Ten
Thursday
After a restless night worrying about the missing girl and Kane’s sudden departure, Jenna woke at five to the sound of his voice outside her bedroom door. It wasn’t unusual for him to let himself in after he’d finished tending the horses but as he hadn’t returned the previous evening to discuss the case, she was anxious to know if he was doing okay. She’d fended off questions about Kane’s sudden departure with Duke, telling white lies about Kane being concerned about Duke’s health and perhaps he’d gone to visit the vet. Albeit at ten at night. With Kane missing and everyone exhausted, she’d opened the door to the cottage for Carter and after making sure Jo was settled in her spare room had lain awake for hours. She scrambled from the bed and went to the door. She noticed Carter lingering in the hallway and looked at Kane. “Did you want to speak to me?”
“Nah, just letting you know, we’re heading to the gym.” Kane gave her a look that gave no clue to his absence and waved Carter away. “Go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.” He turned back to her. “You planning on a quick workout? You’ll have two partners this morning.”
“Forget that. What happened to you last night?” Jenna looked up at him. “I had to make out Duke was sick and you’d gone to see the vet.”
“I knew you’d think of something.” Kane narrowed his gaze. “I needed to speak to Wolfe.”
Bolstering her courage, Jenna dropped her voice to a whisper. “That was Annie in the photos, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Kane stared at his boots as if unable to face her. “That’s all I remember before I passed out. It was the last time I saw her.” He looked back up and she could see the torment in his eyes. “She was my soulmate, Jenna. It tore out my heart when she died.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “Wolfe told me they’d taken the bomber down and now I discover he’s still breathing.”
Feeling his pain, Jenna squeezed his rock-hard arm. “He won’t get away this time with the four of us chasing his tail. I want to get into the office as early as possible. I’ll need to make arrangements for Rowley to take over the day-to-day running of the place if we’re going to be helping Jo.” She stared at him. “Maybe you should skip your workout this morning?”
“I need to hit something, Jenna, and Carter won’t hold back.” Kane leaned one hand on the doorframe and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I hope you don’t try and play the conflict of interest card and pull me off the investigation.”
The thought had plagued Jenna all night. She sucked in a breath. “It’s the right thing to do. We have two main problems as I see it. The fire bomber and a missing girl. Perhaps you can take the lead in the missing girl case? The idea it’s been left to Sheriff Crenshaw is eating me up inside.”
Jenna took a few steps back at the expression on Kane’s face. His eyes flashed with anger so intense it startled her. When he stepped inside her room and closed the door behind him, she swallowed hard. “So that’s a ‘no’?”
“Jenna, I respect you but do you honestly think I’d trust Carter to find the man who murdered my wife?” Kane clenched and unclenched his fists. “I’m sorry but if you insist, I’ll disappear, and go so deep no one will ever find me but I can guarantee Annie’s killer will end up dead.”
Shocked by his threat to leave, Jenna blinked. “So, it was Carter who investigated your case?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out how he had access to the case files when they’re sealed. I went to see Wolfe and he confirmed it last night, but Carter doesn’t have names or know anything about me apart from the fact I was an agent. His main focus was on the DC bombings.” Kane paced up and down her room. “Obviously, from the new evidence, Carter took down an innocent man, although I’d have no problem killing a terrorist hell bent on blowing himself and others to kingdom come either.” He stopped pacing and took her by the shoulders. “This one is complicated. What was behind the first three attacks? Why the time lapse before starting again and why did he change his MO and take the girl? He has her for sure, she symbolizes something to him.”
Jenna looked into his eyes and nodded. “Yes, I’ve been worrying about her all night. There must be a connection between the cases apart from the detonator?”
“So, am I in?” Kane gave her a determined stare.
She sighed. “Okay, but we do this by the book.”
“Sure.” Kane’s expression hardened. “I’ll give him the same consideration he gave Annie.”
Jenna shook her head. He was like a timebomb waiting to explode. “You’ll have to curb that temper, if you’re planning on working with me, Dave. I understand your anger but you can’t allow it to overshadow your professionalism. You’re the ice-man and you need to fall back on your training or you’ll be no good to anyone, least of all me.” She lifted her chin. “One mistake in front of Jo or Carter and they’ll recognize an agent of your caliber. Think, Dave. If we catch him and it comes out you have a connection to Annie, it will never make it to court and he’ll walk.”
“I’m dead.” Kane dropped his hands from her shoulders. “Ghosts can’t investigate crimes, Jenna.” He turned and walked out the door.
After heading down to the gym and watching Kane and Carter fighting like two men trying to prove a point, Jenna decided against a morning workout and went to the kitchen to put on the coffee. The aroma of a brewing pot reached her from the hallway. She found Jo at the kitchen table, pouring over files. “Morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Jo looked up from the laptop. “I contacted the Louan sheriff for an update. He wasn’t too happy being called at five but I needed answers. There’s no sign of the girl but they’ll be out searching again at first light. Nothing from the BOLO or the media release. It looks like she didn’t escape or she’d have shown up by now. I’m convinced the bomber has her. She is now our priority. Find her and I figure we find the bomber.”
“Maybe but why take her? What’s his motive?”
“I’ll need more information, Jenna. I’m guessing right now.” Jo scrolled through the statements on her screen. “The autopsy results will give me a better idea. I need to know what happened before he set the bomb. Its family orientated at first sight.”
Jenna peered over Jo’s shoulder at the open files the Louan sheriff had sent. “If you think its family orientated, we’ll need to look closer at family members.”
She scanned the statements from witnesses to the explosion and from the three people who called it in. “We have more resources in my office and will be able to work better from there. I’ll start breakfast. If you can go and haul the guys from the gym, they’ll have time to shower.” She glanced at the clock. “I figure we’ll have some long days and nights ahead of us.”
“Sure.” Jo stood and stretched. “I’ll go and speak to the guys but you go and get dressed. I’ll start on breakfast and then we’ll all be ready to leave once we’ve eaten.” She met Jenna’s gaze. “Is everything okay with Kane?”