Page 20 of Operation Rescue
Erin was in the kitchen, where she’d been washing those coffee mugs for nearly an hour. They were likely sterile enough for surgery by now. Rafe, who had been across the living room on the phone again with who knows how many people in that last hour, finally put the thing back in his pocket and walked back over to him.
“Got through to one of Walker’s police contacts this time, gave him a heads-up on why we’re here. He’s going to look into the case and see if there are any developments or leads they haven’t had the time or manpower to look into. We compared lists—” he held up the list Erin had made out, of friends and places Ethan might contact or be at, although they were only the ones she knew of “—and he helped us eliminate a couple that they did check out thoroughly.”
Erin set down the last mug with an audible thump. She looked at Rafe in surprise. “They actually did something? The officer who took the report wasn’t optimistic about that. Said they were too backed up.”
Rafe turned to look at her. “They are. But it turns out the juvenile detective for the area is former military. Once he knew Ethan was the son of an active-duty Marine pilot, he was all in.” He shifted his gaze to Blaine. “He owes one like I owe you. But I think he would have done it anyway. He’ll call if he turns up anything. And expects the same from us, of course.”
“He didn’t tell you to stay out and let the police handle it like he did me?” Erin sounded a bit offended.
“You’re a civilian, of course he told you that,” Blaine said, feeling a little sick at the idea of her out there when there were possibly street gangsters involved. Especially here, where the influx was so high, less than a hundred miles from the border. Before Erin could say whatever it was she was about to, Rafe thankfully, tactfully, and probably intentionally cut it off.
“I also talked to the attorney Walker’s wife, Amy, works for, Marcus Rockwell,” Rafe went on.
“I’ve heard that name,” Erin said.
“He’s pretty well known in the area, has handled a few gang-related cases, and gave me a couple of locations to check. He can help with any aftermath issues for Ethan as well.”
“You got information from both a detective and an attorney?” Erin asked.
“Foxworth did,” Rafe corrected. “The name opens a lot of doors. We work with the police, often. If we get information they can’t, we share it. And they know if it turns into something big for them, we don’t care about getting credit. But we’re not bogged down by their rules, so we have more freedom to do what’s necessary to help and protect our client.”
Blaine noticed he wasn’t at all irritated at having to explain again what he’d already told him. He really was proud of his work. The thought caused a pang in Blaine’s gut.
“Client? Is that what I am?” Erin asked.
Rafe studied her for a moment before saying quietly, “I think in this case Ethan is our client.”
Blaine could tell by the look on her face that she felt the same way he did at those words.
“You’re not going to get in trouble with your boss for using that influence, are you?” Erin asked, and Blaine felt a soft, warm recognition. This was the Erin he knew, always worried about everyone else, sometimes to her own detriment.
Rafe smiled at her. “If we needed him, my boss, his wife, Teague, our other team member Liam, they’d all be on their way down here. Or Quinn would order Walker and his team back here by morning. He was ready to stay and help after he flew me—” he paused and grinned at the dog “—us down here.”
She looked a little awed as she stared at him. Blaine knew the feeling. When he’d called Rafe he’d had no idea it would be like calling out an entire squad to back him up.
Then, as if a bell had rung somewhere, she said briskly, “Shall I tell you where I’ve been, who I’ve talked to, so you can take that off the list?”
Rafe hesitated, and Blaine guessed he knew why and said it for him. “We’re going to talk to them, too. Just in case.”
He knew some people who would have no problem lying to a woman might think twice about lying to a guy like Rafe. Or him, especially if he had Cutter with him.
Blaine was afraid she’d take offense, but she didn’t. Instead, she simply shocked the heck out of him.
“It’s getting late,” she said. “And you must be tired, both of you, traveling all this way. I have a guest room, and the couch isn’t awful to sleep on.”
That startled him. She wanted them to stay? Here, with her? Her ex under the same roof?
The thought of being here with her set off all kinds of danger signals in his head. He opened his mouth to say they had someplace else to stay, but Rafe spoke before he had the chance.
“That will be fine,” he said, and Blaine blinked.
“We’re staying here?” he asked, warily.
Rafe met his gaze then. Steadily, betraying nothing. “I think it’s best somebody stay where Ethan just might return to. It’s been long enough now he might need or want something he left here, or he might get over whatever crisis set him off.”
Damn. He hadn’t thought about that, and he should have. But then, Rafe had said they’d stay at Foxworth. He hadn’t mentioned staying here until Erin had. So what had changed?
Maybe it was just meeting Erin. That’s all it took for you to want to do anything she asked.
