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“But I didn’t see the killer’s face. I don’t know who it was.”
“It’s more than we had before and enough to start putting together a suspect list,” Jake assured.
Claire turned back to Dvita. “And you’re sure Max is the only one who’s still missing from the center?”
“Yes. Everyone’s been accounted for except for him.”
“It doesn’t make sense. He wouldn’t just leave. Something must’ve happened to him.”
“There’s no need to jump to conclusions,” Dvita replied.
“I know him, Dr. Dvita. Passages is more than just a job to him. It’s his home.” She turned to Jake. “You can help the police look for him, right?”
“Your safety is my only involvement in this case, Claire.”
“Jake, he needs our help. Max is the only reason more people weren’t killed last night.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Jake muttered.
“What do you mean?”
The alarm in Claire’s eyes gutted Jake, but he knew better than to keep things from her. The doctor had been right about one thing. Claire was stronger than Jake gave her credit for and that stopped now. “Like I said, I’m not working this case, but based on the victim’s political history it’s possible this was a targeted strike.”
Tears filled Claire’s eyes. “I still can’t believe he’s gone. Who would want to hurt Congressman Hayes?”
“Claire,” Dvita warned. “I’d prefer you continue to keep my patients’ identities private.”
But it was too late. The cat was out of the bag and Jake was choking on it. He’d been sucking down his third cup of coffee of the day when Claire uttered the name. It shot through him like a ghost from his past leaving a chill in its wake.
Regaining his composure Jake put his coffee down. “Hold on. Did you just say Congressman Hayes? As in Norton Hayes?”
Claire looked confused. “Yeah. Do you know him?”
Outrage turned Jake’s voice to gravel. “He’s the victim?”
“This isn’t public knowledge,” Dvita warned, but Jake had stopped listening.
He was already out the front door, his phone pressed to his ear. He swore when it went to voicemail.
Waiting for the beep only exacerbated his temper. “I can’t believe this is how I found out the piece of shit responsible for Ramirez andMY ENTIRE TEAMis dead!If you think I’m standing down on this, you’re out of your mind, Jenkins. Find a way to read me in and do it now, because I’m on my way to the morgue. I want to see that bastard on ice with my own two eyes.”
Jake was already in his SUV, engine roaring to life on Dana’s sleepy street when she appeared on the sidewalk. Arms crossed, she locked eyes with him, challenging him to leave.
Swearing, Jake punched the steering wheel. It hadn’t even been 24 hours since he’d made her a promise and here he was running off again without telling her why.
She deserved better.
He’d told her they were in this together, and that meant letting her in—all the way this time.
Jake left the engine running and exited his vehicle. Meeting Dana on the sidewalk he took her hands.
“Jake, what’s going on?”
“Norton Hayes wasn’t always a Congressman, Dana. He used to work for the Department of Defense, and long story short, he’s the one who sent my Special Ops team on that mission in Ghazni.”
“Jake … I know how much guilt you feel about that, but no one could’ve predicted that outcome.”
“That’s just it, Dana. I did and Hayes didn’t care. As usual, his personal agenda took priority.”
