Page 73 of Deep Within Me

He backed up then hurried from the room.

Jacob was at his side in an instant. “What’s with Isabel? What did she mean about it being late?”

“I don’t know.”

“What did you two talk about before?”

“Could Liz be in your room?”

Jacob lifted his shoulders. “Maybe.”

She wasn’t. Zeke’s belly twisted.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Jacob said, “where in the fuck did she—hey, where are you going?”

Zeke spoke over his shoulder as he raced down the hall. “Meeting room.” It was the only place left that made sense.

He found her in front of the large computer screen, focused on the image of Carreon’s lieutenant strangling the stripper.

Zeke pulled Liz into his arms and held her tightly. He swallowed at how she shivered. “We’ll fix this,” he promised,even though he couldn’t. Not from here. Not at this time. The fucking prisoners weren’t simply refusing to speak; they really didn’t know where Carreon was.

Liz gripped Zeke’s tee in her hands and shuddered. “Carreon’s probably already sent some of his men to the stronghold so someone will be there when I—”

“You’re not going back.”

“We don’t have much time left.”

Zeke tightened his embrace, not wanting to hear the defeat in her words. He had to protect her. They had to have a future no matter what Carreon or Isabel wanted. He was this clan’s fucking leader. There had to be a way to fix this.

How? With what?

Think, dammit.

Liz moved against him as though she ached to stay but couldn’t.

“I won’t let you go,” Zeke whispered to her. “I’ll find a way to make this right. I’ll…” He didn’t continue, not knowing what else to say.

Jacob watched them for a moment then went around the table to the computer Kele had been using. “Maybe the answer’s right in front of us and we didn’t see it.”

Zeke shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s look at what we have and go through it again. It couldn’t hurt.” He brought up the screen and frowned.

“What is it?” Zeke asked.

Jacob sank into the chair. His fingers flew over the keyboard then stopped. He shook his head. “This isn’t right.”

Zeke stopped hugging Liz. With his arms still around her, he turned to Jacob. “What isn’t?”

“The most recent downloads were deleted. Why would she do that?”

Who? Isabel? “What are you talking about?”

“Kele. She erased the history, or thought she had.” Jacob stared at the screen as he continued, “Nothing’s ever really gone from a computer. I’m bringing it back up.”

“Why would she delete anything as important as this?” Liz asked.

Zeke hadn’t a clue. What purpose would it serve? It wasn’t as if she was going to try to win Jacob over again. That was over. Zeke had seen it in Kele’s expression, the depth of sorrow and shame in her eyes. She hadn’t been acting. He knew she—