by Rachel Dylan
“You must be the private investigator?”
“Yes, I’m Sadie Lane. You must be Mrs. Newton.”
“Yes. Please come in. I’m so glad you’re here.” She waved her hand in the air. “Lauren has been absolutely distraught. She won’t even go out which is so unlike her. She’s a social butterfly. I hope you can help. She’s anxious to talk to you.”
“Before I talk to her, how well did you know Megan?”
“She spent a lot of time over here.” She shook her head. “She’s a sweet girl.” She lowered her voice. “But her mother.” She leaned in closer. “She actually works two jobs.”
Sadie tried to reserve judgment, but Lauren’s mother seemed pretty judgmental herself. Sadie admired the fact that Ms. Milton worked two jobs to support her family. Obviously, from the looks of the expansive house, Mrs. Newton didn’t have to worry about money.
Mrs. Newton fluffed her already-teased hair. “At any rate, her mother leaves Megan alone a lot. It’s sad, but Lauren’s taken her under her wing. My Lauren has her act together. Top grades and a blooming social life to go with it.” She held her head high. “I’m so proud of her. She’s the perfect daughter.”
Sadie wanted to laugh. This lady probably had no clue what her daughter was getting into. “That’s wonderful that Lauren is doing so well, and I’m glad she’s a friend to Megan.”
“Yes, I’m sure she’ll want to talk to you now.” She called out to her daughter, and Lauren bounded down the steps. She was a younger version of Mrs. Newton. Her much more natural blond ponytail was perfectly styled, and she also wore a buff-pink tennis outfit. Maybe a mother-daughter tennis match this evening after the summer sun subsided?
“Lauren, dear, this is Ms. Lane. She’s the investigator looking for Megan.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” Lauren said. She walked right over to her and grabbed Sadie’s hand dragging her into the living room. “Mom, can you give us a few minutes to talk?”
“Sure, dear.” Mrs. Newton bounced out of the room, oblivious.
Lauren plopped down on the couch and leaned her head back for a moment before turning and making eye contact with Sadie. Sadie sat down beside her.
“I’m freaked out about Megan,” Lauren said bluntly.
“I’m so glad you’re talking to me. I’m going to need you to be completely honest with me. No one is in this room right now but me and you. To be able to help Megan I need to know the whole truth.”
Lauren nodded. “I get it.” Lauren tightened her ponytail, and then looked directly at her, her blue eyes wide. “That’s exactly why I asked Mom to leave. She can be so controlling and always wants to add her spin to any story.”
“Start at the beginning. What happened that Saturday night?”
“We were going out downtown for a nice dinner. We scored the top two grades in our AP history class. Megan had been saving up for months for this dinner. Megan’s family doesn’t have money. It’s just her and her mom, so this was a big deal. Once we got the grades, we immediately started planning.”
“Okay, so what happened?”
“We made a reservation at the newest and trendiest restaurant in town. I couldn’t believe we were able to get a reservation, but we did. It’s the one inside the fancy Rhubarb Hotel called Sala. It’s also exciting because they play live music, and it’s just the place to go. So anyway, we were at our table and there was a delay in our getting served because it was so busy. I went to find our server to get us some water. By the time I got back, she was gone.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked away. “If I hadn’t left her, maybe she’d be okay.”
“How long were you gone?”
“The restaurant was packed. It was probably at least fifteen minutes or longer. Because—” she paused, looking down “—I took a detour and wandered around a bit, taking it all in.”
“So the last time you saw her, she was at the table. Then fifteen minutes later or longer you walked back, and she wasn’t there. Then what did you do?”
“I looked for her. I checked the ladies’ room and the hostess stand. Then went back to the main seating area. Sala isn’t that large. After I went around the place at least three times, I knew something was wrong. Megan and I like to go out and have fun, but we never ever leave each other like that. She would not have left that restaurant without me. No way. We know it’s not safe. Something happened to her.” Her eyes misted up. “I know it.”
“What did you do then?”
“I went home. Megan’s mom was working the night shift. So I didn’t talk to her until I called the next morning. She hadn’t seen or heard from Megan either. That’s when I flipped out.”
“And you never got any word from her? A text, an email, anything after that night?”
“Nothing.” She paused and her blue eyes filled with tears yet again. “What do you think happened?”
“I don’t know. But I’ll do my best to find her.”
“I know I’m just sixteen, but I’m not stupid. Could someone have taken her?”
“That’s always possible.”
Lauren stood up and started pacing. “I’m so mad at the police. They need to be doing more. I’ve watched enough TV to know that this isn’t exactly a top priority for them. They aren’t taking this seriously enough. They don’t want to commit more resources. It’s not right! I think if my family hadn’t gotten involved they wouldn’t be doing as much as they are now.”
“That’s sad,” Sadie said in truth.
“I know.”
“If Megan was in trouble, is there anywhere she would go?”
“Yeah. She’d come here. To me. To my house. Megan has been through a lot. Her mom works so hard. Megan even got a part-time job at the yogurt shop when she turned sixteen. And her dad, he’s never been in the picture. Like ever.” She hesitated and shifted her eyes away again. “I don’t know what I’ll do if something happened to her. I may put on a big act that I’m all put together, but Megan is the strong one.”
“You’ve been very helpful, Lauren. Is there anything else I should know?”
“I’ll do anything to help, Sadie. Anything.”
Sadie said her goodbyes to Lauren and her mother and went back to the office, settling in at her desk. A few minutes later, she looked up as Kip walked through her office door smiling.
“What’re you doing here? I told you I was working this case.”
“I wanted to see how your afternoon was going. Any leads on the girl?”
“Maybe. I went to see her friend. What do you know about Sala?”
“The swanky restaurant in the Rhubarb Hotel?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not into the fancy restaurant scene.”
“Me neither.”
“But I’ve heard it’s the trendy place to go in town. They have live music on the weekends which is a big draw for the college crowd. During the week it caters to business types and young professionals.”
“I’m going to have to go there tonight.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“That’s where Megan was last seen. I need to ask around about her. Someone there saw something. I just know it.”
“What did the friend say?”
“She left Megan at the table alone while she went to track down their server and look around the place. When she came back Megan was gone. She looked everywhere and couldn’t find her.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“I don’t need an escort to a fancy restaurant.”
He laughed. “Believe me, you’ve made it clear you can take care of yourself. But I can do my own recon while we’re there.”
“For what?”
“See if I can get any tips on the Vladimir operation.”
“You think you’d get that at Sala?”
“The newest report from the field team is that Igor has been seen going in and out of the hotel. It’s his speed. Plus, Igor is in the hotel business—the high-end hotels anyway. He also has a few five-star restaurants.”
At the sound of Igor’s name, chills shot down her arms. “Igor?” she asked.
“Yeah. The Vladimir group is headed by the father, Sergei. But his two sons, Igor and Artur, actually do the work. They’re currently in a battle for who’s going to take over.”
“Interesting,” she said. “So Igor is here in El Paso?”
“He comes and goes, as does Artur. But Igor has staked out El Paso as his territory. He appears to be putting down roots.”
“You asked me a lot of questions about what happened in the woods, but you never told me what went down that night.”
He ran his hand through his dark hair. “We tailed one of Igor’s thugs who was involved in a money drop into the woods. Looked like there was some hand off there between the thug and some other guy who we’re still trying to identify. Most likely linked to the trafficking business. Makes me sick.”
“What do you mean?”
“The guy was probably making a payment for more girls.”
She shuddered to think about it. “You’re trying to stop Igor’s network.”
“Me and my team.”
“So they take the girls over the border, then what?”
“You really don’t want to know.”
He was right. She didn’t need the gory details. She understood exactly what happened to those poor girls. “All right. Well, I need to go home and shower before I go out tonight.”
“What do you say about grabbing dinner before we go to the hotel? I’m in the mood for Italian. We can discuss some operational details.”
She considered rejecting his offer immediately but then thought better of it. This man was the key to tracking down Igor. “That would be fine. Why don’t we meet somewhere for dinner?”
He shook his head. “No, I’ll pick you up.”
“You don’t even know where I live.” Then she realized he was in the FBI so he could easily track her down.
“I’ll find you. How does seven-thirty work?”
“See you then.”
He smiled and walked away. She hoped she wasn’t making a big mistake.
* * *
When Kip pulled up to Sadie’s little house, he stopped for a minute to gather his thoughts before exiting his FBI-issued sedan. What exactly was he doing here? Yeah, he didn’t want her going to that fancy downtown restaurant alone, but why should he care so much? He’d cared once before and look where that had gotten him. A broken heart. No, not just a broken heart. His ex-fiancée, Lacy, had ripped his heart out and stomped on it.
Her having cheated on him was hurtful, but the fact that she’d left him for Brad Sullivan—one of the guys from his own ranger team—nearly killed him. Brad had been not only his friend but also someone he’d looked up to as a military leader. They’d bonded after a team retreat in Brad’s cabin in Colorado that they’d taken before they deployed. The pain was still fresh even though it was now years past. He’d never be able to forgive. Ever.
This was business, though. If the FBI report was correct, Igor might be using the hotel as his base of operations. He took a deep breath and stepped out of his car. He knocked lightly, and the door opened. The sight of Sadie took his breath away.
“Hey,” he said.
“Come on in. I just need to feed my cats.”
She was simply stunning. Her long straight dark hair flowed over her shoulders. She’d changed into a pair of black slacks and wore a dark green shirt that looked amazing against her skin. It was made out of some kind of silky material that seemed soft and feminine. He looked at her again as she poured cat food into a dish. Her smile was enough to make his heart unsteady.
Two cats came flying into the room meowing loudly. One was black and the other orange.
“Meet Leo and Sammie.”
He slowly stepped closer to them, and they looked at him skeptically before turning to the food dish.
“They friendly?” he asked.
She laughed loudly. “Depends on what they think your intentions are.”
“I’m an animal lover. Really a dog person, but cats are okay, too.”
“Do you have a dog?”
“Yeah. A yellow Lab named Colby. He loves everyone.”
“I like dogs, too. Pretty much all animals. But these kitties are perfect for my lifestyle.” She smiled again. “I’m ready if you are.”
By the time they reached the restaurant, he had admitted to himself that he wished this was a first date. He had no idea what Sadie thought. She was tough to read. He’d picked a casual Italian restaurant that he loved named Primo. They had the best homemade pasta in the city.
He hadn’t wanted to freak her out, but on the way to the restaurant he thought they’d picked up a tail. He was going to keep his eyes open.
“Hope this is okay?” he asked.
“It’s perfect. I’m addicted to pasta of all kinds.”
A hostess guided them to a corner table, and he chose the seat against the wall facing the restaurant so he’d have the best vantage point of the room. If there were any threats, he’d be able to identify them.
The smell of the sauce had him realizing how hungry he was. He’d only had a power bar for lunch. The restaurant was busy most of the time, and tonight was no exception. There was just enough noise and people for it not to seem awkward between them.
He smiled at her. A server walked over immediately to take their drink orders. He ordered water, and she ordered an unsweetened tea.
“So tell me a bit more about you, Sadie.”
The server popped back over with their drinks and warm bread. Sadie diverted her eyes for just a brief second, looking down at the menu, and then glanced up making eye contact again.
“I grew up in Oregon. Then went to college here in Texas at UT. And I’ve been in El Paso ever since graduation.”
“Where are your parents?”
Her eyes shifted again. “They’re still in Oregon. Mom’s a teacher, and dad’s an architect. I’m very close to them even though I don’t visit enough. I try to talk to them on the phone often. What about you?”
“I moved a lot. Dad was in the army. So we were all over the place, but I spent a good chunk of time growing up in the South. I went to The Citadel, and then joined the army.” He took a big bite of the buttery breadstick.
“How long were you in the military?”
“Until three years ago. Being a ranger got to be a bit too difficult after a while.” That was an understatement. “So I retired and joined the FBI.”
“Why the FBI?”
“Law enforcement was a good fit. I thought I could use everything I’d learned as a ranger and really make a difference.”
She cocked her head to the side. “And are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Making a difference?”
“I’d like to think so.”
The server came back, and they both ordered pasta. He opted for spaghetti to satisfy his craving, and she surprised him with her choice of fettuccine Alfredo—the richest pasta on the menu.
“And why are you a P.I.?”
“I also wanted to make a difference. But I like being my own boss. I didn’t want the constraints of a system that allows important details to get lost.”
Interesting, he thought. He wondered what caused her to distrust government agencies. She didn’t have to say it, but he knew there was a more complex story brewing under the surface.
“Who taught you how to shoot?”
“A friend I met in college.”
Ah. He was curious if this guy w
as a lot more than a friend to her. But it wasn’t his place to pry right now.
Their meal came, and he was glad she didn’t pick at her food but ate eagerly. They both finished off all their pasta, and he even dove into a second basket of breadsticks. But now dinner was over, and it was time to get to work. Thankfully, he hadn’t identified any threats in the restaurant.
“So do you have a plan for tonight?” he asked.
“Scope it out. Talk to some people. Show her picture to a few of the workers. You know the drill. What about you?”
“See what I can see. Make sure not to make waves. More watching than talking if you know what I mean. I’d love to actually confirm for myself that Igor has been hanging out there.” He reached over and picked up the check.
“Let’s split it,” she said.
“No.” He smiled. “This one’s on the FBI.” He opened his wallet and pulled out some cash.
“Are you sure?” She frowned slightly.
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you.”
“Let’s do it.”
Once they got in the car, she looked over at him. “That was a nice dinner, Kip. But when were you planning to inform me about the tail we picked up on the way over?”
THREE
Sadie tried to push back her anger. Yeah, she’d just called him out. He didn’t realize that she wasn’t some amateur P.I. She’d probably noticed the tail before he did. Sadie was used to being underestimated.
He let out a sigh. “I didn’t want to worry you.”
“You should’ve told me. If you want to work together you can’t keep information like that from me.”
“Understood.”
“You think it’s connected to the work you’re doing on the Vladimir case?”
“Probably. Or myriad other things. As an FBI agent, I have my fair share of troubles.”
She grinned. “I feel the same way about being a P.I. But honestly I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
