Read Online Slow Burn: A Texas Heat Novel by Octavia McKenzie - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Octavia McKenzie
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nodded miserably.
Years on the police force, Donavan saw his share of monsters that hurt children. The thought of Harper having someone in her life who could do something like that pained him beyond bearing.
“How old was she?”
“Five or six.”
Donavan cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“You were too busy fighting.”
“You think the bastard tracked her down after all these years?”
Emerson shuddered. “I hope not, but who else would do this?”
Donavan unfolded his tall, muscular body and rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Find her. The words were left unspoken. Emerson understood. She took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Go help our girl.” He nodded and left.
Chapter 13
Donavan had to rein in the savage fury beating a path to his brain. Bruises? First he tried her cell. It went straight to voice mail. He texted. No answer. He headed to the fire station first. The chief told him no, he hadn’t seen Harper for a few days, not since she applied for a leave of absence.
“She’s never taken a day off in two years,” Donavan said through his teeth, “When did she request this time off?”
The chief’s eyebrows furrowed. “Couple of days ago.”
“Did she seem okay?”
The chief rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Grant is tough as nails.”
“What exactly did she say?”
“Chief I need a few weeks-”
“Weeks?!” Donavan shouted, “That didn’t seem strange to you?”
The chief shrugged his shoulders. “It’s none of my business, she’s a good egg.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No”
Donavan’s jaw clenched. “Did she leave with anyone?”
The Fire Chief pursed his lips. “What’s it to you?”
Donavan gave the chief an artic look that made the older man take a step back. He held up his hands in surrender. “Oookay, no she came, made her request without explanation and left alone.”
“On the off chance, did she hurt her back at work?”
The fire chief looked puzzled. “Not to my knowledge.”
Donavan stalked out. Next he drove to the library. He reached Sawyer’s office in two strides. He didn’t bother knocking. “Where is she?”
“Well hello to you too.”
Sawyer put some rare first edition books aside.
“Have you heard from Harper?”
Sawyer folded her arms tight. She glared at him. “The time to call would’ve been two weeks ago,” Sawyer said with righteous indignation. “How could you treat her like one of your blow up Barbies?”
Donavan flushed. He wasn’t proud of the way he treated Harper. He hated hurting her. “Sawyer, I don’t have time for chit chat, where is Harper?”
“Since when do you care?”
“I’ve always cared and you damn well know it, for God’s sake woman, where is she?”
Sawyer glared at him. She shrugged. “She sent me a text.”
“May I?”
Sawyer reluctantly handed over her phone.
Hey girl, I’m going out of town for a while for some much needed R&R. I’ll send you postcards. I’m praying for your dad. Love you, H
“That’s it?” Donavan asked.
“Yes,” Sawyer mumbled.
“You have no idea where?”
“As if I’d tell you.”
“Sawyer!”
Maybe he sounded desperate. Her face softened. “I really don’t know.”
“Did she go out of town alone?”
“Of course! She’s not some ho like the ones you date.”
“Did she hurt her back or something?”
“No, but she talked about getting a tattoo on her back.”
Was that the so called bruise Andy saw? Some of the tension drained from his body.
“If you hear from her again, please let me know, okay?”
Sawyer nodded.
Donavan tapped the steering wheel. His instincts told him that something was off. He was about to try Harper’s parents when his phone dinged. He had a text.
Donavan, I reconnected with a sweet guy from college. I was too infatuated with you back then to be with anyone else but now I’m ready to move on as you have. We’re going on an adventure tour across Europe for a few
Years on the police force, Donavan saw his share of monsters that hurt children. The thought of Harper having someone in her life who could do something like that pained him beyond bearing.
“How old was she?”
“Five or six.”
Donavan cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“You were too busy fighting.”
“You think the bastard tracked her down after all these years?”
Emerson shuddered. “I hope not, but who else would do this?”
Donavan unfolded his tall, muscular body and rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Find her. The words were left unspoken. Emerson understood. She took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Go help our girl.” He nodded and left.
Chapter 13
Donavan had to rein in the savage fury beating a path to his brain. Bruises? First he tried her cell. It went straight to voice mail. He texted. No answer. He headed to the fire station first. The chief told him no, he hadn’t seen Harper for a few days, not since she applied for a leave of absence.
“She’s never taken a day off in two years,” Donavan said through his teeth, “When did she request this time off?”
The chief’s eyebrows furrowed. “Couple of days ago.”
“Did she seem okay?”
The chief rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Grant is tough as nails.”
“What exactly did she say?”
“Chief I need a few weeks-”
“Weeks?!” Donavan shouted, “That didn’t seem strange to you?”
The chief shrugged his shoulders. “It’s none of my business, she’s a good egg.”
“Did she say where she was going?”
“No”
Donavan’s jaw clenched. “Did she leave with anyone?”
The Fire Chief pursed his lips. “What’s it to you?”
Donavan gave the chief an artic look that made the older man take a step back. He held up his hands in surrender. “Oookay, no she came, made her request without explanation and left alone.”
“On the off chance, did she hurt her back at work?”
The fire chief looked puzzled. “Not to my knowledge.”
Donavan stalked out. Next he drove to the library. He reached Sawyer’s office in two strides. He didn’t bother knocking. “Where is she?”
“Well hello to you too.”
Sawyer put some rare first edition books aside.
“Have you heard from Harper?”
Sawyer folded her arms tight. She glared at him. “The time to call would’ve been two weeks ago,” Sawyer said with righteous indignation. “How could you treat her like one of your blow up Barbies?”
Donavan flushed. He wasn’t proud of the way he treated Harper. He hated hurting her. “Sawyer, I don’t have time for chit chat, where is Harper?”
“Since when do you care?”
“I’ve always cared and you damn well know it, for God’s sake woman, where is she?”
Sawyer glared at him. She shrugged. “She sent me a text.”
“May I?”
Sawyer reluctantly handed over her phone.
Hey girl, I’m going out of town for a while for some much needed R&R. I’ll send you postcards. I’m praying for your dad. Love you, H
“That’s it?” Donavan asked.
“Yes,” Sawyer mumbled.
“You have no idea where?”
“As if I’d tell you.”
“Sawyer!”
Maybe he sounded desperate. Her face softened. “I really don’t know.”
“Did she go out of town alone?”
“Of course! She’s not some ho like the ones you date.”
“Did she hurt her back or something?”
“No, but she talked about getting a tattoo on her back.”
Was that the so called bruise Andy saw? Some of the tension drained from his body.
“If you hear from her again, please let me know, okay?”
Sawyer nodded.
Donavan tapped the steering wheel. His instincts told him that something was off. He was about to try Harper’s parents when his phone dinged. He had a text.
Donavan, I reconnected with a sweet guy from college. I was too infatuated with you back then to be with anyone else but now I’m ready to move on as you have. We’re going on an adventure tour across Europe for a few
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