Page 51 of Defenseless
“If he was involved and she didn’tactuallyknow, she probably suspected,” Kara said.
“I agree,” Sabina confirmed.
“Which would be another reason for her to cut him out of your lives completely,” Chad said.
Kara inclined her head. “The three of us were close. She would have done anything to protect us if she thought there was a threat.”
“Even if that threat was our own father,” Sabina added.
“So where is he now?” Ethan asked.
At Ethan’s question, everyone looked at her and Kara. But like her, Kara raised her shoulders. “I—we—have no idea where he is,” Sabina said. “Like I said, we never saw or heard from him again after he left. Then of course, after the murder, we were in hiding. If he tried to reach out to us after that, he wouldn’t have been able to find us.”
“Is it possible he’s dead?” Kara asked, her question sounding more curious than concerned.
“If our theory holds true, he was alive at least long enough to steal from Kevin Jacobs,” Chad replied.
“But that was eighteen years ago,” Sabina pointed out, looking at her team in silent question.
“I’ll look for him,” Collin said. “Ava, you stay on Jacobs and see if he’s still involved in those activities. Or any other illegal activity, for that matter.”
“And I’ll stay on the Sweet River angle,” Leo said. Without a word, her team swiveled and scooted their chairs across the room until they were once again in front of their weapons of choice.
“We need to call Tess,” Chad said. “We have bits and pieces of evidence, but nothing solid. I don’t know what she’ll be able to do with it, but she’s best positioned to have the answer since none of us are attorneys.”
“I agree,” Sabina said. “Why don’t we do that then break for dinner? I know you wanted everyone to stay on HICC grounds, but any chance we can head out to the Dirty Boom? I could really use a cheeseburger—”
“And a beer,” Kara interjected with a mutter.
“And a beer,” Sabina agreed.
Chad glanced at Colton, and some sort of communication passed between the two. Finally, Chad nodded. “I also think it might be better for you three to stay at my place tonight,” he said, pointing to Sabina, Kara, and Gina. “I know Leo, Collin, and Ava bunked down in the dorms last night, but I think we should move them to the cabin. The operatives can split watch duties between here and my property.”
“Why split up? It seems like we should be sticking together?” Kara asked.
“It sounds dramatic, but the world now knows you’re both alive,” Ethan answered. “When it was just Kevin Jacobs, he could send his henchmen to do whatever he ordered with no one as witness. Now that it’s on record that you are alive, who you are, and what you do, it will be much harder for him to come after you.”
“Don’t get complacent, though,” Chad warned. “He’ll still want you out of the picture. But he’ll have to regroup and think of a new strategy since his current one leaves him too exposed.”
Ethan nodded. “And with the danger levels lower, everyone may as well be comfortable. I suspect Leo, Ava, and Collin will like the beds in the cabin better than those in the dorms. Iknowyou, Gina, and Kara will prefer the ones at Chad’s.”
“And the grounds and house are safe,” Ryan said, stepping into the conversation for the first time since he arrived. “It’s not so much a strategic decision as one of comfort,” he reiterated. “We’re going to have a couple of long days ahead of us. We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a decent night’s sleep.”
Sabina couldn’t argue with that. She was an eight-hours-a-night kind of gal. Still, she wasn’t the only one impacted. She looked to Kara and Gina.
“Fine by me,” Kara said. “Especially if that means I can have a burger and a beer.”
“A bed is a bed,” Gina said. “If that’s what you girls want, I have no objections.”
“Then it’s settled,” Chad said.
“I’ll go over to the cabin to tidy up a bit,” Sabina said.
Kara stayed her with her hand then rose. “You stay and talk to Tess. I’ll go to the cabin. I’ll pack our things, change the sheets, that sort of stuff.”
“I’ll go with you,” Ethan said, rising. “I can pack Chad’s things and help with the beds.”
Before either she or Chad could say anything, the two were out the door.
