Understood by Maya Banks Page B

they’d learned that Ellie had gone to the police and basically been ignored.
    It wasn’t long after they’d learned the truth that the cop who had handled Ellie’s complaint had left. Jake was certain Wes and Jeremy had a lot to do with that.
    A few minutes later, he pulled into Ellie’s driveway only to see her car gone. He frowned. They’d made plans to have lunch together. Maybe she was out on a quick errand. He hoped like hell she hadn’t seen the story.
    He got out and walked in to see if she’d left him a note. He didn’t find one on the coffee table or the kitchen table. When he stuck his head in the bedroom, he knew without a doubt she’d seen the show. Shards of glass littered the floor and the TV screen was completely busted out.
    He swore viciously even as fear clutched at his chest. Where had she gone? Why hadn’t she called him? He could only imagine how upset she was.
    A dull ache invaded his temples. Did she not trust him enough to run to him? Or was she too busy running away ?
    He hurried back out to his truck and climbed in. He picked up his phone and punched in Luke’s number.
    “Ellie saw it. No doubt in my mind,” he said when Luke picked up.
    He quickly explained the scene in her bedroom and that her car was gone.
    Luke swore. “I haven’t seen her, but I’ll be on the lookout.”
    “If you see her, make her stay put. Then call me.”
    “I will. Want me to call Jeremy and Wes and have them be on the lookout as well?”
    “I just spoke to Wes so I’ll call him. You call Jeremy.”
    They rang off and Jake immediately placed a call to Wes.
    “Did you get the story from Luke?” Jake asked as his way of greeting when Wes answered.
    “Yeah, man, that sucks.”
    “Ellie saw it. And she’s upset. I don’t know where she’s gone but I’m looking now. Do me a favor. If you see her, make sure she stays put until I get there.”
    “Will do,” Wes said. “I can have the other on-duty guys keep an eye out as well. If she’s out driving around, someone will see her.”
    Jake thanked him and hung up. He backed out of Ellie’s driveway and put his brain to work figuring out where the hell she would have gone.

Chapter Nine
    It was the last place Jake had thought to look, but in retrospect, he supposed it made the most sense. It was where it had all started.
    He looked up into the bleachers of the high school football stadium to where Ellie sat staring out over the field. Where she’d watched him and Ray play as teenagers.
    She hadn’t seen him yet. Her attention was focused on some distant object, or maybe she wasn’t seeing anything at all.
    He started up the steps. When he reached the bleacher she was sitting on, he sat down beside her. He reached over to take her hand but didn’t speak. He wasn’t sure what to say anyway.
    Tiny quakes emanated from her. Her hand trembled in his. A ragged sigh tore from her lips. It was a sound that ripped his heart right open. He knew she was battling to keep it together.
    “Why?” she whispered. “ Why ?”
    She broke off and turned her head away from him. But not before he saw her tears.
    “I’ve never understood why,” she said brokenly. “I was faithful. I loved him. I supported him. Why did he despise me so much? Why now, when he’s been out of my life for two years, does he feel the need to destroy me?”
    Jake wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. He cupped her cheek in his hand and bent to kiss the top of her head.
    “He’s a bastard, Ellie. You’re better than him. You’ve always been better, and he knows that. It eats at him. The only way he can feel better about the things he’s done is by tearing you down.”
    Her body shook with her muffled sobs. Jake held on to her, not knowing what he could say or do to ease her pain. This helplessness scared him. He could feel her slipping away, back to the shell of a woman who’d barely existed after the divorce. He wouldn’t lose her to that woman.

    Ellie buried