Please let us find him.
FOUR
Sophie decided she could stay right there in Luke’s arms for the rest of eternity. However, that wouldn’t be very productive when it came to finding Jordan. And not only that, she had no business letting her attraction for the man influence her into letting a romance develop. But she had her brother and her father to look after. Romance wasn’t in the near future for her.
Before the thought could depress her, a knock on the door had her slipping from his embrace. “I guess I should pack a bag after they process this place, huh?”
“I think that would be a good idea.”
Luke let the two officers inside and made the introductions. Sophie forced a smile. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
“Of course,” the one nearest her said. “We’re just going to do our thing.”
“Perfect,” Sophie said.
It didn’t take long for them to finish. Once they were gone, she forced herself to face the destruction in her bedroom. Slashed pillows spilled their filling and her blinds had been ripped from the windows. Drawers had been overturned and the contents littered the floor next to the dresser. What bothered her the most was the fact that her bedside lamp had been thrown against her mirror, shattering both items. What reason could he have had for such wanton destruction in here?
It was almost like the person was mad at her and wanted her to know it. He’d made the whole break-in personal. Which probably meant that he hadn’t gotten what he’d come for.
Her.
With a shudder, she ignored the mess and pulled three outfits for work from her closet, some jeans and T-shirts and anything else she thought she might need. Next, she added toiletries from the bathroom. Thankfully, it didn’t look like he’d touched that room.
Rolling her small suitcase behind her, she walked back into the living area where Luke and Bruno waited. “I think I’ve got everything I’ll need for a few days. With access to a laundromat, I can even stretch that.”
“Good,” Luke said. He led the way back to his vehicle, Bruno trotting along beside him. Once Sophie was buckled and Bruno was settled in his area, she drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
“How are you holding up?” Luke asked.
“My head is pounding, and every muscle feels like it’s been through a rigorous workout, but I’m alive and I’m grateful. What about you? How’s your head?”
“Pounding a bit like yours, I imagine, but I’ll be okay.”
When his right hand curled around her left, Sophie took comfort once again from his touch. “Thank you for staying with me,” she said softly. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to face all of this alone.”
“Of course.” With a gentle squeeze of her fingers, he released her hand and turned the key. The Tahoe purred to life and Luke headed toward his apartment.
“Are you sure this is going to be okay?” she asked. “I really don’t want to put you out or cause any inconvenience.”
“I’m positive it’s all right. Like I said, Sam is out of the country on business and David is working the late shift. He’ll be home around midnight.”
“Tell me what they do again?”
“Sam’s a consultant for a software company. David is a fireman. He works out of the station near our home.”
“You like them. I can hear it in your voice.”
“I do. They’re great guys—and even fun to hang out with occasionally in spite of the fact that they’re not cops.” He quirked a smile and slid a glance at her. She bit her lip, still concerned she might be in the way. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We don’t live in a pigsty or anything. The place is almost ridiculously neat.”
“That hadn’t even crossed my mind, but why do I sense a story behind that?”
“Sam’s mother has adopted David and me. She comes by twice a week to clean and drop off food.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, no kidding. But we don’t mind. Sam’s father passed away about six months ago, so we let his mom do what she wants. It keeps her busy and helps us out at the same time.”
“I’d say that’s a wonderful arrangement for everyone involved.”
A short time later, he parked in a free spot and they walked down the block to a three-family house. The houses were packed together along the narrow street. He had told her that he and his roommates rented the apartment on the first floor.
Sophie hadn’t been to his home before and she couldn’t help admiring the small, well-kept front area around the steps leading up to the door. She spotted roses and daffodils and a few other colorful bulbs she couldn’t identify. “The flowers are beautiful. Really gorgeous. Who’s the green thumb?”
“Thanks. All three of us enjoy the work when we have a day off. It’s kind of a stress reliever.”
Stress reliever. She could use one of those. Tears flooded her eyes, the surge of emotion taking her by surprise.
“Sophie?”
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered. “Where can Jordy be, Luke?”
With a heavy sigh, he shook his head. “I don’t know, but we’ll find him.” A pause. “You call him Jordy?”
She shrugged and shoved the tears away. “He said it was okay one afternoon when I was eating with him and Katie. She called him Jordy and told me I’d graduated to that of trusted friend and had the honor of using his family name.” Her gaze met his. “It’s been too long. Too many hours are passing with no word. You know as well as I the longer we go without hearing from him, the more likely it is we—” She bit her lip.
“Won’t,” he finished for her. “I know. I’m worried, too, but we won’t give up. Hopefully, Jordan will call before too long and we can all get back to business as usual.”
“Yeah.” She slipped out of the seat and followed him up the steps and inside to the shared foyer.
The wood floors gleamed. He led her to the far end of the short hallway and opened the door to his apartment. Once inside, she looked around. It sparkled. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. It’s super clean.”
“Yep. And since Sam’s mom was here this morning, his room should be nice and shiny, too. Clean sheets, clean towels, the works. He has a bathroom attached so you’ll have all the privacy you need.”
He pulled her suitcase behind him and she soon found herself in a bright, if masculine, bedroom. “It’s lovely,” she said, forcing a smile to her lips. She loved the room. She hated the reason she was using it.
“I’ll just leave you to get settled while I go inspect the refrigerator,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
“Starving.”
“Give me a few minutes and we’ll eat.”
Fifteen minutes later, dressed in yoga pants and a long sweatshirt, she padded into the kitchen, where she found Luke dishing up something that smelled delicious. “Chicken cordon bleu?”
“I think so. Sometimes I’m not sure what she brings, but it’s always good.”
“Do you eat like this every night?”
He flushed. “Well, not every night.”
“You guys are spoiled completely rotten. I feel sorry for your future wives. If you even want to get married.”
“Hey, now, what’s that supposed to mean?”
She giggled at his affront. “Well, really, take a look around. You have a spotless apartment, gourmet food at the push of a button and no one to nag you about taking the trash out. Why would you need to get married?”
His eyes locked on hers. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind too much about being nagged to take out the trash.”
Her breath caught somewhere between her lungs and her throat. “Oh. Well. Okay, then.”
A slight smile tilted the corners of his lips, then he frowned. A sad one. “But I don’t know that it’ll ever happen for me.”
“Why not?” Frankly, she would have thought he’d have plenty of opportunities to find himself engaged and married. A twinge of jealousy flashed, and she shoved it away.
He shook his head. “I’m not really marriage material. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
She blinked. “Who told you that?”
“An ex-girlfriend.” His lips tightened, then relaxed as though he’d forced it. “What about you? You have any plans for marriage in the future?”
“In the future, maybe. Not necessarily the near future, but yes, I think I’d like to get married. One day. To the right person, of course.”
“Of course. So, you haven’t met Mr. Right yet?”
Sophie laughed. “I don’t know. There’s no one on my radar right now.” Except...she had a feeling if she looked close at that radar, she might see Luke right there—a little blip on her screen. As a potential boyfriend. Should she be looking. Which she wasn’t. Her father and brother needed her. Well, her father did anyway. Being married or even dating would severely cut into the time that she would have to be there for her dad. The thought hadn’t bothered her much before. But now, looking at Luke, she had to admit, she almost wished things could be different. But she couldn’t help wondering... “What was it that made you ‘not marriage material’?”
His jaw tightened. “Ah, well, according to the ex, I’m too serious, need to loosen up and learn how to have a good time.” He grimaced. “And I work too much. She let me know in no uncertain terms that I would never be Mr. Right for her.”
“She sounds terribly immature. I’m glad you got out of that relationship.”
“I am, too.” He studied her with a look that sent heat surging into her cheeks. She cleared her throat and shrugged. Then winced when the action tugged at sore muscles. She used her opposite hand to massage the area. “I sure met Mr. Wrong today.” A shudder shook her.
“I’ll say. But you have time. You’re young.”
“And what are you?” She lifted a brow, shaking off the remembered terror. “A stodgy old bachelor?”
A light snort escaped him, and he offered another grin, but she thought she saw something different in his gaze. Something...interesting and worth exploring.
“That’s me. Old and set in my ways.”
* * *
But he might be willing to change some of those ways. For Sophie anyway. Right now, Luke found himself wishing he wasn’t quite so old. Not that thirty-three was ancient, but the nine-year age difference made him grimace. And what was up with him blurting out that he wasn’t marriage material anyway? He might think that, but he didn’t need to pass that on to her. She’d thrown up a few walls as soon as the words had passed his lips. One thing she was right about, though, was the more time that passed without finding Jordan, the more his nerves tightened.
“How about a change of subject while we eat?” he asked.
“Sure.” She took a bite of the chicken and closed her eyes. “This is wonderful.”
He waited for her to look at him before nodding. “I can’t stop thinking about Jordan.”
“I know. Same here,” she said softly. “And Katie. My heart hurts for her.”
“Which is why we’ve got to keep thinking. Can you recall anything that would suggest Jordan has any enemies?”
Sophie set her fork on the table and rubbed her eyes. “No, not right offhand. I mean, he was mostly behind a desk these days, but before he was chief, he worked the streets just like you guys. I’m sure there are some criminals he arrested who still hold a grudge, but there’ve been no threats, no weird phone calls, nothing.”
“Unless he just didn’t tell you about them.”
“True, but I would think I would have noticed something if that was going on.”
“What about any problems at headquarters? With other officers or anyone else who works there?”
“There are the usual complaints, but nothing we haven’t dealt with before and nothing stands out at all. This is so frustrating!”
“I know.” Her facial expressions fascinated him. He found himself thinking he could watch her indefinitely. “I admire you, Sophie.”
She blinked and some of the ire faded from her eyes. “What makes you say that?”
“I’ve known you for a couple of years now, right?”
“Yes. I started working at the K-9 unit right out of college, and we met my second day on the job.”
She remembered that? “But we’ve never really gotten to know each other on a personal basis.”
“No, just pretty much in passing. Why?”
“Because you’re just not what I expected or would have imagined.”
She raised a brow. “What does that mean?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re so young and yet so mature.” And so attractive. Her youth had kept him from looking at her twice in the past and now he found himself regretting his quick judgment.
“Chalk it up to life experiences,” she said. “I had to grow up pretty fast after my mother walked out.”
Whoa. He hadn’t been expecting that. “How old were you when she left?”
“I’d just turned ten. One day she was there, the next she wasn’t.” She shrugged, but he sensed the hurt beneath the gesture.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I am, too. For a long time I wondered if it was my fault.”
“What? Why?”
“I...wasn’t the best or brightest student and my parents fought a lot about me. Later, I was diagnosed with a learning disability and things changed dramatically for me after that, but Mom was already gone.” She shook her head. “Anyway, as you can imagine, my dad was thrown for a while. He struggled with depression, but later told me that my brother and I were his world and his reason to keep going. I didn’t realize how rough it was on him at the time, but now I look back and can see how hard he worked to be there for us.”
“Well, if you’re any indication of the type of dad he was, then he must have been pretty amazing.”
Her flush made him smile.
“He was super amazing, so thank you,” she said softly. “Still is. He’s always looking out for me and my brother.”
“And you look out for them, don’t you?”
“I do. After Mom left, I knew I had to be the one to pick up the pieces.” She shrugged. “It was hard, but we managed.”
“Do you know where your mom is now?”
“I think she was in Texas the last time I heard. I don’t talk to her very often.”
“You don’t hold a grudge?”
Sophie sighed. “I was angry for a long time. A very long time. But I came to realize that she just wasn’t cut out to be a mother and Trey and I were probably better off without her. My grandmother—Dad’s mom—stepped in and helped quite a bit when she could, so she was a good influence.”
“But not the mom you needed.”
“No.”
“You became that for Trey, didn’t you?”
“How could you tell?”
“Just a hunch.”
“I’m five years older than Trey. He was still a baby when she left, and even though I was only ten, I suppose it was only natural that I would mother him. But,” she sighed, “he’s nineteen now and trying to stretch his wings and figure life out.”
“Kids do that.”
“I know, but...”
“What?” he asked.
“It’s hard to let go.”
“Lots of things are hard to let go of, but sometimes it’s better for everyone if we can manage to do that.”
She went still, her eyes studying him with an intensity that had him working hard not to squirm.
“What is it?” he finally blurted.
“Tell me about her,” Sophie said.
“Who?”
“Th
e woman who hurt you so terribly. I know she said you weren’t marriage material but tell me more. That’s who you were thinking of just now when you talked about letting go, wasn’t it?”
Luke flinched. He couldn’t help it. “Yes. She was young like you—which is what made me so surprised at your maturity—and she had a crush on me. At least I thought so.” He shrugged. “I was new to the K-9 unit and she liked the idea of dating a cop. And I wasn’t opposed to dating a pretty woman who had the ability to make me laugh.”
“Pretty, huh?”
“She was. But I’m not completely shallow. I genuinely liked her.” He shrugged. “Or thought I did.”
“But?”
“But she wasn’t serious about the relationship. At first that was okay, but then she decided she didn’t like all the hours I was putting in. She wanted to go out, have fun, not catch meals during breaks and at odd hours.”
“So, you weren’t marriage material because you were dedicated to your job and chose to honor the commitment you made instead of blowing it off to make her happy?”
He hesitated then gave a low laugh. “Yes. Exactly.”
“I’m sorry, but it sounds to me like she was the one who wasn’t marriage material. I didn’t exactly have the best role models, but even I know marriage is more than just fun and games. It’s teamwork, hard work and it takes commitment. Honestly, she sounds a lot like my mother. You were wise to let her go.”
“I know.” His jaw tightened at the memories. “But trust me, I won’t make that mistake again.”
She continued to eye him, curiosity and sympathy coating her gaze. “What was it about her that you fell for?”
He flushed.
“What?” she pressed.
“I had a bit of an ego, and she made me feel like I was someone important. Unfortunately, as time went on, her immaturity was something that I just couldn’t deal with—especially when it came to my job. If I had to leave in the middle of dinner or had to cancel a date due to a case, then she would pout for days. We had a pretty big blowup when I called her on her immaturity. She didn’t like it.”
“I’m sure that was difficult.”
Justice Mission Page 5
