Chapter Twenty-One

"How did your meeting go?" Marlie asked.

"Fine." He turned onto the winding road that would take them back through Morrison.

That was it? Fine? Something was bothering him, and she wanted to help. Going back to helping people was something she wanted. Needed .

It was nearly eight o'clock. Between the moonless night and the tall conifers, the road was dark, forcing him to slow into the first turn.

Other than "fine," he hadn't said a word since they'd left Tori and Deck's house, and he was wound tighter than a yo-yo. They'd never discussed seeing each other when this was over, but was this what it was like every time he worked a case? All gloom and doom? The very things she was trying to distance herself from, now that she was on the emotional mend. "Didn't you and Brett go to the airport to interview someone?"

"Yeah. We did." He shoved a hand through his hair. She could almost hear the gears turning in his head, and she knew him well enough already that if there was enough light to see his face, his jaw would be clenched, a slight crease over the bridge of his nose.

"I wasn't trying to pry," she said, "but as Noah's guardian, I need to know how the case is going. I'm only asking because I have to get him enrolled in school this week. I can't put it off, and I need to get my truck, so I can get him to school and back."

He flipped the rearview mirror. "Your truck stands out too much. You can take my personal vehicle."

"When can we go get Caleb?" Noah asked from the back seat.

Evan glanced in the rearview mirror, hesitating a moment before responding, "Soon." A noncommittal answer that told her he didn't know and didn't want to lie about it.

He parked in the garage and shut off the engine. Marlie got out, then grabbed the satchel Tori had given her and draped the garment bag containing her dress over her arm.

As Evan opened the rear door, headlights lit up the garage. Blue leaped out and raced into the driveway, barking and growling.

"Move!" Evan ushered her and Noah to the hood of the SUV. "Get down, and stay down!" He pushed back his jacket and pulled out his gun.

Alarm bells rang in her head louder than a playground full of five-year-olds. She dropped the satchel and garment bag on the floor and grabbed Noah's arm, pulling him down next to her.

"Why did Evan take out his gun?" Noah whispered.

"I don't know." She tightened her grip on his arm. Had Frank Manello or those people from the camp figured out Noah was here?

Blue had stopped barking. Voices drifted into the garage. Calm voices. Familiar voices . Hesitantly, she poked her head around the bumper and looked into the driveway. Headlights blinded her, and she couldn't see a thing.

"Marlie, is that you?"

Elsa Wilson?

"It's okay," Evan called out. The barest hint of annoyance laced his tone.

Marlie breathed a sigh of relief. She thought she'd recognized the Wilsons' voices. "C'mon." She tugged Noah to his feet, shielding her eyes as they went into the driveway.

Evan had holstered his gun, but the irritation in his voice might as well have been written on his forehead. Clearly, he wasn't thrilled at the Wilsons being there. Blue now sat calmly at his side.

"Hello, Elsa. Neil," Marlie said, barely catching the warning look Evan slanted her in the darkness. The fact she and Noah were with him this late implied a certain something he probably didn't want his parents' friends to know about.

"I thought that was you," Elsa said. Beside her, Neil held a box. "We were in the neighborhood, and we know how busy you both must be, so we thought we'd drop off the Foundation papers for you to look at."

"Thank you," Marlie said. "That's very thoughtful of you."

"And if you and Evan would like a little alone-time tonight," Elsa added, grinning, "we'd be happy to take Noah out for chocolate cake at that cute little café in town. Would you like that, Noah?"

"Yeah, thanks." Noah nodded enthusiastically. Chocolate, baseball, and computers were the way to his heart.

"Not tonight," Evan said.

"It's a little late," Marlie said. They'd both spoken at the same time. "Noah has school tomorrow, but thank you for the offer."

"Oh, c'mon, Marlie," Noah whined.

Evan shook his head. "No, she's right. It's a school night, and it's way too late. Another time, though."

"Don't worry." Elsa smiled as she squeezed Noah's shoulder. "We'll call later in the week for a chocolate cake raincheck."

"Okay." Noah's lips twisted into a disappointed frown.

"Well, at least take this." Neil handed Evan the box, turning back to Marlie. "We'd be honored if you joined us at the Foundation. With your background, you could really do some good there with the kids."

"I look forward to speaking with you about that." Not that she was ready to go back to work as a psychologist full-time. Volunteering for a few hours a week was the safest way to see if she could handle it again.

"Wonderful, dear." Elsa clapped her hands together.

"We should be getting inside." Evan gave Marlie a meaningful look. "Thanks for bringing this over."

After they'd said their goodbyes and the Wilsons had driven off, Evan hefted the box on his shoulder and ushered them into the garage. Marlie bent to collect the bags she'd dropped, hoping the dress hadn't gotten wrinkled.

Evan entered the security code on the keypad and pushed open the door. Blue bounded in first, trotting into the kitchen to lap water. Evan flipped on the lights, locking the door behind them. The gentle hum from the garage door closing filtered into the living room.

"Noah, you should get ready for bed." Marlie set the satchel and garment bag on a chair. "We need to get you to school by eight."

"Okay." He tucked his tablet under his arm and headed downstairs.

"That was nice of the Wilsons to bring over those papers. Wasn't it?" she tacked on, still sensing annoyance in the stiffness of his shoulders.

"It's late." He set the box on the kitchen counter and slipped off his jacket. "They should have called first."

"You're not happy about them seeing me and Noah at your house, are you?" But was that for safety reasons or something else?

"The fewer people who know where Noah is, the better." He pointed to the box. "You should take them up on their offer. You were born to work with kids."

In her heart, she knew that was true. It was her calling, not working in her father's garage. Even her family had seen it, so when she'd left to go to college for a psych degree, they'd understood.

She looked inside the box. There were more brochures, a thick photo album, and a stack of application forms. After all the excitement today, she was too exhausted to look at anything. Tomorrow, she would.

It was time.

…

Evan hadn't told Marlie he knew who was responsible for Gracie's disappearance. The only people he'd had the chance to tell were Brett and his boss. With this new development, he'd fully expected Brian to take him off the case and was grateful he hadn't.

In the two hours since interviewing the Constantinos, they'd tried pinging Manello's phone with no success. Bastard must have turned it off. Brett had stopped by Manello's mother's house. She hadn't heard from her son in over two months. With no other leads to follow up on, the entire investigation was in a holding pattern until his boss secured a chopper.

Blue sat in front of the window, staring into the backyard at the waterfall where night lights illuminated the cascading water.

"What aren't you telling me?" Marlie asked. "And don't say nothing. I'm a shrink, remember? I can see into your brain and read your thoughts."

God, he hoped not. All he was thinking about was pounding his fist into Manello's face. The flyover was key. All it would take was for Noah to ID the camp from aerial photos. Then again, aerial photos could pose a problem. The kid was perceptive, but things would look different from the air. No matter what it took, he had to get onto that property, and he had to do it fast. Before the camp closed up shop.

"I was kidding about the mind-reading thing." Marlie rubbed her hand up and down his arm. "But if you want to talk…"

He did but couldn't. That promise he'd made not to keep anything from her weighed heavier every day. Didn't matter that Brian had told him to keep his personal connection to the case a secret. By not telling her, he was betraying a confidence with someone he not only respected but cared about. And lying my ass off .

Her hair curled in delicate waves around her face. Blue shadow around her eyes made them seem two shades bluer. Deep pink lipstick made her lips even more kissable. "You look beautiful." Whatever magic Tori and Gemma had worked he heartily approved of.

"Thank you." She smiled up at him. "I was beginning to think you didn't notice my hair and makeup."

"I noticed." He had but was too keyed-up to focus on much else. Marlie was a beautiful woman inside and out. Tori and Gemma were helping with the exterior. Marlie was finding her own inner beauty again. He saw it. Now she needed to fully see it, too.

He stroked the backs of his knuckles down her cheek, loving the softness of her skin and wanting to carry her into his bedroom again. But how could he even think about a relationship before finding the answers he sought?

The parts of his brain that had been splitting in two were now at full-on war, the need to find his sister versus the personal desires he'd cast aside his entire life to focus solely on finding her. Right now, personal need won out.

The attraction he had to Marlie was powerful and new to him. At first, he'd thought it was due to all the heightened emotions surrounding them. When he'd invited her and Noah to the wedding, he knew it was so much more. Slowly, he bent his head to kiss her glossy pink lips.

A growl rumbled in the back of Blue's throat. He'd padded to the back door, still focusing on something outside, but now his head was lowered, the hair on his spine standing on end.

Evan flipped off the inside lights. "Easy, boy." He rested his hand on Blue's head, feeling the tension quivering in his dog's body. "What do you see?"

Then he saw it. Movement . Behind the waterfall.

Someone was out there, and it wasn't an animal.

"Stay here," he ordered Marlie, then quietly unlocked the door and drew his Glock.

Blue bounded outside. His dog disappeared behind the waterfall and began barking.

Evan raced across the grass, adrenaline spiking his blood and pushing him faster. At the edge of the waterfall, he aimed in. In the shadows, a man cowered.

"Police! Don't move!" He slid his finger to the trigger. Whoever this person was, Evan didn't care. If they were after Noah, he was one trigger pull away from making them regret it. Permanently.

"Don't shoot!" Something fell to the ground. The man's voice was familiar.

Blue continued growling, keeping the guy cornered.

"Walk toward me." Still aiming at the man's chest, Evan backed up. "Into the light."

"Evan, it's Eduardo!"

It was his neighbor. Evan sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly while he reined in the hefty dose of adrenaline gushing through his veins. He holstered his Glock. "What are you doing back here? Do you know how close I came to shooting you?"

"I came to get Beulah's Frisbee." He pointed behind him to the back of the waterfall. "We were playing with it today, and it went over the fence."

"So you decided to come get it in the middle of the night?" He couldn't shake the feeling his neighbor was feeding him a line of shit.

Yesterday, Noah had been staring at Eduardo, who'd been wearing a red shirt at the time and generally looked similar to John.

There was barely enough light to see, but there on the ground, behind the waterfall, was a yellow Frisbee. He picked it up and handed it to Eduardo.

"Hey, I'm sorry, man." Eduardo reeked of pot. "Most of your lights were off, so I figured you weren't home, and I could just slip in and grab the Frisbee without bothering you."

Christ, he really had come close to shooting his neighbor. "Give Beulah my regards."

Eduardo hustled to the property line, glancing over his shoulder as he went, like he thought Evan might drill him in the back. Finally, he hopped the fence.

Had he really just been getting the Frisbee? Or was he here for another reason?

Evan stood outside a moment longer, letting the cold air soothe the anger still simmering inside him. Blue took care of business on a ball of tumbleweed that had blown into the yard. He could just make out Marlie watching from the living room. He waited for Eduardo's back door to slam shut before going inside.

"What happened out there?" she asked, her expression worried.

"Nothing," he lied. "Everything's fine. It was just my neighbor getting his dog's Frisbee." He left out the part about nearly blasting Eduardo full of lead.

He grabbed the bottle of bourbon from a shelf, poured two fingers and tossed it back. He sat heavily on the sofa. As if sensing the tension, Blue rested his head on Evan's leg. He sifted his fingers through the thick hair, allowing his dog's healing properties to work in tandem with the whiskey.

"Care to share?" Marlie sat beside him. "I really don't like being kept in the dark."

Yeah, well…she had no idea just how much he was keeping her in the dark. "It's better if you don't know all the details." Definitely better for him. If she knew all those missing kids weren't the only driving force behind this case, she'd think he was only doing it for personal reasons. In a sense, she'd be right.

"Let me help you. You're wound too tight. Whatever's happening with this case is dragging you down with it. Please . Talk to me."

"I can't." As much as he wanted to. He appreciated her kindness, her gentleness, but he had nothing permanent to offer her. Spilling his guts again would only imply that he did. What she needed and deserved were things like love and stability, but his life was anything but stable at the moment. The way things were going, that wasn't about to change.

The closer he got to the truth of what had happened to Gracie, the more he felt like a powder keg ready to explode. Tonight, he nearly had. If he didn't find a way to defuse the ticking bomb in his head, it might very well go off.