Gone

  His mouth tightened. “Today. I know. Word travels in Farley.”

  His warm tone when he’d asked about Beth was gone. His voice was now cold, and Clare’s stomach fluttered. “My plane leaves at four.”

  “Have a safe trip home.”

  Clare shifted her weight on the crutch. “I called Cohen. He told me that you’d spoken with him on my behalf.”

  “You’re a good cop, Clare. I didn’t tell him anything that wasn’t true. I take it he gave you the okay to resume your field post?”

  She nodded. “He did, but I asked for a leave of absence instead. I need some time.”

  “That son of a bitch Lowney.” A muscle pulsed in Jake’s jaw. “I’d like to drown him.”

  Clare would not be forgetting that horrific experience soon. “How’s it going tracking down the other women on the tapes?”

  “Tapes date back fifteen years. We’ve matched a couple of the women with missing persons reports that were filed. We’ll be trying to find bodies next. Lowney suggested to you that he’d buried the women in the woods, but there’s a lot of ground to cover.” Jake released a frustrated breath. “We’ll see.”

  They would also see about Rich Dannon. He had been cleared of the murders, but not the assault against Clare.

  “Beth is filing for divorce,” Clare said. “She’s been opening up about what her life has been like with Ryder. Physical and psychological abuse.” Clare shook her head. “He was controlling her life. He’d forced her to work at Connie’s so he would know where she was all day. Beth is terrified of him. She was afraid to accept Parker Burby’s help the time he’d walked in on one of Ryder’s beatings. She was afraid that Ryder would harm Patty and Parker. I’m going to make sure Ryder doesn’t hurt Beth or their child.”

  “Going to be tough to do that, living in New York.” Jake’s cold tone was back. He wiped his hands with a rag laying across the top of the ladder, then when he’d finished flung it back.

  “I’m going to New York to pack up my apartment and then I’m coming back here. I made an appointment with Dr. Amedes.”

  Jake’s gaze on her sharpened.

  Clare drew a breath that came a little hard due to the tightness in her chest. “I thought when I found Beth, my life would be complete. But it isn’t. Something is still missing. You, Jake. What’s missing is you. I don’t know if forever is possible, but I want to find out. If you still want that.” She took a chance. “If you still want me.”

  Jake descended the ladder slowly and went to stand in front of her. Clare’s heart drummed, waiting for him to speak.

  He reached out and framed her face between his palms, drying the tears trickling down her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I met you. Do you remember when that was?”

  “Training session. We were paired off.” Clare’s lips quirked. “I kicked your ass.”

  Jake smiled. His eyes glinted as he teased. “Since you’re a girl, I held back.”

  Clare laughed. “Those are fighting words, Sutton. Rematch. Take your best shot now.”

  Jake pressed his lips to hers.

  Clare wound her arms around his neck, holding him as if her life depended on it, and kissed him back.

  About the Author

  Karen Fenech is the author of romantic suspense novels Betrayal and Unholy Angels. She lives with her husband and daughter. Visit Karen’s website at www.karenfenech.com.