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“I’m starving.” And exhausted.
In the house, she sensed warmth and love as she watched Terra interact with her grandfather and brother, Owen, as well as Erin and her mother, Celia. Soon Jack and Nathan joined them. Mackenzie felt out of place and awkward. What was she even doing here?
They all had each other. Cared deeply for each other.
The family she never had.
She hoped for something like that with Nora in the future. Jealousy sliced through her, but she pushed it away. She couldn’t stay in the past and mourn all that she had lost. She could, however, forge a new future with her sister. She would just have to work through what came next. She knew there would be more questions.
She’d settled onto the sofa, thinking she should return to her cabin. But it would be lonely without Alex, and really, she didn’t need him to protect her anymore. So she didn’t need to stay. She clearly hadn’t been thinking right. She twisted and secured a pillow so she was lying on her side.
Whispered voices drew her attention, but she remained still. Did they think she was asleep?
“Where is Alex?” Terra whispered. “Does he know she’s waiting?”
She didn’t hear the whispered reply. Was Alex avoiding her? She felt foolish for waiting here for him, but exhaustion overtook her before she had the presence of mind to leave.
Someone shook her, and she startled awake. Erin stood over her. Behind her, Nathan.
“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep.”
“Someone is at the door for you,” Erin said softly.
“What? Who?”
Erin kept her eyes on Mackenzie as if to bolster her. “Someone official.”
“Oh, great. Probably more questions.” Or ... someone to arrest her? She’d supposedly been cleared, at least for the moment. Light spilled through the windows. “What time is it?”
“It’s nine in the morning. You slept through the night on the sofa. We didn’t want to disturb you.”
And no Alex. Disappointment raked over her.
Erin brushed her bangs down a little, then smiled. “You look fine.”
If you say so.
Mackenzie plodded down the hallway to the door, leaving Erin and Nathan standing in the kitchen watching. Mackenzie opened the door, hoping that by some chance it was Alex who was standing on the other side.
But a man in a business suit stood on the porch. She didn’t recognize him.
“Can I help you?”
“Miss Hanson, my name is Mike Powers. I’m with the DSS, Diplomatic Security Services. I understand that we talked to you three years ago.”
Strange. “That’s right.”
“We’re interested in talking to you again about a position with our organization.”
“You must know about my background. That’s why you didn’t hire me before.”
“We now feel we could use you. We’re an elite organization, and we’re interested in hiring the best. I want to warn you that others will be knocking on your door as well—though maybe not literally, like I am right now. We’re in a time where we need the best cybersecurity experts we can get.” He handed her his business card. “I’m in cybersecurity investigations, as they pertain to international terrorism, and part of a joint terrorism task force operation investigating and searching for the cybercriminal you took down. I was called to the area yesterday as part of the task force—but things obviously escalated before we took action. While I was here, I wanted to meet you in person and give you my card. I just missed you at the county offices. I hope you’ll call me and we can schedule a time for you to come to DC for an interview.”
She stared at his card. “How did you find me?”
She glanced up at him and read his expression. Oh. He had his ways. She wouldn’t press. But maybe Alex had told him. She bit back the need to ask this perfect stranger if he knew what happened to Alex Knight. “I’ll think about it and give you a call.”
“I hope you do. I look forward to seeing you again.” He turned and walked away to a rental vehicle parked behind a county sheriff’s department vehicle.
She glanced at her cell and saw a text from Alex. It had come through sometime late in the night. Finally. But ... just a text?
I’m in the middle of crazy. I had to take the red-eye and fly back to DC for debriefing. I will call you later.
So, obviously he wouldn’t be coming to the cabin because he wasn’t even in town. Had he left without even gathering his things at the cabin? Maybe he hadn’t had time to face her or say goodbye. Or maybe he hadn’t wanted to say it. Could he have gone to the cabin expecting to find her, hoping to find her, while she was at the main house snoring away? Whatever had happened, they really were like the proverbial two ships passing in the night.
She’d come to the ranch expecting that he would meet her here. That he wanted to see her as badly as she wanted to see him. Maybe he did. He had put his career on the line for her, and she wouldn’t forget it. But maybe he would quickly forget her now that he had returned to his job.
Whatever the outcome, she knew what to do next.
