Page 50 of Special Agent Joseph

Vinnie’s voice barked his reply. “I played back the tape, you idiot.”

“Of course. Right. I’m leaving now. See you shortly.”

“Hey. Get Megan too. She helped find her the last time.”

“Okay. I’ll call her now. Bye.”

Once he hung up, Joe turned to Megan. “You heard?”

“Yeah, he wants me to help.” Wrapping the throw around her nakedness, she pushed her way off the sofa to gather her clothes. “Where’s the washroom?”

Joe pointed to a door off to the left. “You’ll come to Vinnie’s with me?”

“Of course. You couldn’t keep me away.” She lowered her tone and added, “Look, the kid didn’t just wander all that way out there by herself. She either stole a car or got a lift with someone else. I’m thinking she’s not alone.”

“Any ideas who she could be with? We both know it can’t be Raphael. Not according to what Vinnie said earlier. By the way, did the police ever find his body?”

“Not that I know of. I’d be surprised if they do. There’s a lot of desert around here, and Vinnie’s boys know how to get rid of a corpse with no one else the wiser.”

Joe grunted as he pulled on his jeans. “Christ, it’s a sad world we live in.”

“Tell me about it. But don’t despair, there’s still a lot of good people around to even the score.”

Joe sighed his agreement and asked, “Could she have met up with someone else from the pit?”

By now, Megan had her clothes in hand. “Not so sure about that. Those folks don’t own cars. Not unless they’re dealing drugs themselves or pimping. As far as we know, Lucia wouldn’t have had any money when she left rehab. So, either she convinced someone to take her by promising them a payoff after she stole Vinnie’s money, or she got lucky and hitchhiked. Which means it’s possible she could be around there somewhere. I say we bring Jack. He could track her, right?”

“According to his previous owner, Jack was top of this K9 class… exceptional performance were his exact words. Well, until he burned out. But it couldn’t hurt to try working with him again.”

“Good. Give me five minutes to dress, and I’m all yours.”

“If only.”

She stopped and looked back at him. Their gazes met and held.

Before Joe let her rush away, he pulled her in for a mind-blowing kiss, and one whispered word, “Megan.”

In a throaty voice, husky with remembered intimacy, she looked at him, her dreamy-eyed gaze making him smile. “Yes?”

“Just… Megan.”

***

She stopped moving. The moment called for her to pay attention. Staring into his eyes, she wasn’t disappointed. He cared. His needs were written clearly. She knew her own eyes were glittery from the overwhelming emotion that his hoarsely whispered word had instigated.

His message and the way he voiced it meant more to her than anything else he could have said. Kissing him, showing him her appreciation almost brought them back to the couch, but she pushed out of his arms. “Later, tiger. Right now we have an angry, spoiled teenager to find who’s in a world of trouble.”

Chapter Thirty-six

Lucia hated being locked up against her will and forced to do what others wanted without having any say in things at all. The fight to get away settled in her head but her weak body had other ideas. Knowing her grandfather had been behind this torture chamber bullshit made her hate him more now than ever before. Wanting to show him, she tried to make plans to get the hell out of the place. Only her mind wouldn’t work. Her thoughts were a muddle and all over the place.

Once they had her in a room of her own, they brought medications for her to take.

She still had enough sense to ask, “What is it?”

“Don’t worry, honey. It’s medical intervention to reduce your withdrawal symptoms and manage those cravings. We’re tapering down your addiction. Trust me, it’ll help.”

She took the medication and waited. Sure enough, she stopped trembling. The hunger had been fed… for now. Pacing, clawing at her arms, Lucia knew she needed money above all else. Amemory surfaced of Vinnie going into a cabinet in his office where he opened a cupboard to reveal a stack of bills. When she saw the stack, she’d asked, “Gramps, what’s all that money for?”

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