Grabbing my phone from my back pocket, I search up Eggplant Canyon. It’s exactly what Ceci and her friend were saying. I pass my phone to Lennox.
He pauses, so I nudge it toward him. He reads. And reads. His breaths grow more and more intense. He rakes a hand through his hair. “This…” He points at the screen. “This is where they want to go? It’s a real place?”
“From what they said, that’s where they’re going unless they find a better offer.” That’s not entirely the truth, but close enough.
“Haven’t they heard of human trafficking? Why would two young women do that?”
“It’s a lifestyle, not human trafficking. You should be asking why wouldn’t they?” I set a box of work stuff aside—bulletproof vest, extra police shirts, files.
He hands my phone back and heads across the hall to his room.
“Think about it, Lennox,” I say loudly. “I didn’t know you when we were their age, but if we heard about a town where groups of older, sexually knowledgeable women wanted to care for all of our needs, we would have gone.”
“You would have gone.”
“Don’t tell me you were as grumpy back then as you are now.”
“It’s called common sense. Let me remind you that we have two weeks to make these arrests. We’re here posing as business developers, and we’re supposed to fit in.”
“I’d like to fit in—”
“Don’t you dare finish that joke.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Not funny.”
“You cock-blocking me isnot funny.”
“What if she’s part of the check-washing ring?”
I go back to the mission box and pull out my handcuffs, rattling them. “I was hoping to cuff her, but not exactly like that.”
“You’re so goddamn immature. Have you thought about how this is going to affect her? Presuming she wasn’t just teasing an old, desperate fuck and is actually interested. You’ll have your fun and what? Just leave? Break her heart right after she just got cheated on?”
A huff rumbles through my chest. I step to his bedroom door. “That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t plan on leaving her.”
Lennox rakes a hand through his hair and sits on the bed. I doubt he can think about how much he hates paisley after the bomb I dropped.
The silence goes on long enough—no argument—that I know he’s thinking the same. “I think she’s my fucking soulmate.”
He angles his head up to narrow his gaze at me. “You’ve lost it.”
“Love at first sight. And there’s no way in hell I’m going to let her move to Eggplant Canyon.”
“They were probably joking about moving.” Lennox is doing his best to rationalize why he shouldn’t pursue her, but I won’t let him miss this opportunity.
“She’s got a free spirit like me. Get an idea and go. What do you say?”
“I say we still have to deal with her being my son’s ex.”
“He won’t text you back. He cheated on Ceci. I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but he’s an ass.”
“What if he’s an ass because I wasn’t around?”
“Don’t beat yourself up about not being there for him. There’s a big difference between abandoning a kid and not knowing he existed.”
“Hopefully he’ll let me explain that. We could have a future together.”
