Page 23 of Complicated Past
He pulled the car to the curb and shifted it into park. “I’m asking you to trust me. I know what I’m doing.” He put his hand on the door handle.
“I’m going to have 9-1-1 up and ready to connect.”
“Only if there’s an emergency.”
“Like you get shot?”
“You don’t have to wait for that. If you see a gun, call.” He exited the car before she could call Clara. If no neighbors were outside, he could slip in and be back down on the street in less than ten seconds. He had this, and he needed a break.
He hadn’t reached the driveway where the van was parked before a dog yapped from inside. Great. Once he passed the van, he detoured up the side for a quick look. Not seeing a dent in the bumper, he didn’t bother recording the plate.
“What are you doing there?” An older woman’s voice called out just before a barking tan and black ball of fur stopped a few feet away.
He calmly turned and reached for his wallet. “US Marshal, ma’am.” He smiled and flipped his wallet open to his badge and credentials as a member of the elite Delta unit. “A similar van was used in an abduction.”
The woman with gray-streaked hair and thick glasses scooped up the dog, which continued to bare its teeth. “My husband uses this van for his upholstery business. He ain’t involved in no abduction.”
“I already confirmed this wasn’t the van used,” he said as a slightly stooped man in his sixties exited the house. Definitely not the kidnapper in the video. “I’m sorry to have disturbed you, ma’am.”
The woman watched him walk to Dev’s car, which Kendra had stopped just past their driveway. “Hope you find ‘em.”
He gave a grim nod.
“Not the right van?” Kendra asked when he slid into the passenger seat.
He shook his head. “You didn’t call the police, did you?”
“No. I didn’t honk to warn you either when she came out.” A bit of a smile played on her face as she drove.
“I wouldn’t shoot an unarmed woman or yappy dog.” He smiled back at her. The chill between them had thawed considerably since last night, and she was proving to be a good ally. And the most attractive one he’d worked with, but he needed to keep focused on his mission. It’d been over two days since Regina had been forced into the van. Was she still alive? Was Bri?
They drove around another four hours with no more scares and no success finding the van. “We should probably call it a day and get Jalen,” he conceded.
“I’m guessing you’d prefer we not go by my apartment, but can we stop somewhere so I can buy a change of clothes if we’ll be staying at your friend’s house another night?”
“We can stop at the Post Exchange on base on the way.” That would be safe.
They only spent about ten minutes picking up some clothing without bothering to try things on. After Kendra loaded her items at the checkout, Linc removed the divider she placed on the conveyor belt.
“I’ve got this.” He inserted his credit card to pay as she discreetly bagged the pack of underwear she’d selected without him getting a good look. He couldn’t help but picture her in a black lace bra and pair of hi-cut panties, even though that was not what she had bought. However, they weren’t granny panties. That would have killed his little fantasy. For all he knew, she could be dating someone. It’s not like he’d asked, though she also hadn’t called anyone to cancel plans or give an update on her situation.
He waited until they got to the car to call the Shulers.
“I was just about to call you,” Walt greeted him. “Any luck?”
“Afraid not. We’re on our way to pick up Jalen.”
“We’re about to eat dinner, but the kids wanted to know if he could spend the night. They’ve been cooking up plans to turn the bunk beds into a tent.”
“That’s my fault. I made him a tent fort last night.”
“It’s all good. They’ve gotten along great. This way, you can keep doing what you need to do.”
“Let me talk to him for a minute.”
“Hello,” Jalen didn’t sound overly enthused to be interrupted to talk on the phone.
“I hear you’re having a good time there, J-man.”