foolhardy idiocy concerning this woman appeared endless.
Again, he cleared his throat, which felt like he’d swallowed finely ground glass. “I’m going to go give Tick a call, let him know we arrived all right and everyone is okay.”
He escaped inside, nerves jittering the whole way, and retrieved his cell from the kitchen counter, where he’d plugged it in to charge earlier.
“Calvert.” Terse and distracted, Tick answered on the second ring.
“It’s Chris.” He closed the bedroom door behind him and dropped onto the narrow bed. “Thought you’d want to know everything is all right on this end.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Something in Tick’s tight voice raised the fine hairs along Chris’s nape.
He frowned. “What’s up?”
“The Feds lost Chason this morning. At least, that’s when they think they lost him.” Tick’s anger vibrated over the line. “And Mama’s missing.”
“What?” Chris swore and rubbed a hand over his jaw, stubble rough against his palm and fingers.
“Yeah, since sometime after eleven and we got nothing, except that it makes sense that Chason is involved.”
“Shit, Tick, I hate that.” Damned if Chris knew what else to say. Family held utmost importance in Tick Calvert’s life and his mother topped that list after his wife and son. “What do you want me to do? Tell Ruthie?”
“I don’t…” Tick exhaled, a rough, shaky breath. “Not yet. I don’t…I want to see if the son of a bitch tries to contact us. I don’t have a clue where he is or what he has planned, but Cait seems to think he’s trying to draw Ruthie out. If you tell her, she’s going to insist on coming back here and I don’t want her or the kids in further danger.”
“Yeah.” It didn’t feel right, though. Seemed like this was something Ruthie deserved to know. Seemed like any decisions made should have her say.
“Just hang tight and watch over them. I’ll call you.”
Hours later, his shoes and slacks damp almost to his knees from slogging through miles of riverfront underbrush, Harrell trudged toward his down-and-out room at the small hotel. With exhaustion and self-recriminations dogging him, he’d wanted to check in with Jennifer, see what she’d learned about Chason’s movements before he headed back out. Even though it neared midnight, the search continued in full force; the sheer numbers of volunteers spoke volumes about Lenora Calvert’s standing in the community. Probably Tick’s too, and his siblings. The local people wanted this mother and grandmother found, quickly.
A light rain pattered on the pavement and he shook off the drops that hit his hair. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow he shared in the responsibility for Lenora Calvert’s disappearance, for the ragged pain and fear so naked on Tick’s face. If he hadn’t screwed up, had realized Ruthie was preparing to run, maybe things would be different.
My God, it was Tessa Marlow all over again.
He shuddered and stopped on the sidewalk to pull his key card from his wallet. Clutching it, he eyed Jennifer’s room next door, her light burning through a thin space between the blinds. His intent had been to call from his room, but he found himself standing before her door instead, hand raised to knock.
The door swung inward, revealing Jennifer still fully dressed.
“Hi.” Her hazel gaze flicked over him, once more leaving the impression that she was pissed off at him. It made him nervous. Quietly angry wasn’t Jennifer’s style. He’d rather she just gave it to him with both barrels for whatever he’d done that afternoon. “Any luck?”
He shook his head and gestured at his feet. “Need to change my shoes, then I’m heading back out. What about you?”
“Tried to call your cell earlier.” Jennifer turned and walked back into the room. He followed, closing the door behind him. Her room was a mirrored twin to his—two queens, dresser, television, table, two chairs. Standard impersonal
Again, he cleared his throat, which felt like he’d swallowed finely ground glass. “I’m going to go give Tick a call, let him know we arrived all right and everyone is okay.”
He escaped inside, nerves jittering the whole way, and retrieved his cell from the kitchen counter, where he’d plugged it in to charge earlier.
“Calvert.” Terse and distracted, Tick answered on the second ring.
“It’s Chris.” He closed the bedroom door behind him and dropped onto the narrow bed. “Thought you’d want to know everything is all right on this end.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Something in Tick’s tight voice raised the fine hairs along Chris’s nape.
He frowned. “What’s up?”
“The Feds lost Chason this morning. At least, that’s when they think they lost him.” Tick’s anger vibrated over the line. “And Mama’s missing.”
“What?” Chris swore and rubbed a hand over his jaw, stubble rough against his palm and fingers.
“Yeah, since sometime after eleven and we got nothing, except that it makes sense that Chason is involved.”
“Shit, Tick, I hate that.” Damned if Chris knew what else to say. Family held utmost importance in Tick Calvert’s life and his mother topped that list after his wife and son. “What do you want me to do? Tell Ruthie?”
“I don’t…” Tick exhaled, a rough, shaky breath. “Not yet. I don’t…I want to see if the son of a bitch tries to contact us. I don’t have a clue where he is or what he has planned, but Cait seems to think he’s trying to draw Ruthie out. If you tell her, she’s going to insist on coming back here and I don’t want her or the kids in further danger.”
“Yeah.” It didn’t feel right, though. Seemed like this was something Ruthie deserved to know. Seemed like any decisions made should have her say.
“Just hang tight and watch over them. I’ll call you.”
Hours later, his shoes and slacks damp almost to his knees from slogging through miles of riverfront underbrush, Harrell trudged toward his down-and-out room at the small hotel. With exhaustion and self-recriminations dogging him, he’d wanted to check in with Jennifer, see what she’d learned about Chason’s movements before he headed back out. Even though it neared midnight, the search continued in full force; the sheer numbers of volunteers spoke volumes about Lenora Calvert’s standing in the community. Probably Tick’s too, and his siblings. The local people wanted this mother and grandmother found, quickly.
A light rain pattered on the pavement and he shook off the drops that hit his hair. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow he shared in the responsibility for Lenora Calvert’s disappearance, for the ragged pain and fear so naked on Tick’s face. If he hadn’t screwed up, had realized Ruthie was preparing to run, maybe things would be different.
My God, it was Tessa Marlow all over again.
He shuddered and stopped on the sidewalk to pull his key card from his wallet. Clutching it, he eyed Jennifer’s room next door, her light burning through a thin space between the blinds. His intent had been to call from his room, but he found himself standing before her door instead, hand raised to knock.
The door swung inward, revealing Jennifer still fully dressed.
“Hi.” Her hazel gaze flicked over him, once more leaving the impression that she was pissed off at him. It made him nervous. Quietly angry wasn’t Jennifer’s style. He’d rather she just gave it to him with both barrels for whatever he’d done that afternoon. “Any luck?”
He shook his head and gestured at his feet. “Need to change my shoes, then I’m heading back out. What about you?”
“Tried to call your cell earlier.” Jennifer turned and walked back into the room. He followed, closing the door behind him. Her room was a mirrored twin to his—two queens, dresser, television, table, two chairs. Standard impersonal
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