Read Online Easy Prey (Love-Inspired Suspense) by Lisa Phillips - Free Book Online Page A

all this, he could be in danger also.”
    Jonah agreed with Parker’s assessment. “You and Ames take the vet. Hanning, go meet up with Shelder and cover Elise. I’m going to head in to the office after I coordinate with local police on their investigation into Colombes’s death. They need to know what we suspect happened. I’ll work on locating Fix Tanner.”
    There wasn’t anyone else connected with the zoo who was still around. And yet someone was trying to bury information—and people. Who was so intent on keeping their secret that they blew up the zoo office and then tried to shoot Elise in broad daylight? Sniper training and the ability to kill with a single, accurate shot.
    Was there anyone previously associated with the zoo who hunted or was ex-military?
    Jonah spoke with the cops working the scene and then excused himself. As he was walking out, his phone rang.
    “Yeah, Mom?”
    “You’re busy.” Bernadette Rivers had always had perfect diction. She’d despaired over her sons’ rambunctious behavior, and hadn’t particularly approved of either of them going into the military. That was his father’s influence, encouraging them to do something honorable that challenged them and at the same time meant they gained self-respect. Too bad he never got to see them do it, as he’d died when Jonah was in high school.
    “It’s fine.” He walked out of the house, down the street to his car.
    “Uh...I heard about Elise.”
    The statement was telling in itself, given the fact his mom never hesitated about anything. “I know you’ve heard that she’s back in town.”
    “How is she?”
    There was no surprise over Elise’s return, only concern? His mom had never once thought to keep her opinion of Elise to herself.
    “She was freaked out, last time I saw her.” He’d seen that wide-eyed stare of Elise’s many times, when her mom went on one of her drinking binges. He didn’t like it now any more than he had then.
    “Maybe I should come by, bring a casserole or something. She’s staying with you, right?”
    His mother wanted to bring Elise a casserole?
    “I know you probably want to meet Nathan. He’s a great kid, Mom, but he’s probably also overwhelmed. They’ve been here less than two days and already his mom’s almost been killed twice.” The teenager seemed to be handling it well enough, but was he going to share with Jonah if he wasn’t? “You should probably wait a few days, give Elise some time to settle and find her feet.” To heal.
    Dom had already spent time with her. So why did Jonah feel the need to keep her to himself for the time being? Elise needed to be the one to decide if she even wanted to see Jonah’s mom or not. They’d never gotten along—the debutante and the girl from the trailer—both with a chip on their shoulder. It didn’t get better after Elise had married Martin. Jonah’s brother hadn’t worried over the tension between his wife and mother; he’d simply left them to figure out their differences.
    Now was apparently a different story. For some reason—he was guessing Nathan had a lot to do with it—his mom wanted to make amends.
    Bernadette Rivers sighed. “If you think that’s best, I’ll abide by your wishes.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Dom said she didn’t look too good. You’re probably right.”
    His mom usually wouldn’t have taken someone else’s feelings into account. She’d been different lately, and it wasn’t just since she’d married Dom. She was softer now. He liked the change, even while he didn’t really understand what had happened to her.
    “What’s up with you lately, Mom?”
    He heard a sound, like a gasp. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask, honey. Can I tell you? Is that okay?”
    “Sure, Mom. Tell me.”
    “I’m so happy you’ve noticed. That’s what I wanted. Not just to make this decision and then tell everyone before I knew what it meant, or how to really live it. I’ve been born again, Jonah. Like your father