AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Standing in her bedroom, I ran my hand over my head. “There’s nothing here, brother. Nothing she brought with her for the weekend is in this house.”
“I’ll call Kyle,” he stated. “Stay there in case she comes home, and I’ll call you back.”
He didn’t say goodbye before hanging up, but I still knew he had. Shoving my phone back into my pocket, I started down the stairs just as the doorbell rang. Confused, I crossed the living room, pulled open the door, and came face-to-face with Rachel.
“Is her stuff here?”
“No.” I backed up, and she walked inside before I closed the door behind her and flipped the lock. I could tell from the look on her face that she needed to do something, and I understood that better than anyone. “But why don’t you look around? You know her shit better than I do.”
She nodded and started through the house, but she wasn’t going to find what she was looking for. Jane was a creature of habit. It didn’t take long for me to pick up on that, so I had no doubt that Rachel was aware of the same things. Every time I saw Jane, she had her purse and phone, and her shoes were by the door if she was home.
Rachel wasn’t gone long before she ran back down the stairs and pointed at the door. “Let’s go.”
My eyebrows drew together. “Where?”
“We’re going to find her.”
“You got any ideas where to look?”
“No,” she replied, and her eyes filled with tears. “But I can’t just sit here while something bad could be happening to her.”
I didn’t even have to think about it before I started toward the door. “Let’s drive back the way she would’ve come home.”
She nodded and ran her thumb below her eyes. “That’s a good idea.”
I yanked open the door. “We’ll take your car.”
She handed me her keys when she passed. “I don’t think I should drive.”
I wrapped my hand around her arm. “We’re gonna find her.”
“We have to.” She swallowed back her threatening tears and pointed at a BMW parked along the road. “That’s my car.”
Jogging down the stairs, we both got in, and I started the engine, not surprised that Rachel drove a car like this. It was a car that said to anyone paying attention that the driver had money and enjoyed all the luxuries that offered, but she also craved more. She wanted the power and speed this kind of car provided, but I wondered if she ever dared to test those capabilities.
We’d only just started back toward New Hope when she spoke. “She doesn’t deserve it.”
My eyebrows drew together, and I glanced at Rachel before facing the road again. “What do you mean?”
“Any of it.” She huffed. “All of it.” She sniffed. “She doesn’t understand. She doesn’t know how to play the game so she doesn’t get hurt.” I glanced at her again, but she was still staring out the side window. “I told her that, but I shouldn’t have. She was already upset. I should’ve been more supportive.” She sniffed again, and I saw her lift her fingers to her face. I imagined she was wiping away tears. “I just couldn’t watch her cry over one more person disappointing her when I always knew…”
When she trailed off, I pushed her to finish. “Knew what?”
“That you would,” she replied quietly.
I didn’t have an answer for her, not an honest one. I couldn’t deny what she was saying because it was the truth.
I never wanted to be another person in Jane’s life who let her down.
But that was exactly who I was.
22
TANK
I shovedopen the door to the conference room where I knew the officers were meeting and stepped inside. Everyone except Bear was sitting at the table, and their eyes were on me while I made my way to the seat next to Race.
“You look like hell.” Ritz leaned forward and met my stare. “You sleep at all?”
