Gone (Deadly Secrets #2)(22)

“It’s exactly what I think.”

“Don’t—”

“No, you don’t.” He stepped away from her, slapping the papers against his thigh, unable to believe he’d been so gullible. “I can’t believe you’re doing this again. You did this three years ago, and it got you nowhere.”

“Things are different now.”

“No, they’re not. You just want them to be different.”

“This isn’t about Emma.” When he pinned her with a look, she said, “I mean, okay, maybe it is a little, but it’s mostly about these kids. They came from somewhere. That little girl yesterday was taken by someone. Each of the kids on those papers didn’t just wander away. They were abducted.”

“And you think it’s the same someone who took our daughter? That’s ridiculous.” He held the pages out, flipping through each one. “Most of these are inner-city kids with divorced or unmarried parents. Parents who were probably involved in drugs or gangs or worse.”

“Not all.”

“Most of them.”

“So what if they were? Those parents still deserve answers. Those kids deserve to have people looking for them. Searching. Never giving up. The same way people searched for our daughter and didn’t give up.”

He didn’t want to talk about Emma. Didn’t want to think about her. He looked away and shook his head. “And here I thought you came all the way out here because you really were worried about me.”

“I was. I am.” She stepped toward him. “I’ll admit I wanted to talk to you about some of this at your parents’ party, but that’s not why I drove out here. I knew you weren’t in the best frame of mind to discuss it, so I didn’t even bring it up. I really did want to make sure you were okay after yesterday.”

“That makes me feel a whole lot better. You worrying about my frame of mind. Did Ethan tell you to come out here? Did he make you think I was a breakdown away from getting stinking drunk?”

“No.”

“Because it’s none of his damn business or yours what I do.” He slapped the papers on the top of her bag.

“Alec—”

“She’s dead, Raegan. She’s dead and buried somewhere, and we’re never going to find her. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be. And the better off I’ll be, because I won’t have to hear about this shit ever again.”

She recoiled as if he’d slapped her, and for a split second he regretted being so harsh, but she needed to hear it. Needed to admit it to herself. Needed to let go so she could finally move on.

Like you’ve moved on?

He pushed the thought aside. This wasn’t about him. It was about her and a stupid need for answers that she was never going to find.

“What happened to the man I fell in love with?” she asked quietly. “The one who would do anything to help another person?”

“He died. The same day our daughter did.”

Her gaze drifted to her bare feet, and even though he tried not to, he couldn’t help but notice the way her shoulders slumped and the fight seemed to seep right out of her.

Son of a bitch. He was not going to feel guilty over that too. Not this time.

The telephone rang. Clenching his jaw, Alec strode past her into the kitchen and jerked it from the wall. “What?”

“Is this Alec McClane?”

“Speaking. Who’s this?”

“Jeremy Norris. We met yesterday at the hospital.”

The edge of Alec’s vision turned red. Raegan’s boyfriend. Fucking fantastic. “What do you want?”

“I’m actually trying to reach Raegan. Is she there by chance? She’s not answering her cell.”

Alec was tempted to tell the prick she was there all right, in his bed, just to mess with the douche. But he didn’t. Because all he wanted right now was for both of them to get out of his life and leave him the hell alone.

Mood growing darker, he lowered the phone and stalked out into the living room where Raegan was zipping her bag. “It’s for you.”

Surprised, she looked up, then hesitantly took the receiver. “This is Raegan.”

A whisper of guilt rushed over her features before she turned away and mumbled, “Hey,” into the phone. “No, everything’s fine,” she said.

Alec tried not to listen, but dammit, this was his house. If she wanted privacy she could go outside. In the cold and snow.

“Um, I don’t know,” she said in what sounded like a dazed voice. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”

A rumble sounded from outside, and Alec stepped around her toward the front window to see what it was. The tow truck she’d called rolled to a stop down the road near her Audi.

“Oh my God,” Raegan mumbled. “Are you sure?”

Crossing his arms, Alec turned to look back at her. Shock rushed over her suddenly pale features.

“Yes, okay, I’m just about to leave. I’ll call you from the car.”

She clicked “End.” Stared down at the cordless receiver. Turned in a daze as if searching for the base.

“I’ll take it.” Alec moved toward her. She handed him the phone, careful not to touch him, he noticed, but as her gaze skipped past him, over the room, he was sure she saw none of it. “Raegan, what’s happened?”