AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He swallowed because it did. Nancy, also known as Nan Gelman, was the nurse Callum had tracked down two months before, hoping she could lead them to Luella Smith. They still hadn’t located Luella.
Sasha shifted to the officer holding her by the arm. “So, you see, your guy here has confessed. You might want to uncuff—”
Spencer raised a hand. “Not so fast, Ms. Quick. Besides the charge for receiving stolen goods, you have a rap sheet a mile long with a few outstanding warrants.”
He slid a glance to Asher. “I did a little research on Jace Smith and his associates after the first time you called while trying to track down your belongings.”
“How did you find so much information so fast?”
“Apparently, these two don’t know a lot about facial-recognition software. Successful criminals need to avoid social media.” Spencer stepped over to Asher and tapped him with his elbow. “And, for the record, not only freelancers like you happen to be good at this job.”
Asher grinned. “I’ll remember that.”
The Bilmar officer directed Jace toward the patrol car, but he twisted his head for a parting comment. “You Coltons deserve everything that has happened to you. The bomb threat, though it should have been the real thing. The lost cattle. A fake baby switch. And you’ll deserve it, too, if Payne never wakes up.”
The fragile control Asher had over his anger snapped, and he barreled forward, his hand fisted and poised for contact. Spencer caught his arm before he reached him.
“I know it would feel great, but he’s not worth it.” He indicated the other officers. “Also, you might want to think twice about rushing people who are carrying weapons.”
“Sorry, guys.” Asher waved to the officers and then got in his own parting comment to the suspects before the doors closed. “Enjoy prison.”
As the cars pulled away, he turned back to his cousin. “Thanks for meeting me here.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Going beyond the call, in my opinion. But it’s time for me to get back to Mustang Valley. A little girl there is waiting for me. There’s also someone else I need to see.”
“I’m guessing that ‘someone’ also has a baby girl at home?”
Asher only smiled and then waved before they headed toward their own vehicles. Now that he’d located Jace, he could think of nothing else except getting back to Willow. He’d given her enough time, enough space. He had to tell her and Luna that something good could come from Jace Smith’s arrival in all their lives.
Chapter 27
“Mom, she’s gone!”
Asher chased his voice into Genevieve’s suite, where she looked up from her book and smiled.
“What are you grinning about? Didn’t you hear me? Harper’s missing. I’ve checked everywhere. My room. The kitchen. The family room. Neda doesn’t know anything.”
He shot a look out the window as if he would find answers there. “Do you think Harper’s been abducted?”
Genevieve didn’t even rush as she tucked a bookmark inside her book and set it on the table beside her. “Relax. She’s with Marlowe right now.”
“Marlowe? What’s she doing home? And where are they?”
“She took a few hours off from work. She volunteered to watch Harper for a while.”
“Well, she just gave me a heart attack, so tell me where she took my daughter.”
Her smile was starting to annoy him.
“If I understood her correctly, they’re in a tent they built under the deck.”
“Marlowe built a tent?”
“With Dulcie’s help, I think.”
He backed out of his parents’ suite and hurried toward the back of the house. Genevieve followed him from the room.
