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Aside from that one totally unilluminating text message, he hadn’t contacted any of—
The intercom buzzed. Dammit, he wasn’t in the mood for interruptions. Hadn’t he told that to his PA?
“What?” he barked when he slapped it to life. “I told you, I don’t want to be disturbed.”
“Yes. I know. But—”
“No ‘buts,’ Jean. No calls, no messages, no—”
The door opened. Caleb glared at it. Then he shot to his feet.
“Father?”
The General, resplendent in his dress uniform, his chest bristling with ribbons and medals, nodded. “Hello, Caleb.”
“You should have … I didn’t expect …” Hell, he was running off at the mouth. “Come in, please. If I’d known—”
“There was no time. I flew into D.C. yesterday to meet with—Well, that’s unimportant.” His father shut the door, strode across the big room to one of the pair of chairs across from the desk and sat. “Please,” he said, gesturing, “take a seat.”
Caleb nodded. His father was inviting him to sit down in his own chair in his own office.
And he was doing it.
Some other time, he might have laughed. Not today. What was his father doing here? He was not given to dropping in for family visits.
“I am concerned about your brother.”
“Travis?”
“Jacob. I am very concerned about him.”
What did his father know? Caleb cleared his throat. “Yes. Well, you see—”
The door to his office swung open. Travis stepped into the room, raised his eyebrows and mouthed the words, What in hell’s going on?
Damned if I know, Ca
leb wanted to say….
“I hope you don’t mind, Caleb. I asked Travis to join us.”
“No. That’s fi—”
“Take a seat, please, Travis.”
Travis nodded. Sat in the chair beside his father. Caleb looked at him. Amazing. The General had taken charge.
“I was just telling your brother that I am concerned about Jacob.”
Travis and Caleb looked at each other. They could pretty much read each other’s thoughts. They could say, Why are you concerned? They could say, There’s nothing to be concerned about. Or they could be honest, even with this man who had not bothered to return to El Sueño for his wounded son’s homecoming.
Honesty won out.
“So are we,” Caleb said. “We don’t know where he is.”
“Actually,” Travis said, “we do.”
Caleb and the General both looked at him.
