screamed his name, his failure at catching up to them, and watching her drive off to God knows where.
What little sleep he did manage was interrupted by the nightmare—loud bangs, bright flashes, and a pain in his hand which had him waking with a scream in his throat.
Yeah, fuck that shit. He’d rather stay up all night.
Jordan’s thoughts turned back to Mia, but he refused to think about the last time he’d seen her. Instead, he focused on her laugh, her sexy ass as she bent over, and her scent.
Yeah, Jordan didn’t know exactly what it was about this that had him turned inside out, but he had to find her alive. He’d never lost a person under his command, a major feat for someone who’d seen as much action as he had, but he’d be damned if he started now. Granted, she wasn’t under his command, but she was his. She’d never agreed to it, but that was only because he hadn’t declared himself to her yet. He hadn’t had the time.
When it was polite, Jordan left Evan’s guest room and ambled down to the kitchen to make some coffee. Except it was going to take an engineering degree to figure out this coffee pot.
After his third failed attempt and his muttered curses as he mopped up yet another batch of water off the floor and countertop, a muffled giggle sounded behind him.
“It took Evan a couple of tries to figure it out, too, but once he did, he swears there’s not a better cup of joe.” Paige stood a few paces back, decked out in running gear.
“I don’t care how good it is, I just need some caffeine. I was about to start chewing on the beans.” Jordan was clenching his fist, still hurting, and Paige looked at it, then dropped her eyes. He ignored the pain, relegating it to the back part of his brain.
A few efficient moves, and Paige held out his cup of heaven. “Thanks.”
“Couldn’t sleep?”
Jordan shrugged, not willing to admit weakness. “Early riser.”
“Evan told me what you guys are doing.” She was speaking over her own cup of steamy coffee, and Jordan wished he’d been paying better attention. He might want another and still had no idea how to make it happen. “You guys are good people. I’ve known Evan was good for years, and you are also good by default, just because you came from the same mama.”
Jordan snorted at the idea. “You’ve met Mom?”
Paige’s smile was dazzling, and Jordan suddenly understood why Evan loved her so much. “You are fighting a good fight. You’ll find her alive. I know this.” She put her hand on her chest. “In here.” She was still smiling at him, and as much as Jordan wanted to believe her, he was hesitant.
Even if he found her alive, would she be alright? What did this guy have in store for her?
As soon as it was daylight, Jordan and Ryan went to the place where the van was dumped and found a homeless man who’d seen the switch and could ID Mia from Jordan’s photo on his phone.
He came out of a hole in the wall of one of the warehouses in the area, curious when they’d pulled up. When they asked him about the truck and showed him the artist’s sketch and Mia’s picture, he said, “Yeah, he was here last night.” The man paused a bit and said, “He was out here with another woman about a month ago. She called him Mikey and was begging him not to do it.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you go to the cops then?” Ryan growled at the man.
They guy shrugged. “Cops don’t listen to people like me.” Jordan got a good look at the man. He definitely smelled homeless, although surprisingly, the alcohol stench that permeated most of the vagabonds in the area didn’t ooze from this one. With a full, dirty beard, Jordan could imagine him cleaned up and shaved, and the image wasn’t too distasteful. He was a young man, and a pang of regret for missed opportunities for this guy hit him in the gut.
Wait. Jordan looked at Ryan. “A month ago? You sure?”
“Yeah, man. I may be homeless, but I can tell time.” The man
What little sleep he did manage was interrupted by the nightmare—loud bangs, bright flashes, and a pain in his hand which had him waking with a scream in his throat.
Yeah, fuck that shit. He’d rather stay up all night.
Jordan’s thoughts turned back to Mia, but he refused to think about the last time he’d seen her. Instead, he focused on her laugh, her sexy ass as she bent over, and her scent.
Yeah, Jordan didn’t know exactly what it was about this that had him turned inside out, but he had to find her alive. He’d never lost a person under his command, a major feat for someone who’d seen as much action as he had, but he’d be damned if he started now. Granted, she wasn’t under his command, but she was his. She’d never agreed to it, but that was only because he hadn’t declared himself to her yet. He hadn’t had the time.
When it was polite, Jordan left Evan’s guest room and ambled down to the kitchen to make some coffee. Except it was going to take an engineering degree to figure out this coffee pot.
After his third failed attempt and his muttered curses as he mopped up yet another batch of water off the floor and countertop, a muffled giggle sounded behind him.
“It took Evan a couple of tries to figure it out, too, but once he did, he swears there’s not a better cup of joe.” Paige stood a few paces back, decked out in running gear.
“I don’t care how good it is, I just need some caffeine. I was about to start chewing on the beans.” Jordan was clenching his fist, still hurting, and Paige looked at it, then dropped her eyes. He ignored the pain, relegating it to the back part of his brain.
A few efficient moves, and Paige held out his cup of heaven. “Thanks.”
“Couldn’t sleep?”
Jordan shrugged, not willing to admit weakness. “Early riser.”
“Evan told me what you guys are doing.” She was speaking over her own cup of steamy coffee, and Jordan wished he’d been paying better attention. He might want another and still had no idea how to make it happen. “You guys are good people. I’ve known Evan was good for years, and you are also good by default, just because you came from the same mama.”
Jordan snorted at the idea. “You’ve met Mom?”
Paige’s smile was dazzling, and Jordan suddenly understood why Evan loved her so much. “You are fighting a good fight. You’ll find her alive. I know this.” She put her hand on her chest. “In here.” She was still smiling at him, and as much as Jordan wanted to believe her, he was hesitant.
Even if he found her alive, would she be alright? What did this guy have in store for her?
As soon as it was daylight, Jordan and Ryan went to the place where the van was dumped and found a homeless man who’d seen the switch and could ID Mia from Jordan’s photo on his phone.
He came out of a hole in the wall of one of the warehouses in the area, curious when they’d pulled up. When they asked him about the truck and showed him the artist’s sketch and Mia’s picture, he said, “Yeah, he was here last night.” The man paused a bit and said, “He was out here with another woman about a month ago. She called him Mikey and was begging him not to do it.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you go to the cops then?” Ryan growled at the man.
They guy shrugged. “Cops don’t listen to people like me.” Jordan got a good look at the man. He definitely smelled homeless, although surprisingly, the alcohol stench that permeated most of the vagabonds in the area didn’t ooze from this one. With a full, dirty beard, Jordan could imagine him cleaned up and shaved, and the image wasn’t too distasteful. He was a young man, and a pang of regret for missed opportunities for this guy hit him in the gut.
Wait. Jordan looked at Ryan. “A month ago? You sure?”
“Yeah, man. I may be homeless, but I can tell time.” The man
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