sure.” Relief flooded her face and she slumped her tense shoulders. She stared at her uncle until Max gave a slight shake of his head. Jack wanted to growl. What were they hiding?
“We found London’s car at the Rendezvous Hotel. It was covered in snow, which seems to suggest it sat there since last week’s blizzard.” He stared pointedly at Laurel, reminding her of their encounter out on the highway east of town.
“Pearl, who runs the hotel, told my deputy that the owner of the Impala had checked in the week before and paid two weeks cash for a room. When he didn’t show up to gather his things, she called it in.”
Max rubbed his jaw and looked lost without the offensive pipe. He sighed with regret and settled for his teacup, swinging one leg up to rest an ankle on his knee before meeting Jack’s gaze. “And what, pray tell, does this have to do with me and the wee lass?”
If they were playing crib the old man just placed him in check.
Jack almost grinned. If the matter weren’t so grave, he’d be enjoying this match of wits. Unfortunately, it was serious, possibly dead serious.
“Well, sir, since your daughter—who I believe is currently spending time in a Miami hospital due to a severe beating—lives with the missing person, I figured he might have traveled here to… visit you and your charming niece.”
Checkmate.
* * *
O h , my God, oh, my God, oh, my God. He knows everything.
They were going to jail. And he’d probably throw away the key. Laurel’s stomach twisted up so tight a marine couldn’t have undone the knots. It was like that time she got food poisoning from eating seafood. Her head pounded as though an entire marching band had taken up residence and her skin felt clammy and yet sweaty at the same time.
This is bad. Sooo bad.
The only chance they had was to come clean. Tell the whole sad story and pray for forgiveness. Any dreams she might have been imagining of her and Jack in a romantic relationship went swirling down the drain.
“We know him,” she muttered, “unfortunately.”
Max coughed and glared at her before hurrying to correct her words. “What Laurel means, sheriff, is that she and my daughter’s… ah, friend, don’t always see eye to eye.” He took out his napkin and swiped under his eyes, seemingly defeated, though Laurel knew better. “You have a wee daughter, don’t you, Jack? You must know what it’s like having to bite your tongue when she makes mistakes. It’s tough being the only parent to any child, but especially a young lady. We want to do right by them and let them live their lives, but protect them from the world at the same time.”
He shrugged and took a delicate sip of his tea. The cup rattled against the saucer and he hurried to set it back down.
Even though she knew he was playing the sympathy card, Laurel stretched over the footstool and wrapped her arms around her uncle’s neck in a sympathetic hug. She squeezed her eyes closed on the tears and swallowed hard. Max was the only father she really remembered. He’d taken both her and Gabe under his wing and treated them as his own right from the start. And he’d always supported her decisions, whether he agreed with them or not. The least she could do is stand by him now.
She kissed the grizzled cheek so close to her own and leaned back to smile reassuringly into his red-rimmed eyes.
“My uncle is right, Jack. I’m not a huge fan of Bethany’s choice in men and I’m afraid I was rather vocal on the subject. But I can’t see Joe London driving all this way to try and change my mind.” An involuntary shiver slithered down her back at the thought of running into Joe on her own. She didn’t know what he was up to—other than embezzlement—but it was strange that he would abandon his car.
Unless…
No, what was she thinking? Her uncle would never do anyone bodily harm. Would he?
12
T he next morning dawned crisp and clear, a dazzling winter’s day. The Cascade Mountains
“We found London’s car at the Rendezvous Hotel. It was covered in snow, which seems to suggest it sat there since last week’s blizzard.” He stared pointedly at Laurel, reminding her of their encounter out on the highway east of town.
“Pearl, who runs the hotel, told my deputy that the owner of the Impala had checked in the week before and paid two weeks cash for a room. When he didn’t show up to gather his things, she called it in.”
Max rubbed his jaw and looked lost without the offensive pipe. He sighed with regret and settled for his teacup, swinging one leg up to rest an ankle on his knee before meeting Jack’s gaze. “And what, pray tell, does this have to do with me and the wee lass?”
If they were playing crib the old man just placed him in check.
Jack almost grinned. If the matter weren’t so grave, he’d be enjoying this match of wits. Unfortunately, it was serious, possibly dead serious.
“Well, sir, since your daughter—who I believe is currently spending time in a Miami hospital due to a severe beating—lives with the missing person, I figured he might have traveled here to… visit you and your charming niece.”
Checkmate.
* * *
O h , my God, oh, my God, oh, my God. He knows everything.
They were going to jail. And he’d probably throw away the key. Laurel’s stomach twisted up so tight a marine couldn’t have undone the knots. It was like that time she got food poisoning from eating seafood. Her head pounded as though an entire marching band had taken up residence and her skin felt clammy and yet sweaty at the same time.
This is bad. Sooo bad.
The only chance they had was to come clean. Tell the whole sad story and pray for forgiveness. Any dreams she might have been imagining of her and Jack in a romantic relationship went swirling down the drain.
“We know him,” she muttered, “unfortunately.”
Max coughed and glared at her before hurrying to correct her words. “What Laurel means, sheriff, is that she and my daughter’s… ah, friend, don’t always see eye to eye.” He took out his napkin and swiped under his eyes, seemingly defeated, though Laurel knew better. “You have a wee daughter, don’t you, Jack? You must know what it’s like having to bite your tongue when she makes mistakes. It’s tough being the only parent to any child, but especially a young lady. We want to do right by them and let them live their lives, but protect them from the world at the same time.”
He shrugged and took a delicate sip of his tea. The cup rattled against the saucer and he hurried to set it back down.
Even though she knew he was playing the sympathy card, Laurel stretched over the footstool and wrapped her arms around her uncle’s neck in a sympathetic hug. She squeezed her eyes closed on the tears and swallowed hard. Max was the only father she really remembered. He’d taken both her and Gabe under his wing and treated them as his own right from the start. And he’d always supported her decisions, whether he agreed with them or not. The least she could do is stand by him now.
She kissed the grizzled cheek so close to her own and leaned back to smile reassuringly into his red-rimmed eyes.
“My uncle is right, Jack. I’m not a huge fan of Bethany’s choice in men and I’m afraid I was rather vocal on the subject. But I can’t see Joe London driving all this way to try and change my mind.” An involuntary shiver slithered down her back at the thought of running into Joe on her own. She didn’t know what he was up to—other than embezzlement—but it was strange that he would abandon his car.
Unless…
No, what was she thinking? Her uncle would never do anyone bodily harm. Would he?
12
T he next morning dawned crisp and clear, a dazzling winter’s day. The Cascade Mountains
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