Hidden Away (KGI #3)(17)

“Thank you again,” she said in a low voice. “I know you think I’m nuts, but thank you for everything you did and for walking me home. And ... for not forcing the issue back there.”

He offered a casual smile and shrugged as if it didn’t matter to him one iota what she decided. “You’re welcome. Glad I was in the right place at the right time.”

Not wanting her to feel awkward, he broke away first and headed toward his own cottage. Right place right time. He nearly snorted at how easily that fabrication had fallen off his lips. He’d tagged her as soon as she left her cottage. It had only taken him twenty minutes to return to his place, change and head into town after her.

He let himself into the house and went immediately for the sat phone. He called Resnick first and relayed the events along with the name of the constable and Sarah’s attacker. In half an hour, Resnick would know his dick size and the last time he took a shit. If there was anything Garrett needed to do, Resnick would tag him later.

His next call was to Sam, and he waited impatiently for his brother to answer.

“How goes the babysitting?” Sam asked.

“Just a hello works,” Garrett said sourly.

“But not nearly as fun. What’s up? Everything okay in paradise?”

Garrett rummaged in the fridge with one hand and pulled out a beer before diving back in for sandwich fixings. “It’s not bad. Got some fishing in. Been working out, doing some swimming. Not a bad vacation.”

Sam muttered something indecipherable, and Garrett grinned, knowing it would irritate Sam that Garrett was on a tropical island while Sam was stuck home on pins and needles waiting for his daughter to be born.

“Hey, is Van back from his gig?”

“Yeah, this morning,” Sam replied. “He’s sleeping.”

“Get him up. I need him to do something for me.”

“Can’t it wait? He’s on day four of no rest.”

“No, it can’t wait,” Garrett said impatiently. “I wouldn’t have called if it could wait.”

“Impatient bastard,” Sam grumbled. “If you get me into trouble with my wife for this, I’ll kick your ass. She’s ruthless right now.”

Garrett chuckled. “Still hasn’t dropped the kid, huh.”

“Hell, no. If she doesn’t pop soon, I’m seriously contemplating moving out.”

Garrett rolled his eyes. “I don’t know why you say that shit. You’re full of crap and we both know it.”

“Hang on, I’ll wake Van up.”

Garrett heard muffled voices and one distinct groan. He grinned. Donovan did love his sleep and he wouldn’t appreciate being pulled out of bed. But Garrett didn’t want to wait another twenty-four hours to find out what his brother needed while Donovan caught up on his beauty rest.

“What the f**k do you want?” Donovan’s bleary voice bled over the line.

“Hello to you too. I need you to run something for me.”

“This couldn’t wait a few goddamn hours?”

Garrett’s eyebrows went up. Cranky son of a bitch. He really must have missed some serious sleep to be this grouchy.

“No, it can’t wait.”

“Well hell,” Donovan muttered. “Give me a sec to get to Hoss.”

Garrett waited patiently, drumming his fingers on the counter by the can of beer. Deciding to utilize the time wisely, he propped the phone between his shoulder and ear and set about fixing a couple of sandwiches to go with the beer.

A few minutes later, Donovan’s irritable grunt sounded. “What the hell is so important that you couldn’t wait for me to catch a few hours’ sleep?”

“I need you to dig up some info on Sarah Daniels.”

“What? I already gave you her file. I can’t believe this.”

Garrett stuffed a bite of the sandwich into his mouth and then mumbled around it. “No, no, I need you to dig deeper. I think I’m missing something here. I want you to check on any police reports that might have her name in it. Hospital records. Anything that suggests she was a victim.”

There was a long pause. “Victim of what, Garrett?”

“That’s what I need you to find out. That file Resnick gave us just gave info on her as it related to Lattimer and the guy he supposedly killed. I need to know more about Sarah herself and what makes her tick. She’s skittish as hell, and she was attacked today.”

“What the hell?” Donovan cut in. “Is everything okay there? Do you need us?”

Garrett chugged down a swallow of beer. “Nothing I can’t handle. Some ass**le tried to nab her bag. But she fell apart. I mean, not that it wouldn’t be normal for her to be scared to death, but it was eerie. And then we get to the constable’s office and suddenly she changes her mind, says she doesn’t want to press charges and walks out. Part of it is I think she realized at the last minute that she would draw unwanted attention to herself, but I also think something else is going on here and I want to know what. I’m going to need all the ammo I can get, because she’s going to be a hard nut to crack.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can dig up. You want me to call you when I’m done or you want to call me back later?”

“I’ll call you in an hour or so,” Garrett replied.