Read Online Bringing Benjy Home (Security Ops) by Kylie Brant - Free Book Online

lay at Trey’s door.
    She looked in the mirror. She usually didn’t bother with much makeup, finding the results garish with her unusual coloring. But today she’d used some concealer and a small amount of eye shadow. The concealer was to disguise the shadows beneath her eyes, attesting to the fact that she’d gotten much less than the twelve hours’ sleep she preferred after one of her sessions. And the eye shadow was . . . well, because she needed every hint of fortitude she could muster to take on the man in the other room. To that end she’d put on her favorite outfit and a little highlighter. Somehow she knew her efforts would be woefully inadequate.
    She returned to the living room, placing her bag near the couch and the plate on the table. A moment later a prickle ran down her spine. Even as she slowly straightened, she knew whom she would see when she turned around.
    “Lauren is awake.” Trey’s voice was peremptory. “Do you want to join us in the kitchen?” She didn’t even try to hide her irritation with him, he noted. She swept by him regally, leaving in her path the scent of perfume and shampoo. His nostrils flared in immediate masculine appreciation.
    In the kitchen, Mac lounged against the counter, his arms crossed around the front of his wife’s waist, holding her against him. Lauren already had a cup of coffee sitting in front of Jaida, and they sat next to each other at the table. Trey stood facing them, his countenance grim. “After you lay down last night,” he told Lauren, “Jaida gave us some information that helped lead us to a motel she claims Benjy was at.”
    Jaida wondered if she was the only person in the room to hear the note of derision in Trey’s voice as he imparted this information.
    Lauren gave a little gasp, her hand rising to her lips. She spoke not a word, but the hope on her face was easy to read.
    Trey’s voice softened a little as he addressed his sister. “The state police were alerted, and they’ve searched the motel. There’s no evidence he was there.”
    “Have they questioned everybody?” Lauren demanded desperately. “Surely someone saw him.”
    “The desk clerks have been questioned and they couldn’t recall anyone traveling with a small child matching Benjy’s description. Although,” he added almost reluctantly, “they wouldn’t necessarily have seen him. The rooms are accessed from doors that open onto the parking lot.” That was as much of the conversation as he was willing to share with his sister. The night clerk had received a call complaining about a crying child, but he wasn’t about to lay that one on Lauren.
    “You have to go there, Trey,” Lauren said firmly, meeting her brother’s startled gaze. “I won’t be convinced unless you check this out yourself. No one can get information from people the way you can.”
    His mouth flattened. “Honey, it’s pointless. I told you, Benjy isn’t there.”
    “But he might have been.” Lauren’s eyes were bright, determined. “And if he was you may be able to figure out where he was taken.” Her gaze slipped to the woman beside her. “If you take Jaida with you.”
    Jaida’s heart sank immediately at the words. Although she was committed to helping this family, the thought of additional travel with Trey was decidedly unappealing.
    “You’ll go, won’t you, Jaida?” Lauren pleaded. “Maybe you’ll know more when you actually see the spot where Benjy was.”
    Jaida could feel the force of Trey’s gaze, and it was an effort to keep her eyes on Lauren. She was all too aware of what she would see in his eyes at any rate. “Yes,” she responded quietly, surely. “I’ll know more then.”
    Trey focused on the tremulous smile his sister aimed at Jaida and his face went still. Despite everything that had happened to Lauren in her life, she continued to be as trusting a person as he’d ever met. He’d wondered about that sometimes, how the events of their early lives could have had