Snared (Elemental Assassin #16)(46)

Jade stared at me, wanting an answer, so I sighed and put down my fork.

“I know you want to be there for Elissa. I know you want to find her more than anything else. I know that you would give anything for that to happen.”

“But?”

I let out a breath and made my voice as gentle as I could. “But we might not find Elissa. We might not find her alive. We might not find her at all—ever.”

Jade flinched, as though I’d slapped her. She dropped her head, leaned back in her seat, and crossed her arms over her chest, as if she were trying to shield herself from the ugly truth of my words. After several long, tense seconds, she raised her head and looked at me again, tears shimmering in her eyes.

“I know that.” Her voice was as soft and serious as mine had been. “I don’t like it, but I know it. I know that she could already be . . . dead.” Her voice cracked on the last word, and she had to clear her throat before she could continue. “But she’s my sister, and if I don’t do everything that I can to find her, then I will never be able to live with myself. Surely you can understand that, Gin.”

“I do understand that.” I gave her a hard, serious look. “But if you want to be involved, then you have to play by my rules, and you have to do what I say, when I say it. I might have to do some nasty things to find Elissa. Things that would turn anyone’s stomach. If you don’t want to be involved in those things, I understand.”

Jade’s mouth tightened, and her chin lifted. “I don’t care who you have to hurt or what you have to do to them. I’ll stand right by your side and hand you the damn knives myself if it means getting my sister back.”

Determination flashed in her eyes, and I knew that she meant every single word. Jade would do whatever it took to find Elissa. Still, she would be emotional and vulnerable, no matter how much she tried to keep her worry and fear in check. But I could be cold, hard, and strong enough for both of us. And Jade was right. I couldn’t shut her out. I wouldn’t have been able to stand aside if Bria was missing.

“All right, then,” I said, picking up my fork again. “Gin’s first rule. Eat your breakfast.”

Jade opened her mouth like she was going to protest that she couldn’t possibly eat a single bite, but I stabbed my fork at her.

“Gin’s second rule. Do not argue with assassins carrying multiple knives. Ever.”

For a second, a ghost of a smile pulled up her lips. “Yes, ma’am.”

I nodded. “Now, that’s more like it.”

? ? ?

I forced myself to finish the rest of my food. Jade merely picked at hers, but at least she ate a few bites and grudgingly sipped the chicory coffee. Better than nothing.

After breakfast, we both got to work. Jade called her employees, telling them that she had a personal matter and they should all take the day off. I made a call of my own, then went outside, grabbed a fresh set of clothes out of the supplies in the trunk of my car, and took a shower.

At nine o’clock sharp, a polite knock sounded at the front door. Jade and I were back in the kitchen, and she almost jumped up out of her chair at the sudden noise.

“Who could that be?” Jade asked.

“Reinforcements.”

We went into the office in the front of the house. The knock came again, a little louder and more insistent than before. I rolled my eyes at his impatience, but I still double-checked to make sure that it was him before I unlocked and opened the door.

Silvio was waiting outside, his phone in one hand and his tablet case resting in the crook of his other elbow. “Finally. I was wondering if you were going to make me stand outside all morning.”

“The thought never crossed my mind,” I quipped.

“Uh-huh.” He arched his eyebrows and stepped inside the house. “Jade.”

“Silvio.” She nodded at him.

My assistant looked around, his gray eyes brightening with appreciation as he took in all the desks, computers, and other equipment. “Finally. A real office. This will do quite nicely.”

He went over to the closest desk and put down his phone and tablet case. Then he headed back outside, returning a minute later with a large cardboard box. Back and forth Silvio went, until a dozen cardboard boxes were stacked in the corner.

“What’s all this?” Jade asked in a puzzled voice.

Silvio set down the last box. “Everything that the Ashland Police Department has on the Dollmaker.”

Jade stared at all the boxes, her face creasing into a frown. “All those boxes, all those files inside. It would take an army to go through all of that information.”

He flashed her a smile. “Don’t worry. Help is on the way.”

Sure enough, less than five minutes later, another knock sounded at the front door. Jade opened it to find Finn, Bria, and Owen standing outside. They all trooped into the house and murmured their hellos to us.

The fourth and final person at the back of the pack surprised me: Dr. Ryan Colson. He’d changed out of his blue scrubs and was now wearing black boots, black corduroy pants, and a dark blue sweater under a black leather jacket. Despite the fact that he’d probably been up all night, performing an autopsy on the Dollmaker’s latest victim, he looked as calm and steady as always. Then again, I supposed that he was used to working hard, long, and odd hours, given his job.