m not in over my head. I’m doing my damn job!”“Well Andrew, if you've paying attention to your job well enough,” he paused, as if stopping for effect. Then he continued, “you'd realize that I'm your superior and you respond to m

I stared at the photos again. This was insane.“This is bullshit,” I said. “They asked to speak to me.”“Did they?” Riker asked lightly, like he was discussing the weather.“Yes,” I snapped. “They reached out. And I don’t even need to tell you that, because I know you and your people know every fucking thing that goes on in this town.”Riker’s jaw tightened.“Hey, careful,” he said. “Speaking maliciously and pointing accusing fingers is something we don’t take lightly around here.”I looked at him sharply. “By who?”He shrugged. “That’s not what matters.”“It matters to me.”He folded his hands on the desk, calm as ever. “What matters is that multiple citizens have expressed concern about your conduct.”“My conduct?” I laughed. “I asked questions.”“You frightened them,” he said. “You made accusations. You suggested corruption, and they felt threatened.”“Because there is corruption.” I said.He smiled thinly. “That’s your opinion.”I leaned forward, resting my hands on the edge of hi

The knock dragged me out of sleep like a hook through my chest.It was loud and not polite. Just firm enough to say we expect you to answer.I reached for my gun out of instinct before I even sat up. Tommy lifted his head from the floor, a low warning rumble in his throat.“It’s fine,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure.Another knock. It was harder this time.Who the fuck could that be at this ungodly hour?I swung my legs off the bed and checked the clock. Just past 2 a.m.I pulled on a hoodie, moved quietly to the door, and looked through the small window.Two men stood on my porch. Sheriff’s department. One I recognized, Deputy Allen. The other was younger, eyes darting around like he didn’t want to be there.I opened the door just enough to keep the chain on.“What?” I said.“Agent Hale,” Allen said. “You’ve been summoned to the sheriff’s office.”I stared at him. Then I laughed, a short, sharp sound. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”Allen’s jaw tightened. “Sir…”“Summoned?”