AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes. Fine.” She forced a smile. “I’m just exhausted from skiing. An afternoon nap sounds fabulous.”
The skin on the back of Mason’s neck still prickled with unease. Something was wrong. He caught Sergeant Mueller’s eye and tilted his head. The man nodded and moved slowly through the restaurant toward the bathroom. Private Silva eased closer to their table.
“What is he doing?” Sarah’s voice pitched up, her gaze following Mueller.
“Did someone come after you?” Mason asked in a low tone.
“Sarah!” Kiera stared at her friend. “What happened?”
“N-no, nothing like that.”
Mason’s uneasiness increased. Was she lying to him?
Sarah focused on Kiera. “It’s Drake,” she whispered.
Who was Drake?
Kiera clasped her friend’s hands. “Is he all right?”
“He’s … missing. My parents are beside themselves. The police think he ran away, but you know Drake.” Sarah shook her head, her dark eyes bright with moisture.
Kiera pulled her into a hug. “Drake’s a great kid. He would never run away.”
“I know.” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Kiera held her closer. “Drake is Sarah’s eighteen-year-old brother. He’s a senior in high school,” she said quietly to Mason and Josiah.
They both nodded.
“Can we please go back to the house?” Sarah asked. “I want to be somewhere private to talk to my family.”
“Of course.” Mason gestured to his men.
Mueller approached and gave him a slight shake of the head. Nothing amiss near the restrooms. Sarah was obviously upset because her brother was missing.
Then why did Mason feel like something else was wrong?
The server walked up with their bill. Mason glanced at it, pulled out his wallet, and placed two hundred euros in the bill holder. “Please keep the change,” he said to the waiter, ushering Kiera and Sarah away from the table.
“Danke,” the man said.
Mason nodded and his men closed ranks as they hurried out of the restaurant and into the bright, chilly day. Something was off; he could sense it. He couldn’t see anything amiss, or anybody who looked to be paying them special attention or had nefarious intentions.
They made it back to the house with no incidents, but Mason felt uneasy the entire drive. Someone was watching them. Was it the stalker or something to do with Sarah’s news of her brother disappearing? He couldn’t imagine Sarah’s brother had anything to do with his impression that danger was lurking nearby.
As soon as his men cleared the house, Mason ushered the women into the main living area. He felt much better not being exposed. The windows were floor- to three-story ceiling, but the drop-off was thousands of feet and there was no sniper hide site within range.
Josiah stayed close by but said little. His concern for Sarah was clear.
“Sarah.” Kiera sat next to her friend on the couch. “What can we do?”
Mason was worried for Sarah and her brother. Yet, there was another threat in the air. He couldn’t put his finger on it, and that bothered him immensely. He also couldn’t forget that Kiera had a possible head injury and needed to take it easy.
“I don’t know,” Sarah said. “He’s eighteen, so the police say they can’t do anything until he’s been gone twenty-four hours, or a ransom note or some sign of foul play appears.”
Sarah shifted uneasily in her seat, staring at Kiera. She looked uncomfortable and worried and almost frantic. Mason couldn’t blame her. If one of his siblings had disappeared as a teenager and the police’s hands were tied until some proof or a time limit, he’d be a mess too. Mason wanted to help brainstorm practical ideas that would help, but he was too focused on the current threat.
“Let’s pray,” Kiera suggested. Her suggestion was another confirmation that she was exactly the woman he’d been searching for.
