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My jaw clenched. “I did. I told you there were people he had bad blood with. I can’t help it if I forgot to say they were family. I’m a little fucking unstable right now.” I scooted to the edge of my chair, feeling so much rage that it was almost impossible to stay sitting. “You won’t even acknowledge that my sister is missing. Zain was screaming her name and telling me to find her for fuck’s sake. Why are you not looking?” I exploded.
“I have been looking,” he said, just as forcefully. “But if you gave me the correct information the first time, maybe I wouldn’t be on some witch hunt about a situation I know nothing about.”
The door creaked and I stood from the desk in Lily’s penthouse. My old desk, in my old office, to be precise.
Mary gave an apologetic look as she eased her head in.
“It’s okay. Come here, sweetheart. What’s the matter, you okay?” I held out my hand. As she swept in, I noticed she was carrying a tray.
“You haven’t eaten anything today and it’s already after lunch. I thought maybe Agent Sullivan would like something, too. I’m sorry if I’m interrupting.”
She placed the tray on the desk and I wrapped both arms around her shoulders, pulling her close. The scent of her hair had me breathing in deeply. For a moment, I was at peace.
“I can’t believe you’re worried about me when you’re the one who’s been so sick. I do love you. And thank you. I’ll eat, if it makes you feel any better.”
“It would.” She turned, smiling sadly down at Gaige. “I just wanted to thank you for helping us. I know you think Lily may have just run away, but I know my sister-in-law. She loves Slade too much to hurt him. She just wouldn’t do that, not for this long. If you could find any way to continue with her search, I’d be very thankful. I…” Her head lowered and she furiously wiped a tear away before it could stain her face. “I know how this may sound, but I’d like you to check out my sister and her husband. Bethany changed for the worse after our father was killed. Charles lost his job. They lost their house…everything. She blames me, Lily, and Slade.”
Gaige grabbed a sandwich, taking a bite. “And that’s who Lily accused of taking her the first time, am I correct?”
“Oh, they took her,” Mary rushed in. “If it wasn’t for lack of evidence, they’d be in jail right now.”
“And your sister told you this?”
“Yes,” Mary said, weakly. I knew when her eyes darted to mine that she wanted to tell the entire truth about what happened during her own abduction —an abduction I was responsible for. But the secrets we carried couldn’t be told. Luckily, I knew the incident she was about to speak of and was glad Bethany had stuck her foot in her mouth when she did.
“After the trial was over. We’ve only seen each other once since then and purely by accident, but she went off on some rampage about how we’d all pay. Said she should have killed Lily the first time.”
The agent took another bite, nodding seriously as he stared into the distance. There was a darkness that festered within him. I could see it, so close to the surface. “Well, I’ve already talked to Bethany and she even let me inside to check around their house. Nothing looked suspicious. She was very polite. If it’ll make you feel at ease, I’ll go by and check with her again. Maybe her husband will be home this time.”
“Thank you. That would be great. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll let you two get back to talking.”
I bent down and kissed Mary’s forehead before watching her walk to the door. As she stood there and stared at me, one of her eyebrows rose. My gaze lowered to the sandwiches and I picked one up, showing her, before bringing it to my mouth to take a bite. Only then did she turn to leave.
“Sweet wife you have there. Reminds me a lot of my own. She’d have done something like that. Although, my Elle can’t cook. Sandwiches, soup, and freezer meals she can do.”
I laughed, unable to help it. “Sounds like Mary. It’s the thought that counts, right?”
“Absolutely,” Gaige agreed. “So…she’s sick?”
I finished up the little triangular shaped sandwich and picked up another. “Pregnant. Right at nine weeks. The morning sickness is really taking its toll.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. But, congratulations. I have a son. My wife had morning sickness pretty badly, too. What are you wanting, boy or girl?”
“Boy,” I rushed out, a little too quickly. I frowned. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d be just as excited for a girl, but a boy would be so much easier. These women will make me gray before my time. I feel so damn old already.”
A loud chuckle echoed throughout the space. “I know what you mean. More than you know.” Gaige leaned forward, taking another, and stood. “Listen, Mr. Roberts. I’m going to be blunt because I feel there’s really no other way.”
As he stood there, waiting for me to approve, I grabbed for my glass of Scotch. “Please do.”
“I’m supposed to keep an open mind and look at the evidence, but I believe your sister was taken. There’s no proof and Mr. Cook isn’t speaking yet. Sure, I can continue to look into what we have, but due to my position with the department, there are boundaries I can’t cross. No one legally can. However, you don’t mark me as a man who really cares for the law.”
Slowly, I shifted, wondering if this was some sort of setup. But, could it be? Marcio told me he trusted his sources, therefore trusted this man. Could I?
“I’ll do anything to get my sister back.” I left it at that, letting him decide if he wanted to continue or not. To say I wasn’t interested would be a lie. All I wanted to do was beg and tell him I was willing to do anything to get Lily back. Anything.
Gaige finished off his sandwich and walked over, picking up his glass and downing it in one drink. “There’s talk amongst the agents I work with. There’s a man who specializes in your sort of situation. I’ve never met him personally, but I know people who have. He’s not one to mess with. He takes his job very seriously and from what I’ve heard, I believe he’s probably the only one who can save your sister.”
My head shook. “What does that have to do with laws?”
