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  Watch for more at Stacy Claflin’s site.

  Lady in Red

  Stacy Claflin

  LADY IN RED

  AN ALEX MERCER THRILLER #9

  by Stacy Claflin

  http://www.stacyclaflin.com

  * * *

  Copyright ©2019 Stacy Claflin. All rights reserved.

  ©Cover Design: Didi Wahyudi

  Edited by Staci Troilo

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental or used fictitiously. The author has taken great liberties with locales including the creation of fictional towns.

  * * *

  Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited. Do not upload or distribute anywhere.

  * * *

  This e-book is for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to others. If you would like to share this book with others, please either purchase it for them or direct them to StacyClaflin.com for purchase links. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  * * *

  Receive free books from the author sign up here: https://stacyclaflin.com/newsletter/

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Other Books by Stacy Claflin

  Author's Note

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Crunch! Crack!

  Ariana Nakano’s heart leaped into her throat. She stopped speaking mid-sentence and brought her finger to her mouth. “Shh!”

  The three younger girls stopped talking and looked at her with a mixture of curious expressions.

  “What?” Hanna whispered.

  “Shh means be quiet!” Ayla glared at her and turned back to Ari, pleading with her eyes.

  Ariana kept her finger to her mouth and motioned for all three girls to stay put. She slowly rose from her spot in the treehouse and maneuvered around the four sleeping bags, snacks, and other sleepover items. Heart racing, she moved aside the curtain and peeked out the thin window, which would only keep the weather out—not anyone determined to get inside.

  It was impossible to see anything in the dark night, even as her eyes adjusted to looking into the woods instead of the dimly-lit treehouse.

  Crunch!

  But something was definitely out there. Her skin crawled as she looked around, still unable to see what it was.

  “What is it?” Hanna whispered.

  Ariana waved her quiet and cupped her hands around her eyes, trying to block out as much light as possible.

  Still couldn’t see anything.

  Her pulse drummed in her ears. She let go of the curtain and turned to the three girls. “I’m going out there to look.”

  Tinsley leaped over Hanna and clung to Ariana. “Don’t go!”

  Ari gave her a quick and hopefully reassuring squeeze. “It’s probably just a raccoon. Remember that fat one we saw earlier?”

  “What if it’s a bear?” Hanna’s eyes widened.

  Ayla shook her head. “There aren’t bears around here. We’re too close to the city.”

  Hanna put her hands on her hips. “We’ve seen tracks! My dad said they were bear tracks. Right next to the house.”

  Tinsley clung tighter to her.

  Ayla’s face paled. She looked at Ari. “Is that true? Why are we having a sleepover if there are bears? Bears climb trees, you know!”

  Ariana took a deep breath and questioned her sanity for agreeing to oversee this sleepover. “Nick and Genevieve wouldn’t let us stay out here if it was dangerous.”

  None of them looked convinced. It probably didn’t help that they’d just told ghost stories.

  Ari pulled away from Tinsley’s grasp and held up her flashlight. “I’ll be right back. Seriously, stay here.”

  She pulled open the door. The figure of a man stood in the doorway, the wind whipping around him.

  The three younger girls all screamed, ran around the small room. Ariana froze in place, her mind racing. Should she attack? Tell the girls to climb out a window and jump to safety? Then she remembered
the pocketknife in her pocket. She reached for it.

  The man stepped inside.

  Ari’s knees went weak. She nearly dropped the unopened blade.

  It took a moment to register that the man was Nick. Hanna’s dad. Her own dad’s best friend.

  Her body nearly went limp. She pressed her palm against the nearest wall. “Nick?”

  He wiped some raindrops from his face. “Sorry, girls. Didn’t mean to spook you.”

  “Spook?” Hanna exclaimed. “You scared us half to death!”

  The corners of his mouth twitched like he was trying to keep from smiling. “Just checking on you before I hit the sack. You girls need anything?”

  Ari stepped away from the wall and tried to act cool. “We’re fine. Just telling each other scary stories—that’s why you startled us.”

  “Scared us,” Hanna corrected.

  Nick reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out some zip baggies. “Genevieve made you some popcorn. Have fun. And don’t stay up all night.”

  Hanna reached for a bag. “Oh, we plan to.”

  He chuckled and passed out the rest. “I figured as much.” Then he gestured for Ari to follow him outside. On the ground, he lit a flashlight. “If you need anything, call me or G. Doesn’t matter what time it is.”

  Ariana nodded. “Got your numbers on my phone.”

  “Sure you don’t want me to pitch a tent and stay out here? I still can.”

  It was tempting to say yes, especially after that scare, but she shook her head no. The girls would all be so disappointed. “This isn’t too far from the house.”

  An owl hooted not far away, and the sound sent a shiver down her back.

  Nick arched an eyebrow.

  “We’re fine,” Ari insisted.

  “Okay. My ringer’s on top volume.” He leaned closer and spoke quieter. “Tinsley’s okay?”

  “Yeah, she loved the scary stories.”

  “Good. I worry about her. She’s come a long way, but I don’t know if she’ll ever fully move past what she went through before.”

  Ariana nodded. “I think she will. It’ll just take time. I mean, she went from not talking at all to just telling us a full ghost story that she made up on the spot.”

  “I’m glad she’s having fun. You’ll let me know if she shows any signs of being scared?”

  “Of course. And I can talk to her, too. I’ve been through plenty myself.”

  Nick patted her shoulder. “Yes, you have. I think she looks up to you because of that. Well, I’d better get going. Don’t want to kill the fun.”

  “You’re not. Thanks for the popcorn.” She started up the ladder.

  “Call us.”

  “I will.” She hurried inside and shoved her bag against the door.

  “What did Dad say?” Hanna asked.

  “Just reminding me to call them if we have any trouble.”

  “Let’s tell more ghost stories.” Ayla settled into her sleeping bag. “Whose turn is it?”

  “Tinsley’s!” Hanna poked her future stepsister. “Are you going to continue the one from earlier?”

  They all talked and giggled for hours. Ariana finally drifted to sleep to the sounds of the three younger girls rhythmic breathing.

  A cold breeze woke her. It was still dark. She sat up, bleary-eyed and confused, and looked around.

  The door swung back and forth in the wind, open despite her heavy bag having been in front of it.

  Ariana shivered and checked the other sleeping bags.

  One was empty.

  Chapter 2

  One hour earlier …

  Tinsley sat up, clinging to Teddy. The ratty stuffed bear did little to comfort her. She looked around, trying to figure out why she’d woken. Maybe just because she wasn’t in her own bed.

  The familiar sounds of Hanna’s light snores helped ease her nerves. It was almost like being back in their room, and the house wasn’t far away.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  She squeezed Teddy harder. What was that noise? Was that what woke her?

  Tinsley took a deep breath. She needed to be brave. Out of the four of them, she was the second oldest—even if everyone did think of her as being Hanna’s age. They were best friends and soon to be sisters. Hanna never judged her for being different.

  Others, however nice they were, gave her the look. It was a combination of pity and fear. She was the abused daughter of two serial killers who murdered a bunch of policemen. And now her adopted mom and future dad were officers.

  The irony didn’t escape her, even though she never voiced it.

  Tinsley couldn’t help wondering if they ever feared for their safety. After all, what if she turned into her birth parents? They’d made her do things she never wanted to.

  She’d been the bait. The one who lured in the cops.

  And that wasn’t all.

  Tap, tap.

  Tinsley slid on her slippers, still holding Teddy, and tiptoed over to the window. Maybe it was just Dad checking on them again. He’d wanted to sleep outside, but Momma had convinced him they would be fine with Ariana there.

  Stars shone in the night sky. The clouds were gone, and so were the wind and rain from earlier. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Maybe the tapping was a normal forest noise. The playhouse was so much thinner than their home, so she probably never heard most of the nighttime sounds.

  Besides that, they’d only recently moved in. Everything was so new. Not to mention the body Hanna had found in the attic.

  She shoved those thoughts from her mind and stepped away from the window. Everything was fine. She was safe now. Had been ever since Momma had started taking care of her.

  Even so, death still followed her around. Taunted her. Brought back old memories. Not only had Hanna found that mummy, but Tinsley and Momma had found those bones in Grandma and Grandpa’s yard.

  Death was everywhere. Reminding her she couldn’t escape its teasing.

  She kicked off one slipper, ready to settle back into the sleeping bag.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  Tinsley froze in place. Nearly toppled over with one foot in the air.

  Tap, tap.

  She took a deep breath and put her slipper back on. Stood tall. Put on her brave face. Clutched Teddy for support. Crept back to the window.

  Something red caught her attention. A flash of the color between some trees.

  Red like blood.

  No. Not blood. Lots of things were red. Like flowers, and the hearts on the bedroom wall.

  Tinsley held her breath and watched as the unidentifiable red shape moved closer.

  Closer.

  The pace was like someone strolling without a care in the world.

  It was a person. A lady, to be specific. She wore a long flowing dress and had long hair close to the same color.

  What was she doing in the woods? Their woods? In the middle of the night, no less.

  Maybe she was lost.

  Or a ghost. Images from the stories before bed raced through her mind.

  But ghosts weren’t real.

  Or were they?

  She pressed her nose and forehead against the cold glass and narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better view.

  The woman wasn’t translucent. She looked as real as the plant life all around her.

  She pointed at Tinsley. Waved.

  It couldn’t be. Tinsley swallowed. She had to be imagining it. Or this was a dream. A very realistic dream.

  She’d had worse.

  The lady waved again.

  Tinsley pointed at herself as if to ask if the woman meant her.

  The lady in red nodded.

  Blood drained from Tinsley’s head. Her heart hammered making it hard to breathe. She squeezed Teddy so hard he would surely burst and stepped toward the door. Pushed aside the bag blocking it and turned the knob.

  Creak!

  Tinsley jumped and spun around to make sure it hadn’t woken anyone. Everyone else lay sleeping.

 
; She stepped onto the tiny ledge and leaned on the railing for a better look.

  The woman motioned for her to come down.

  Tinsley studied her. She seemed familiar. A chill ran through her.

  Mother?

  Then she shook her head. It couldn’t be. Mother’s hair was darker. And she’d been killed.

  Or had she? Was she actually alive but nobody told her? It couldn’t be.

  Unless it could.

  Maybe people just wanted Tinsley to think Mother was dead. There hadn’t been a funeral. Nobody mourned a serial killer. But they also didn’t mourn the living.

  Tinsley hesitated before climbing down the ladder.

  The lady gestured for Tinsley to follow. She started walking before her face came into view. The long dress flowed behind her.

  Tinsley hurried to catch up.

  Chapter 3

  Alex Mercer gently set the sleeping baby in her crib and yawned. With any luck, the twins would start sleeping through the night soon. Every once in a while, one or the other would, but so far, neither had managed it on the same night.

  He stopped at his desk on the way to the bed and stared at his laptop, conflicted about having shut down his blog. It had been the right decision for his family. There was no denying that, given the threats. He wasn’t about to put his wife or children in the way of dangerous leaders of an international kidnapping ring from the dark web.

  Yet he couldn’t help but feel guilty about shutting down his site. Kids who had disappeared were close to his heart, and the blog had helped to find dozens of missing persons. Not only that, it had provided a steady source of extra income—and they were planning a big family vacation to Hawaii. They needed every penny they could earn.