Page 62 of Coff

I drive up and down all the streets around her house and her work, but I don’t find her. And she doesn’t respond to my text.

I’m out of ideas when my phone buzzes again. When I see it’s not Delaney, I’m disappointed. But then I read the message.

Brian:We got a hit on Delaney’s phone outside Yuma, Arizona. I’ll send you the location.

Shit. That’s three hours away. Why the hell is she there? I can speculate all day, but what I need are answers.

Me:I’m on my way.

As I’m driving, it hits me. My brother asked for my help with this case. I ruminate on that for a while but finally conclude he knows I’ll protect Delaney better than anyone else. And he also knows that if anything happens to her, I’ll… I’ll what? I’ll be heartbroken? Never love again. Well, hell, all that’s already come true. But the need to keep her safe is too strong for me to ignore.

When I reach the location Brian sent me, I pull over on the shoulder. The highway is four lanes and cuts through farmland.

Brian also sent her number, so I call it, and sure enough, I hear it ring. I follow the sound until I locate her phone on the side of the road. Dammit.

Me:Found her phone on the side of the road. No sign of her.

My brother responds right away.

Brian:Duke’s phone also pinged there last, too. They are together. When you find them, protect both of them.

I stare at the message. First, I need to determine if anyone else is with them. Second, my brother wants me to protect Duke, too? I’ll have to ask about that later. I made good time, but they are at least two and a half hours ahead of me. I leave the phones in the ditch. If my brother can trace them here, so can someone else. And not someone I want to lead right to them.

Me:I’m going to keep driving up this highway. Any idea what car they are in?

He sends me the make and model of Duke’s car. I need more information than my brother can legally provide, and I know who to call to get it.

“Pizza Haven, how can I help you?” Trip answers.

I laugh. Only this guy could get me to laugh despite my shitty current mood. “Didn’t that place really exist?”

“Yeah, they all existed at one point.”

Trip is our go-to guy for anything we need traced or searched. I don’t know how he does it, and I know better than to ask. He often answers the phone as a fast-food joint. He claims he did it to Cowboy from Morgan Thompson Security as a joke, but he’s kept it up for years, and now a few of us at Reed Hawthorne Security get the same treatment.

“What’s up?” he asks.

I explain what is going on, and he knows exactly what I need.

“I’ll see if there are any hits on their credit cards, and do you happen to have the license plate number for Duke’s car?”

I sigh. “I don’t.”

“No worries, I can get it. It will just take a little time. I’ll see if there are any hits on any highway cameras or if there are any toll booths out that way.”

I knew I could count on Trip. “Thank you. I really appreciate this.”

“No problem. But you should probably tell Reed what’s going on. Last I heard, he thinks you’re on vacation.”

Vacation? Huh, I guess that’s easier to say than the truth. Besides, I shouldn’t be surprised. For the most part, Reed keeps our confidence. Unless it’s about Lightning and involves costumes. Damn, I still can’t believe Reed sent him, of all people, on an assignment where he had to dress up like a fox.

“Coff? You still there?”

My mind is wandering. I need to stay focused. “Yeah, I’m here. Thanks for your help.”

“I’ll call you once I have something. Talk to you later.” He ends the call, and I toss my phone onto the passenger seat.

For the next two hours, I drive north as my mind wanders back to the past. A place I closed off years ago. When I met Delaney in a bar, I figured it would just be a one-night stand. But as we talked, something clicked. It was as if I’d known her for years. Then the sex that night. I smile, thinking back. It was amazing. All these years later, no one has compared to her, which really sucks for me.

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