Page 6 of Lost Without You

“Holy shit! You’re right. How come I never noticed that? I’m a goddamn language specialist and I never saw it,” she murmured and shook her head.

“Sometimes when you’re too close to a case you lose perspective.”

“Well, I hope I won’t make that mistake again,” Rachel replied as she shook her head, admonishing herself.

“That’s what I’m here for. To bring a fresh lens. And this is a good place to start. It begs the question—how would they manage to say the exact same thing? That reeks of being coached, and it’s a red flag. I’m going to dig further into the firm,” Ethan murmured.

Rachel met Ethan’s intense gaze and her pulse jumped in response. She looked away and took another sip of coffee. Her reaction was simply due to the excitement of finally making progress. Things were starting to come together and for the first time in a long time, she was moving ahead instead of standing still. That was all.

All her focus should be on the case. Nothing else mattered.

Chapter Four

Ethan

New York City, that afternoon

Their plane arrived in New York on time and after checking into the hotel, Ethan continued his research and made a few phone calls to his contacts while Rachel visited a friend. They agreed to meet up later at her mom’s place.

Dalton Sunema, an FBI agent who worked in the white-collar division, agreed to meet with Ethan. They’d never met in person or worked on a case together but had mutual contacts. Ethan had a hunch about the accounting firm, and he wouldn’t let it go until he’d exhausted all avenues.

He took a power nap, showered, and changed into a fresh pair of jeans and a sweater. Grabbing his phone, and his laptop, he threw on his windbreaker and slipped into his Chelsea boots. Even though it was evening in New York, his body clock was all mixed up. He longed to return to bed, but he had to be at Rachel’s mom’s apartment in Greenwich Village by 7:00. It was a quick cab ride over, but his nerves wouldn’t settle. For some reason he already felt bad about some of the questions he was about to ask.

Ethan always strived to stay objective on a case, but every time he looked into Rachel’s eyes, he felt her pain, her longing for answers and it grabbed him tight and wouldn’t let go. Unlike his ex, Rachel didn’t demand his constant attention and yet she had it completely. He also enjoyed her quick mind and her sharp sense of humor.

If only they hadn’t met this way…

Shaking out of his ridiculous thoughts, he stepped out of the cab and willed himself to relax. Until he saw the object of his rumination standing in the lobby of the building and goosebumps erupted all over his body. Even if his brain was warning him to stay away, his body knew exactly what he wanted.

Rachel was talking to the concierge, a young man who seemed totally entranced by her. Ethan wished he was the reason she was smiling. Instead, he’d likely cause her more pain as this investigation went on.

“Evening,” he said as he walked through the door.

“Did you have a good afternoon?” Rachel asked as she led them to the elevator.

“It was productive. You still okay if I speak to your mom alone?”

“I’m good.”

Ethan was surprised she wasn’t objecting.

“Some of my questions will be difficult,” he reminded her.

Rachel turned and gave him the evil eye again. Just like on the plane. The look fired him up and made him want to laugh at the same time. God, he was in so much fucking trouble with this woman…

“I get it, Ethan. They were married and marriages aren’t storybooks. As long as you’re respectful towards her then everything will be okay. Ask my mom what you need. She’s a strong woman and she can handle it.”

“Like daughter, like mother?”

“Damn right,” Rachel replied with a smile.

Ethan’s stomach finally unclenched.

The elevator ride was quick and smooth. Exiting on the fourteenth floor, they walked down a long hallway until they reached apartment 1405. Rachel knocked once and waited.

“Hola, querida,” Tina said as she opened the door and enveloped Rachel. “And Ethan, so very nice to meet you, please come in. I’ve prepared dinner, you must be hungry from your travels.”

Tina was a mature version of Rachel, albeit several inches shorter and with brown eyes. But she had the same look of determination that he recognized in her daughter.