Read Online Head Start (Cedar Tree #7) by Freya Barker - Free Book Online
Authors: Freya Barker
Ads: Link
on—the one I wasn’t able to talk about? I’m still technically not able to talk about it but I’m gonna.” Just like that, I’ve made up my mind to tell her enough to take this seriously.
She pushes back from my side and turns to look at me. “Am I going to freak out?”
“Possibly.” I chuckle at her attempt to look threatening before I turn serious again. “Remember I told you it might not be a good idea to go on dates with guys you meet on the Internet?” At her affirming nod, I continue, making sure I have her settled back under my arm. “I had good reason. Remember Damian Gomez? He’s the FBI agent who’s been involved in some of our cases in the past. He asked GFI for help on a case. A number of women have been reported missing from La Plata County over the past few months. There may be even more disappearances that are connected across state borders. Last week three of the women were found near Durango, deceased.” I feel Kendra stiffen under my touch, but she doesn’t say anything. “From information we got on the latest victim, there might be a link to dating sites. It’s possible the singles scene is what’s being used to connect with these women.” Before I have a chance to hold her back, Kendra is off the swing and pacing up and down the porch, pulling the elastic from her hair and running her hands through the loose strands. Seeing her this flustered, I decide I’ve told her enough. No need to get into details that might keep her awake at night.
“No way. No fucking way. Son of a fucknugget .” She is mumbling under her breath, obviously agitated. On her next pass, I manage to snag her wrist and pull her back down beside me.
“Relax,” I try, but her head snaps around and her eyes shoot sparks.
“Relax? Don’t tell me to relax—I have to call my sister. She’s got profiles up on more than one site.” Her gaze meets mine and something in my eyes must alarm her. “That’s why you warned me yesterday. You think...is he...?”
“He’s likely just a legitimate asshole.” I tell her the same thing I told Mal. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, but let’s not take any chances. I’ll make sure a note is added to our file, and in the meantime, we’re going to have to let Gomez know about the website. We’ll leave it to the FBI to decide what to do with the information. And like I said earlier, you need to let me know should the guy try to contact you again.”
“Ahhhh, I can’t believe this is happening,” she moans with her face in her hands. “It’s embarrassing enough, you finding out I’d resorted to dating sites, but now everyone’s gonna know.”
I grab her by the shoulders and lightly shake her. “Knock it off. No one’s gonna care. Everyone’s much more concerned about stopping whoever is taking these women.” That quiets her down.
“You’re right,” she whispers, her fingers pressed against her lips. “I wasn’t thinking.”
The moment I see tears forming in her eyes, I stand up, taking her with me, and walk us inside. In the kitchen, I reach for a towel and wet it under the tap. Tears are now rolling freely down her face, and I quietly wipe them away, waiting for her to compose herself. I think things may have just gotten a bit too real.
“Better?” I ask as the flow of tears seems to slow down. She’s not looking at me but gives me a sharp nod in response.
“I’m an idiot,” she mumbles against my chest when I pull her in my arms. For once, she doesn’t resist me.
“You’re not an idiot. This is not a normal situation.” I notice with great satisfaction when she slips her arms around my waist, fisting the shirt on my back. “We may well be over vigilant, but better safe than sorry. And even contemplating the possibility of something like this touching your life is a shock to the system. Most of us don’t ever have to deal with ugly realities like this in our lives.”
“How did you get so wise?” she asks,
She pushes back from my side and turns to look at me. “Am I going to freak out?”
“Possibly.” I chuckle at her attempt to look threatening before I turn serious again. “Remember I told you it might not be a good idea to go on dates with guys you meet on the Internet?” At her affirming nod, I continue, making sure I have her settled back under my arm. “I had good reason. Remember Damian Gomez? He’s the FBI agent who’s been involved in some of our cases in the past. He asked GFI for help on a case. A number of women have been reported missing from La Plata County over the past few months. There may be even more disappearances that are connected across state borders. Last week three of the women were found near Durango, deceased.” I feel Kendra stiffen under my touch, but she doesn’t say anything. “From information we got on the latest victim, there might be a link to dating sites. It’s possible the singles scene is what’s being used to connect with these women.” Before I have a chance to hold her back, Kendra is off the swing and pacing up and down the porch, pulling the elastic from her hair and running her hands through the loose strands. Seeing her this flustered, I decide I’ve told her enough. No need to get into details that might keep her awake at night.
“No way. No fucking way. Son of a fucknugget .” She is mumbling under her breath, obviously agitated. On her next pass, I manage to snag her wrist and pull her back down beside me.
“Relax,” I try, but her head snaps around and her eyes shoot sparks.
“Relax? Don’t tell me to relax—I have to call my sister. She’s got profiles up on more than one site.” Her gaze meets mine and something in my eyes must alarm her. “That’s why you warned me yesterday. You think...is he...?”
“He’s likely just a legitimate asshole.” I tell her the same thing I told Mal. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, but let’s not take any chances. I’ll make sure a note is added to our file, and in the meantime, we’re going to have to let Gomez know about the website. We’ll leave it to the FBI to decide what to do with the information. And like I said earlier, you need to let me know should the guy try to contact you again.”
“Ahhhh, I can’t believe this is happening,” she moans with her face in her hands. “It’s embarrassing enough, you finding out I’d resorted to dating sites, but now everyone’s gonna know.”
I grab her by the shoulders and lightly shake her. “Knock it off. No one’s gonna care. Everyone’s much more concerned about stopping whoever is taking these women.” That quiets her down.
“You’re right,” she whispers, her fingers pressed against her lips. “I wasn’t thinking.”
The moment I see tears forming in her eyes, I stand up, taking her with me, and walk us inside. In the kitchen, I reach for a towel and wet it under the tap. Tears are now rolling freely down her face, and I quietly wipe them away, waiting for her to compose herself. I think things may have just gotten a bit too real.
“Better?” I ask as the flow of tears seems to slow down. She’s not looking at me but gives me a sharp nod in response.
“I’m an idiot,” she mumbles against my chest when I pull her in my arms. For once, she doesn’t resist me.
“You’re not an idiot. This is not a normal situation.” I notice with great satisfaction when she slips her arms around my waist, fisting the shirt on my back. “We may well be over vigilant, but better safe than sorry. And even contemplating the possibility of something like this touching your life is a shock to the system. Most of us don’t ever have to deal with ugly realities like this in our lives.”
“How did you get so wise?” she asks,
Similar Books
