THE MISSING (L.A.P.D. Special Investigations Book 4)

by Linda Style

  Except for the loneliness. And right this minute, loneliness threatened to consume her

  But going back home wasn’t an option.

  CHAPTER THREE

  LUKE FINGERED THROUGH the magazines piled in the corner of the living room. Funny. He didn’t remember his father being much of a reader. Probably why Luke wasn’t. That and the fact that he never had time. When he was off duty the last thing he wanted was to read about more crime and world problems.

  Most of Abe’s magazines were about ranching, except for one called The Achilles’ Heel. Recognizing the name of the national magazine, Luke was surprised that Abe even had a copy. Hell, he had a whole stack of them. Luke picked one up and flipped a page. Most of the titles had a liberal slant, taking jabs at anything and everything that might be fair game.

  Odd, because Abe was the biggest redneck around. Flipping another page, he saw Julianna’s name listed on the masthead as a regular columnist. Ah, now it made sense.

  He’d heard Julianna was doing well, but since she’d moved to San Francisco after the divorce, that’s all he knew. Reading her brief bio, his chest swelled in a moment of pride over her success.

  A twinge in his chest reminded him of what he already knew. He missed what they’d had before everything went haywire. He missed having a family to come home to.

  He dropped the magazine back in the pile. What they’d had was long gone. Julianna had made that crystal-clear the day she walked out on him, saying the only way she could find herself was to start a new life.

  Instead of staying to work things out, she’d run away. He’d been willing, but she hadn’t.

  He clenched his jaws. His stomach knotted every time he thought about it. No, he didn’t need reminders, and as soon as he got his father straightened up, he was outta there.

  “Better come and get it if you want to eat,” his father said as he passed Luke on his way to the kitchen.

  Luke followed Abe, watching the uneven gait in his step, saw the gray in his thinning hair. When had his father gotten so old, so frail? “When was the last time you saw a doctor, Pops?”

  “Don’t need no doctor. I’m not sick.”

  They walked into the kitchen together. The aroma of sizzling bacon and fresh coffee made his mouth water. Julianna had set the table and was dishing up the eggs.

  “Everyone needs a checkup at least once a year. Especially someone with high blood pressure.”

  “I go when I’m sick. And it’s nobody’s business when I go and when I don’t.”

  Luke walked over to the counter, refilled his coffee cup, and then raised the pot to the others. Julianna said while sitting, “Yes, please,” and his father, already seated, grunted his response. When Luke finished pouring, he put the pot on a trivet on the table and sat.

  No one said a word and, as the moments passed, he could almost feel the tension pressing in around him, so thick you couldn’t cut it with a sharp fillet knife. Damn, he was more uncomfortable sitting here with his father and Julianna than when he’d had to model for the police calendar.

  But his discomfort didn’t keep him from noticing how little Julianna had changed in the last five years. She was still slim and toned, and her flawless skin looked even more perfect framed by long, wavy chestnut hair. Silky hair that always fell in his face when she was on top. “You still jog?”

  She nodded. Looked at Abe. “Luke’s right, Pops. You really should get a checkup. Everyone needs to do that once in a while.”

  Luke grinned at his dad, and then Julianna, glad she supported him on that.

  Ignoring both of them, Abe mumbled around a mouthful of eggs, “If you’re going to fix the fence with me you better eat and quit talking.”

  Wow. That sounded almost as if his old man was asking for Luke’s help, something he’d never done before. Usually, whenever Luke had offered in the past, he got shot down. Maybe there was hope for them yet. “Sure. I’m only going to be here until tomorrow, so we should get as much done today as we can.”

  Abe’s head jerked up. “If that’s all the time you got, then we might as well forget it. It’s a two-day job at best.”

  Fighting another smile, Luke nodded. “We’ll see.” His old man was a master in the art of manipulation. “I’ll stay until it’s done. If it’s done today, I’ll leave in the morning. If it takes another day, I’ll go home after that.”

  But he was going to do everything he could to finish in one day. Besides needing to get back to L.A., he needed to focus on the life he had, not the one he’d lost.

  “Fine. Getting the fence fixed is all I care about.”

  Julianna gently touched Abe’s arm. “Luke will help and it’ll get done,” she said, always the calm one. She’d been good at calming the waters whenever he and Abe had had differences, and God knew, those were many. With her mediating skills, she should’ve been a diplomat.

  “Got a big case to get back to?” She turned to Luke.

  He chewed his mouthful of toast and finished with a sip of coffee. “Always.”

  “I heard more on the news about Congressman Thorpe’s aide, that more information had come to light, and Thorpe didn’t seem happy about it. Is he a person of interest?”

  “He’s more than interesting to me. The guy’s a weasel who thinks he can use his political influence to derail the investigation.”

  “That’s why you’re going back?”

  “That and a serial killer on the loose.”

  Julianna’s face went white.

  Oh, man. Insert foot into mouth. Again. Though he’d long ago separated his personal life from his job, Julianna had never learned how to dissociate. He should’ve remembered that. “What about your career?” he said, quickly changing the subject.

  “Uh…it’s good.” She pushed back the hair from her eyes and tucked it behind one ear. “I’m a regular contributor for a magazine. The Achilles’ Heel. I like it and it pays well.”

  He knew it was more than that to her. Writing was a part of her, something she had to do. And the liberal magazine was the perfect venue.

  “How is Starr?”

  Her brows rose, apparently surprised that he’d asked. “My mother’s fine. Still the same. Stumping for one cause or another. The environment, PETA, stem-cell research.” She gave a wry smile. “All good causes.”

  “Still a hippie at heart, huh?” Eccentric might be a better word. Starr was the original free spirit, thought what she wanted and did what she wanted. Julianna, while not a carbon copy wasn’t far behind.

  “That she is. Starr thinks it’s still the seventies, and that she’s still twenty, and actually, she doesn’t look much older.”

  “And your sister?”

  “Lindsay’s married, has two children and lives in London. As far away from Mother as possible.”

  Luke nodded. “I can understand that.” He remembered the strife between Julianna’s sister, the yuppie, and her mother. Julianna on the other hand, had been Starr’s protégée.

  Jules’s mother and her ability to suck her daughter into her causes had been another sticking point in Luke and Julianna’s relationship.

  “Unfortunately, my sister’s far away from me, as well. I rarely see Ally and Devon, my niece and nephew.”

  Julianna would miss that. She’d always loved children. They both did, and he’d been deeply disappointed when she’d refused to have another child after Michael. In fact, he was surprised she hadn’t married again. He wanted to ask her about it but doing so would open old wounds for both of them.

  “Kinda the way Luke thinks, too,” Abe piped up. “Wants to be as far away as possible.”

  Luke shoved his plate away and leaned back in the chair. “I moved because I was given an opportunity. You didn’t want Grandpa’s house, remember? That’s why he gave it to me.” Even though the house on one of the much desired canals in Venice Beach was worth double what the ranch was at the time, his father had turned it down, refused to move to California. Luke suspected Abe didn’t want to
be beholden to his father-in-law in any way. That and the fact Gramps never thought Abe was good enough for his only child and wasn’t afraid to say so.

  “You can come out and stay with me any time you want.”

  “And who would take care of things here?”

  “Hire someone. You need help anyway. Then you can come and go as you please.”

  Abe shoved his chair back and rose to his feet. “I’m not going anywhere and no stranger is going to come in here and take over. Now let’s get to work.”

  “So, get out of here, you two.” Julianna waved a hand, stood and began clearing the dishes. “I’ve got things to do, too. I need to write.”

  That figured. She had always been just as intense about her work as he was, only she’d never seen it that way. “What kind of a story are you working on?”

  Her brown eyes expanded. “Uh, just a series. I do an installment once a month.”

  Gazing at her, he barely heard a word. He’d forgotten how pretty her eyes were. Big brandy-colored pools that drew him in, made him want to get closer.

  Odd. In the past, when he’d asked about what she was writing, she’d couldn’t wait to share her ideas. Now, it was obvious she wasn’t interested in sharing. With him, anyway.

  Why should she? She hadn’t wanted to share anything in her life for the last five years. Maybe she was sharing those things with someone else now? For all he knew, she could have a live-in lover back in San Francisco.

  “What’s the series about?”

  She glanced at Abe.

  “We need to get cracking,” Abe said. “We’re wastin’ sunlight. You can chitchat later.”

  The lines around Julianna’s mouth softened, apparently relieved that Abe had ended the conversation for her.

  Interesting. Okay. He’d play along. For a while. “I’m with you, Pops. Just let me grab a shirt and a hat.”

  In the hallway on the way to his room, Luke’s cell phone rang. His partner’s ringtone. “Yeah.”

  “Luke, it’s Jordan.”

  “Hey, bud. What’s going down?”

  “I wondered if you heard from the boss.”

  In the room, Luke shifted the phone to the other ear while he pulled on a faded denim shirt. “I did.”

  “Did he tell you it’s the chief who’s pushing to take you off the Thorpe case? I heard Carlyle told him to stuff it, in so many words, but—”

  “I talked to him. It’s no big deal. I can’t leave here yet anyway. My father isn’t well and I’ve got to get him some help.”

  “Bring him here. California has some of the best physicians in the world.”

  “Great idea, but he’s dug in. He’ll never leave. And…he has a guest.”

  “A guest?”

  Luke hesitated. “Julianna.”

  Jordan let out a long blow of air. “Whoa. That’s a surprise.”

  “You telling me.”

  “What’s she doing there?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out before I come back.”

  “When’s that?”

  “Tomorrow or the next day for sure.” Luke started walking back to the kitchen to catch up with his dad.

  “Okay. Let me know.” Jordan was one of Luke’s best friends, and also one of the finest detectives in the Robbery Homicide Division. While Luke often operated without a partner, he’d worked with Jordan on several cases recently.

  “I’ll call you when I’m on my way back.”

  “Good.”

  “How’s the better half?” Luke asked.

  “Laura’s great. Today she hired someone to stay nights at the shelter for her so she and Caitlin can move into my place after the wedding. Don’t forget, you’ve got a job next month.”

  Luke beamed. Jordan could’ve picked any one of their friends to be best man, Rico or even Tex. But he’d asked Luke. “Not for a second.”

  As he reached the kitchen doorway, Luke said goodbye and clicked off. Julianna stood only inches away and gave him a knowing look. The one that said he couldn’t leave his job for more than five minutes. “That was Jordan. Remember him?”

  Julianna’s eyes lit up. “Of course. How is he?”

  “He’s getting married next month.”

  Mouth open, Jules put a hand to her chest. “Really! I never thought that would happen.” She smiled, showing an expanse of even, white teeth and very kissable lips.

  “I’m the best man.” Jules had always liked Jordan and for a time they’d all been really close.

  “I’d be surprised if you weren’t.”

  The pleased look in her eyes switched to wistfulness. Was she thinking of their wedding? She’d once said it was the happiest day of her life. That nothing…absolutely nothing would pull them apart.

  It took another moment before she said, “Please give Jordan my best,” and then hurried away.

  Leaving him standing there, feeling as if one small moment from the past had somehow brought them a tiny bit closer. Or he could just as easily be misreading things. He did that a lot with Jules. Whenever he’d been sure he knew what she thought or wanted, she’d been on another wavelength altogether.

  But no…not this time. Something had passed between them, he was sure of it. He just didn’t know what the hell it was.

  He headed out the back door, glanced around for Abe, who was nowhere to be seen. The old reprobate had probably taken off without him. Luke strode to the barn. As he went inside, the familiar scents of hay and manure took him back to a time when he couldn’t have imagined ever leaving the ranch.

  The mare was gone, but Balboa stood in his stall and nickered softly at Luke. When Abe had downsized, he’d kept two horses and five head of cattle, just enough to stay busy, but not too much to handle.

  Luke talked softly to Balboa before saddling him up. “Hey, big guy. It’s been a while.” The golden palomino nuzzled him, apparently remembering they’d been inseparable once upon a time. He wished other parts of his life were that easy to resurrect.

  He mounted the stallion and headed for the line, not having a clue where the fence was broken. Most likely it was at Stella Hancock’s property line, otherwise Abe would have no reason to complain about her long-dead husband.

  He sat straight in the saddle and took a quick breath of fresh mountain air, a nice change from the smog and gasoline fumes of downtown L.A. Even the morning sea fog and salty ocean breezes at his home in Venice Beach were a respite from the pollution that hung like an ochre cloud over the rest of the city.

  Out here, he could breathe. The scent of piñon pine teased his senses, reminding him of a time when life was simple and uncomplicated, a time when the only thing he’d cared about was what he was going to do that day.

  His mother’s sudden death when he was thirteen changed all that. She’d been the peacemaker, she’d held the family together. Clearly something he and his father had no desire to do once she was gone.

  Back then his father always blamed Luke’s bad behavior on adolescence, but it was more than that. Something he’d long since put out of his mind. He’d never approached his father about it, but he’d always thought Abe knew that Luke knew—and neither wanted to open that door.

  One thing was certain, his mother’s death had changed his life forever.

  He nudged Balboa to a canter. He hadn’t thought about all that in years. He preferred physical activity over thinking. But being here, seeing Jules again, had him thinking more than ever. Love complicated everything—and losing everything you loved made life intolerable.

  When they’d lost Michael he’d soldiered on for Julianna’s sake. But when she left…there wasn’t any point to anything. He’d hit bottom.

  Suddenly the anger he thought he’d buried a long time ago burned in his veins. Bitterness rose like bile in his throat. Never again would he let himself feel so much. If he didn’t feel, he couldn’t hurt.

  ~~~

  JULIANNA WENT INTO the den to do some research for her next story. If she could concentrate. Lu
ke had said he’d be there only a day or two. God, she hoped so. He was too intense. Too probing. She was on tenterhooks every time he entered the room.

  One day she could handle. Couldn’t she? All she had to do was maintain her distance, keep her mind in the present and stay focused on the end result. Luke going back to L.A.

  She’d made a quick decision not to tell Luke about the story she was writing because the subject would upset him. She knew that as well as she knew her deadlines. It would simply make the time he was here even more strained. He already suspected she hadn’t just come simply because Abe asked her to. As intuitive as Luke was, if she told him about the story, he might connect the two.

  And if he knew she was being threatened, the cop in him wouldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t leave. He’d have to take action.

  There was no way she could tell Luke. But she had to tell Abe about the phone calls.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  BY THE TIME Luke reached his father, Abe had already taken out the new roll of barbed wire and was trying to fasten it to the fence by himself. “Couldn’t wait a few more minutes?” Luke dismounted and strode over.

  “Can’t wait forever. I’m not getting any younger.”

  “Not getting any easier to get along with either.”

  “One of the few good things about getting old. You can say what you want and the hell with what anyone thinks.”

  Luke couldn’t remember a time when his father didn’t say what he wanted or ever cared what anyone thought. But he wasn’t going to stay that long and he needed his father’s cooperation if he was going to hire someone to help out. Getting Abe to accept that help was going to be the tough part.

  “We need to shore up the posts first,” Luke said and walked over to one that was tilted at forty-five degrees.

  “It’ll straighten out with the wire on it,” Abe countered.

  Luke let out an exasperated breath. He knew he should just agree with his dad and then get out of there. “C’mon, let’s do it together.”

  That seemed to agree with Abe and they both started working on getting the post upright. And while they were somewhat sympatico, Luke said, “I know Jules isn’t here just because you asked her to come.”