Rocky's voice was stressed. “I don’t know what’s going on right now, but you need to get in here and explain what happened at the safe house.
“I know. I just need to get some answers first. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She didn't wait for Rocky to argue, just disconnected the call.
“Okay, pull over.”
“Laney, we need to head out of town.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me exactly what is going on.”
Jake glanced over at her. "I think the attack in your house this morning has something to do with my brother. He's gone missing. And I'll be happy to tell you all about it, but first we need to get out of Dodge."
"I'm going to need a little more information than that."
He gripped the steering wheel.
Laney knew he was probably trying to figure out if he could toss her in the plane “You try and caveman me into that plane and I swear to God, I’ll make you a eunuch.”
He barked out a laugh. “I don’t doubt you’ll try. Okay, five minutes, but then we’re out of here.” He put on his indicator and moved into the exit lane.
She nodded, her fingers crossed behind her back. “Absolutely.”
CHAPTER 17
Jake pulled into the parking lot of a fast food joint just past the exit, off the highway. At the drive-thru, he got them both some coffee.
He glanced over at Laney. She was still shaking, both hands curled around her coffee cup. For a woman who’d just survived two attacks in less than twelve hours, she was holding up amazingly well. Hell, she was holding up phenomenally well. Although her small size and pale skin gave the appearance of fragility, she was obviously a lot tougher than she looked.
She gestured towards her coffee. “Thanks for this and the rescue." She expelled a long, shaky breath. “This is not my usual day. Is it yours?”
“Will it freak you out if I say yes?”
A small grin appeared on her face. “I think it might actually make me feel better.”
Jake couldn’t help but contrast their lives. From the dossier Henry had rustled up, he knew she was highly educated with a warm, secure, predictable world. He’d gotten his GED when he was seventeen and barely knew what country he’d be in week to week. She eyed him over the rim of her cup. “Let me guess. SEALS?”
He inclined his head. “Got it in one. I left them three years ago and started with Chandler.”
“Must keep you busy.”
He looked away, his tone lower as his thoughts returned to Tom. “Yeah, too busy.”
Jake wrestled with the guilt eating away at him. Maybe if he’d stayed in touch with Tom or at least called him when he got out, none of this would be happening.
“Jake?” Laney asked, pulling his eyes back to her. He was startled again by how incredibly green they were. They seemed almost unreal. “You want to tell me about your brother?”
A memory of Tom flashed through his mind. They’d been walking down the street hand in hand to get an ice cream. Tom couldn't have been more than eight and he’d chattered the whole way, debating what flavor of ice cream to get. Because back then, ice cream was his most pressing concern.
“Tom’s my foster brother. I went to live with him and his grandmother when I was fourteen. But I’ve known them since I was a little kid. Tom got mixed up in gangs after I joined the Navy and did time for a B&E that went bad. He got out four months ago. He was doing good - job, girlfriend, church group. But three days ago, he disappeared.”
Jake could see the calculation in Laney's eyes. He could practically hear her doubts. And hell, it wasn't like he didn't have some. But he knew Tom hadn’t skipped. He had to believe in that.
He ran his hands through his hair. “Look, I know. He’s a parolee. Going missing is not exactly unheard of. But Tom didn’t do that. He had support, a job, a relationship. He wouldn’t just toss that all aside.”
“Okay. But even so, I’m not sure how I can help. Why would you need a criminologist?”
Jake smiled. “Well, it’s not your criminology skills I’m looking for. We’ve found a connection between Tom’s disappearance and an archaeologist named Arthur Priddle.”
Laney jolted at the name. “Priddle?”
He nodded. “We also know his partner, Drew Masters, sent you a file you shortly before his death.”
Laney paled at the mention of Drew’s name. He could practically see the sadness spread over her. They hadn’t been just colleagues. She cared about him.
Oh, I am a jackass, he thought as he watched her try to hide her reaction from him. Her face had become a mask, but she couldn’t hide the subtle tremor in her hands. They’d been involved. The feeling of disappointment caught him by surprise.