Cut & Run (A Rachel Scott Adventure) - By Traci Hohenstein Page 0,11

for assistance on this one. I figured we would run into you sooner or later,” Krapek said. Agent Krapek was taller than Rachel by about three inches and was built like a fine-tuned athlete. She was intimidating in more ways than one.

“Anything new on your end?” Rachel asked.

“No, we’re still tracking down and interviewing witnesses from the truck stop. We’ve set up an on-site command post here at the hotel.” Krapek looked around the lobby. “I’m supposed to be meeting Phipps here. We’re heading over to the police station for a briefing.”

“Is Agent Reynolds working this one as well?”

Rachel had gotten close to Special Agent Drake Reynolds when they’d worked the Knowles case, but she hadn’t talked with him since she’d been back from Mexico.

“No, he’s on personal leave. His mom isn’t doing well.” Krapek looked around the lobby again, seemingly distracted. “Her cancer is back and she’s doing some heavy-duty chemo treatments. So it’s just Phipps and me on this one.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. Well, please give Drake my best.” Rachel shook Krapek’s hand. “You have my number if you need our help.”

Rachel headed for the elevator and left Krapek to wait for Phipps in the lobby. She liked working on cases in tandem with the FBI, but she was also glad she wasn’t held to the strict rules and regulations that they had to follow. Sometimes she had to do some unorthodox things when it came to locating a missing person.

She dragged her suitcase into the hotel room and threw it on the bed. She had about fifteen minutes to change clothes and freshen up before meeting Red back in the lobby. Rachel changed into a pair of dark jeans and a soft blue polo shirt, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and brushed her shoulder-length auburn hair. She hated the way the humidity played havoc and made it frizzy. No wonder Krapek always wore hers in a ponytail.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Rachel met Red in the lobby. He was sitting on a leather couch talking with an attractive lady of a certain age. Rachel almost hated to interrupt him. Despite his recent heart attack, Red still looked good, and she knew he wanted a companion. He was in his early fifties, but his stocky frame was muscular and fit from working out and eating “rabbit food,” as he called it.

“Hi, Red. Are you ready to go?” Rachel called out from behind him.

“Sure,” he answered. He introduced Rachel to the lady he was speaking with. She was dressed in business casual wear, with tailored khaki pants and a white button blouse. Rachel thought the lady to be in her late forties or early fifties. Red introduced her as June Hollis and said she was a schoolteacher visiting relatives in the area.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” June said. “Anyone ever tell you that you look like Julia Roberts?”

Rachel laughed. “Yes, all the time. I think it’s the hair.”

“And the smile,” June said as she patted Red on the leg. “See you later?” she asked him.

Rachel raised an eyebrow at Red as he tossed her the car keys.

“I’ll meet you outside in just a minute.” Red gave Rachel a coy smile.

Rachel figured he was lining up a late date with the schoolteacher and left to go bring the car around. When Red got inside the car, she couldn’t resist teasing him just a little.

“I was only gone fifteen minutes and you already have a date with a woman you met in the lobby. That has to be a record. You lead a more exciting love life than I do.”

Red cocked an eyebrow and replied, “Speaking of love life, how’s Mike doing?”

Mike Mancini was a former DEA agent turned private consultant whom Rachel had met during an investigation. They’d shared perhaps a few more intimacies than average professional acquaintances, but Rachel wasn’t ready to define their relationship just yet.

“He landed a big gig with the Jacksonville police department, working with their narcotics division. I talked to him briefly after he left Mexico.”

Mike had come with Rachel to Cozumel when she first learned about the lead on her missing daughter, both for support and for some quiet time together. But he’d eventually had to return to work. They tried to talk on the phone whenever they could, but with their busy schedules, it was hard to do sometimes.

Thoughts of Mike left Rachel’s head a minute later, as Red pulled into a parking spot at the truck stop. Inside, she and Red