Page 46 of Double Take

“We’ll wait. Thank you, Mom.”

Her gaze softened and she patted her son’s arm. “Of course.”

Once she was in the kitchen, Nick motioned for them to follow him into the den and they seated themselves. James and Cole on the oversized sofa and Nick in the recliner next to the fireplace. Heleaned forward. “Look, leave her alone, okay? She was just starting to accept that she’s never going to see Adam again, and we don’t need you two stirring her up.”

“So, you don’t think Adam is alive like she does?”

“Oh, he’s alive and he’s in hiding just like she said. But he’s made it clear that he’s never coming home again. Unless Lainie moves or is dead.”

“Where’s your father, Nick? When I called, I asked for him and your mother to both be here.”

“He left. Said he was done talking about Adam, that it was too painful.”

James rubbed a hand down the side of his face, his brain scrambling, lower back throbbing. This might not have been a good idea, but he—and Lainie—didn’t have time for him to sit around and heal. And while he wished Adam’s father were here to talk to, they’d have to work with what they had. “Okay, so Adam was afraid of her. Did he file a police report?” He knew the man hadn’t.

And the marshals didn’t just hide civilians who were afraid for their lives.

Nick scoffed. “No. He’d already decided to go into hiding and let everyone believe he was dead. Filing a police report would kind of mess that plan up, wouldn’t it?”

“Okay, then did Adam have information on a case or a criminal that would come after him if someone discovered he was working with the authorities?”

“No.” The man frowned. “At least I don’t think so. The only person he was afraid of coming after him was Lainie.”

Then the marshals didn’t have anything to do with Adam’s disappearance. But, he’d still check. “Who told you about the marshals being involved?”

“Adam did.”

“You spoke to him?”

“Yes. The day before his funeral. He asked us to go through with it in order to make sure Lainie thought he was dead. He thoughtshe might show up, but I never saw her there.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Good thing I didn’t.”

“And you don’t mind telling us all this?”

He shrugged. “Why not? The only person we need to keep it from is Lainie. And besides, Adam has to be tired of hiding. He has to want to come home. Maybe you guys can help make that happen if you know the truth.”

James wanted to pull his hair out. None of this made a lick of sense based on what he knew about the man stalking Lainie. That guy didn’t care if Lainie knew he was alive or not.

Cole sighed. “You know, faking your death is against the law, right?”

“Well, if you can find him, you can arrest him, but good luck with that. And it’s not against the law if the marshals help you, right?”

If the marshals were helping. Which James highly doubted. Unless Adam’s family just didn’t have the whole story. “You don’t have any idea where he could be?”

“I don’t. He said it was better that way. Once the marshals got him relocated, he texted on a burner, but then dropped off the radar again about a year ago.”

And James had a feeling Nick wouldn’t share if he did know. “So, you haven’t seen him either.”

“No.”

“Let’s circle back to the marshals,” Cole said. “Just to be clear, Adam told you the marshals were hiding him.”

“Yes.”

“But he’s showing himself to Lainie now.” He didn’t see the harm in mentioning that fact now.

Nick’s frown deepened. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s seen him a couple of times,” James said. “He even showed up at a place she volunteers. We have him on the security footage.”