They were driving there. As in a road trip. Jenna still wasn't sure why they weren't flying into Billings and renting a car from there. Michelle had even offered to pick them up at the airport and then lend them one of the family vehicles so they could get around but Knox hadn't been all that fond of the idea. He'd kept shaking his head whenever Jenna had talked about taking a flight, so eventually she'd dropped the subject. He was doing them a favor, after all.
Although, technically, it wasn't really a favor anymore. Two days ago, she and Michelle had officially hired Knox's firm to investigate Lori's disappearance. It was such a relief to put it in the hands of a professional team. She'd even met with Logan, Knox's boss, and he'd assured her that their team would do their best to find out the truth. He'd had a certain air about him that made her instantly want to trust him with this case.
Taking another sip of coffee, she saw headlights flash in her window. Knox was here. Grabbing her suitcase and laptop bag, she juggled her keys and coffee in her other hand as she quickly locked her front door.
"Let me help you with that."
Knox's voice was close to her ear and she had to steel herself not to react. This wasn't easy. Just being friends and all. She still had feelings for him even though he wanted nothing to do with her.
"I've got it. My bags aren't that heavy."
He didn't listen worth a damn. He grabbed her suitcase and laptop bag and was already striding back to his SUV, leaving her standing on her front step staring at the space that he'd occupied moments before. With another sigh she followed him, climbing into the passenger side. He shut the back of the vehicle with a thump and then joined her in the front seat. He had the radio going and the wide-awake disc jockey was happily telling his audience about the weather and traffic.
What traffic could there be at five in the morning?
Knox had even said that one of the reasons for getting on the road early was to avoid traffic issues. The drive was going to be around twelve to thirteen hours and he didn't want to be driving late at night.
If we'd flown, we would have been there by dinnertime.
"Can you tell me again why we're driving thirteen hours instead of taking a plane?"
Knox didn't even take his eyes off of the road to answer.
"It wouldn't have made the travel time much less," he replied, navigating toward the highway. "With flying these days you have to show up hours before your flight, then you sit and wait and hope that the airline is running on time. Then you finally get to board and sit in a seat so small that a child isn't all that comfortable. When you finally get to your destination, you get to wait again for your luggage. If they haven't lost it that is. Door to door, flying isn't that much faster for anything less than a twelve-hour drive."
"This drive is a little more than that."
"Not by much. Besides, this way we get to relax in the comfort of our own vehicle, stop when we need to stretch our legs or eat. We're not waiting on anyone else. We're in the driver's seat. When you fly, you're at their mercy the entire time."
An imaginary lightbulb went off above Jenna's head.
"You're a control freak, aren't you?"
Chuckling, he didn't deny it. "If I could fly the damn plane myself, I would."
"Do you have a pilot's license?"
"No, but that wouldn't stop me."
"You'd honestly try and fly a commercial jet? For real? Like if the pilot and co-pilot both passed out or something and the flight attendant came over the loudspeaker looking for volunteers who could fly a plane, you'd jump up?"
"Absolutely."
"That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. You'd kill everyone because of your need for control. You should seek professional help. Or a flight instructor."
"Someday I'm going to learn to fly. It's on my bucket list."
Bucket list?
"I'm intrigued. What else is on this bucket list? Skydiving? Climbing a mountain?”
"I'll only tell you about mine if you tell me about yours."
This was the playful Knox she'd come to know in the last few weeks. She adored this side of him. He was so much fun to be with.
"I'm not really sure that I have a bucket list," she confessed. "I've never written one up, but I guess there are things that I want to do. There's a lot of the world that I haven't seen yet so I want to do that. Except on a plane. I don't want to drive everywhere like you do."
Laughing, he shook his head. "What's with the obsession with flying? Can't you just sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey? I’m an excellent driver and I'll stop every time you want to without complaint. This is going to be great."
He sounded so enthused, really happy. He hadn't sounded like that since she'd told him the truth.
"You do have a point about having to hurry up and wait at the airport," she conceded. "Although I just usually take a book to read. I haven't really been on any road trips so I don't have anything to compare it to."
This time he did take his gaze from the road, although only for a split second.
"Wait...you've never been on a road trip? Ever? I don't believe that. How could that be? Didn't you go on vacations as a child? What about college? No spring breaks in Florida?"
"When we went on vacation we always flew. And no, I didn't get any wild spring breaks in sunny locations with my friends. I think my longest road trip was two hours. I went to visit a friend for her birthday."
"Then you're in for a treat," Knox declared, giving the steering wheel a playful slap. "There's nothing like the freedom of the open road. Seeing things that you can't see from an airplane window. By the end of this trip, I predict that you will be a convert."
"Are you going to take me to that giant ball of twine?"
"A giant ball of twine? I hadn't planned on it, but maybe you should put that on your bucket list."
They'd completely veered from the bucket list topic.
"You still haven't told me what's on your bucket list."
"You haven't either. I told you it was a mutual deal."
"I did so. I said I wanted to travel."
"Everyone says that. What else do you want to do?"
"I don't know, but maybe if you tell me your list, I'll get some ideas." She pointed out the windshield where it was still dark. It was going to be awhile before the sun even came up. "You and I are going to be sitting in this car for thirteen hours, Knox. Was there another topic you wanted to talk about instead?"
"I don't want to climb a mountain," he replied with a huff. "I do want to get my pilot's license. I'd also like to hike the Appalachian Trail someday."
Now they were getting somewhere. Only twelve and a half hours - give or take - to go.
Midmorning, Jenna had broken out her stash of granola bars but they hadn't stuck to Knox's ribs very well. By noon, his stomach was growling and so was hers. They decided to take an exit to a mid-sized town that had one of those restaurants that was supposed to be country homemade cooking and served breakfast all day. Breakfast was Knox's favorite meal of the day and he couldn't wait to eat.
The restaurant was about half full and they were seated immediately by a smiling lady who handed them each two menus - one lunch and one breakfast. Jenna opened the former while Knox went for the latter. He didn't need long to choose. He'd pretty much already decided when they'd selected this venue. Jenna, on the other hand, was frowning as she perused the offerings.
"Don't like what you see?"
If she said she wanted to go somewhere else, he wasn't going to be happy about it. He'd do it, of course, but he wasn't going to pretend that he agreed. He really wanted that bacon that he could smell in the air.
"No, its fine," she said with a shake of her head. "I just can't decide. I haven't been here in a long time and I don't remember what I ordered then."
"So order what looks good."
He didn't see the problem.
Her frown grew deeper. "Everything looks good."
A young man sidled up to their table, order pad in
hand. "Hi, I'm Steve and I'm going to be your server today. Can I get you started with some beverages?"
Knox ordered a soda - with caffeine - and waited for Jenna to take her turn but she was still scowling at the menu.
"She can't decide what to order," Knox said, placing his two menus on the edge of the table. "She said everything looks good."
Jenna shot him a glare before turning her attention to the young man. "He's right. I am having trouble deciding. But I do know what I want to drink. I'll have an iced tea, please. Thank you so much."
The young man's face split into a grin. "I can help you with that if you like. I love the food here but some meals are better than others."
The two of them were off to the races while Knox sat there saying nothing. Jenna and Steve were acting like they were old friends, laughing and joking as he went through the menu with her. Item by item almost. It was a bit of overkill, but it was clear that Steve found Jenna attractive. Knox was a student of body language and he didn't need to be a genius to see that this guy was flirting. And Jenna was lapping it up.
I'm sitting here. Does anyone remember me?
Jenna eventually settled on the pot roast with mashed potatoes. Good ole Steve still didn't leave the table. He was now telling her a story about a friend of his who loved pot roast.
Are you kidding me?
"Shouldn't you put our order in?" Knox asked, a little more loudly than usual. "We're sort of in a hurry."
Steve paused, finally dragging his attention from Jenna. "Oh yeah...sure...of course. I'll get it right in."
"That was rude," Jenna said as Steve bustled back into the kitchen. "What is your problem?"
"I'm hungry, and Steve wasn't going to budge. I would imagine he has other customers that need him too, by the way."
She scanned the restaurant. "It's half empty."
"He still probably had work to do. He's a server, after all." Knox should have shut up then but his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. "You seemed pretty happy to have his attention."
Her head snapped forward and her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me? What are you trying to say?"
Shrugging, Knox wasn't going to back down. He was in the right.
"It was obvious he found you attractive. He was flirting with you...while I was sitting right here. That's really disrespectful."
"How is it disrespectful? We're not a couple."
"He didn't know that," Knox pointed out. "For all he knew, we could be married for decades with six kids and two dogs and a cat."
"He was just being nice and helpful."
Knox snorted. "Just being nice? He was way over the top, and you didn't help the situation, flirting back with him."
"I was not flirting with him. I was being nice." Jenna leaned forward in her chair. "For a cop, you have lousy people skills. It helps to be nice to your waiter or waitress. It helps to be nice to people in service positions. They already have a tough job. They don't need their actions questioned too."
"Right in front of me," Knox repeated. "As if I was invisible."
Jenna laughed, clapping her hand over her mouth. "That's what this is all about? Your delicate fee-fees got hurt? Get over it and stop being a grouch."
Steve returned with their drinks so Knox didn't have a chance to reply. The waiter smiled widely at Jenna, letting her know that their food would be out soon. He didn't say anything to Knox.
"My feelings did not get hurt," Knox said between gritted teeth when they were alone again. "I was simply making an observation that he finds you attractive and you obviously return the sentiment."
"He's just being nice and I'm being the same," Jenna said with a shake of her head. "Is this how you act when you're wired on caffeine? Because you should know that it's not a good look for you. Seriously, just drop it. I'm not going to run off with Steve at the end of our meal."
The rest of lunch was uneventful. Steve brought their food and they both were starving so they tucked in immediately, not chatting much until they were full. When Steve brought the check, Jenna grabbed it before Knox had a chance.
"I've got this one. You can get the next one."
"This place was my idea," he reminded her. "Let me at least pay half."
She placed her credit card on the table. "Nope, I've got it."
She paid and they headed back out to the car, stopping at the restrooms on the way out. When they met at the vehicle, she was holding a small styrofoam package.
"What's that?"
"Steve wrapped up some biscuits for us for the road."
Rolling his eyes, Knox climbed into the driver's seat. "And Steve just made my argument for me. He finds you attractive. Case closed."
Jenna settled into the passenger seat, placing the biscuits on the console between them. "For a guy that says he just wants to be barely friends, you sure sound jealous."
"I am not jealous."
"You sound that way."
"You're mistaken."
She reached between them, popped open the container, and pulled out a biscuit. "Then why do you care about Steve?"
Knox didn't have any answer. Because he didn't care about Steve. He'd almost forgotten the guy already.
Instead of replying, he fired up the engine and headed back to the highway. If Jenna wanted to flirt with every guy between Seattle and Douglas, she could go right ahead. It didn't bother him in the least. They were both free agents. No romantic entanglements.
But that didn't explain why he was so pissed off. He must have had too much caffeine today. That was it. Too much coffee and soda.
He wasn't jealous. Not at all.
9
If Knox had had any doubts about Jenna's adopted family having money, he didn't now. Clearly, the Waters clan had plenty of wealth to hire him and his firm with lots and lots to spare. The large, stately home sat on a huge lot surrounded by mountains and trees, set back from the road by a long, winding driveway, with a large garage on the opposite side. According to Michelle, Jenna's sister, there was a small stream towards the back of the property where they often had picnics.
So there was Michelle Waters. Where Jenna was blonde and blue-eyed, Michelle was dark-haired with soft brown eyes, the mirror image of her twin sister Lori. Michelle seemed open and friendly, smiling when they were introduced. She'd even spontaneously hugged him, whispering her thanks for helping them in his ear. He definitely heard a sob of emotion in her tone and tears sparkled in her eyes.
The unexpected person was Tom Waters, Jr. Knox was positive that Jenna hadn't mentioned having a brother at all but he was real. He had the same coloring as Michelle but appeared to be older by quite a bit. But the man was friendly, shaking Knox's hand and welcoming him to their home. He wasn't as open as Michelle though, seemingly sizing Knox up. That was fine. In a way, it made Knox respect Tom all the more.
Despite the formality of the outside of the home, the inside was light, bright, and cheery. High ceilings, large windows, and overstuffed couches and chairs gave the house a warmth and charm that Knox hadn't expected.
Knox lifted a gold-framed photo off the fireplace mantle, studying the three smiling women in the picture, standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.
"Yes, that's us and Lori," Michelle said, standing at his elbow. "We took that on our twenty-fifth birthday. We were all on a special vacation to celebrate our birthdays. They're all within a month and a half of each other."
"You look like you're having fun."
Lori and Michelle looked almost completely alike. They wore their hair differently and it was clear they had a different fashion sense, but their features were identical. Lori liked to wear bright colors while Michelle preferred a more neutral palette. Jenna fell somewhere in the middle.
"We did. We always had fun together," Michelle said with an audible sigh. "I can't even begin to tell you how close we all were. Jenna's always been like a real sister to us. From the very first. She just...fit in if you know what I mean. Like she was a long-lost family member. Mom and Dad ado
red her."
"That didn't bother you?"
Knox couldn't help the cynical questions that popped into his mind. He was a cop and that made him wary when he met new people. The vibe he got from Michelle was good and happy but...
Michelle smiled wider. "No, we were thrilled. I don't expect other people to understand it. It seems like something that only happens in the movies and not real life, but we just felt this instant kinship with her. She's the most amazing person."
"I'm sure she is."
Where were Tom and Jenna? They'd disappeared. Knox was alone with Michelle, and she had a certain expression on her face. She wanted to talk about stuff. Stuff he didn't want to talk about.
Shit.
"I understand that you're upset with my sister," Michelle went on. "You feel like she lied to you and now you think you can't trust her."
He didn't want to discuss this. This wasn't her business.
"I don't think we should–"
"But you can trust her. She's the most trustworthy person I've ever known except for Lori. She's a truly wonderful person, and there's so few of those in the world."
"I'm sure she is," Knox repeated, keeping his tone even. "This is really between Jenna and myself."
Frowning, Michelle shook her head. "I know that I shouldn't butt in. Jenna would be furious if she knew that I was saying any of this but I know that she has feelings for you, Knox. She cares about you."
Knox's fingers tightened on the picture frame, the metal cutting into the flesh.
"I don't want to be rude but I can't talk to you about this." He had to change the subject. Right now. "Why don't you tell me about Michelle and Cal? And about the last time you saw her?"
She nodded and stepped away, sinking down onto a sofa cushion. "I'll be honest with you, Knox. I was never the biggest fan of your brother Cal. From the very beginning, it seemed like he was trying to separate her from her friends and family. He would get upset about the smallest issues and guilt Lori into doing everything his way and on his timetable."
Deceptive Truth: Cowboy Justice Association (Serials and Stalkers Book 4) Page 7
