and vitality within her that had been so cruelly cut short.
Fourteen
Conveniently, the address of the restaurant where the group was meeting was also in Coconut Grove, in walking distance from Jordan’s house.
Axel knew Raina was growing anxious. She was hoping against hope they would get there and Jordan would be there, and she’d be tripping over herself, admitting she’d been worried sick and they’d gone in his house.
He wasn’t expecting to see Jordan.
The man had wanted to talk to Raina.
Then he had stopped answering his phone.
He didn’t try the local office for help; he’d be told Jordan Rivera was an adult, more than welcome to not answer his phone for an afternoon if he so chose not to answer it. He wasn’t gone anywhere near long enough for a missing-persons report.
But he was missing, and Axel knew it. So he called Angela and gave her Jordan Rivera’s phone number, and asked her to somehow get a trace on it.
It might have been left in the house, but he doubted it. And the only neighbor he’d been able to find had said, oh yeah, someone had come to Jordan’s house earlier—maybe he’d left with whomever that had been.
The neighbor knew someone had visited because she’d been watering her hibiscus plants on the side of the house and she’d heard voices.
“Male or female?” Axel had asked.
“Frankly, I don’t know. And what business is it of yours? What are you? FBI or something?”
And so he had produced his credentials, but the woman still hadn’t known. She just hadn’t been paying attention and she’d only really known someone had been there because her earphones had fallen out. She’d been listening to music, and happily, that drowned out the rest of the world.
“I’m really worried,” Raina said.
“Maybe he’ll be at dinner.”
“I don’t think so,” she said.
When they arrived, Mya and Elly were already there, along with Tate Fielding. The three stood as Axel and Raina arrived and they hugged all around.
Raina’s group was out on the patio area of the restaurant. It was a great spot, covered but open, with fans to keep the heat at bay. The night was beautiful, the place right on the water.
“So, heavy on the trail?” Tate Fielding said, looking at them both. He grinned at Raina. “You’re becoming a bloodhound yourself?”
“Pardon?” Raina said.
Tate laughed. “Well, Axel is down here on a case. And you’re always with Axel, so...”
“Oh! His friend Andrew, with the Miccosukee police, has the most amazing horse! I’ve been working with him,” Raina said.
“Out in the Everglades!” Mya said, and shivered. “I don’t like to admit it, but I hated that camping trip we went on. Snakes, mosquitoes...alligators. Mosquitoes! It just isn’t me, I’m afraid.”
“There are mosquitoes everywhere,” Elly said.
“True,” Mya said. “But more out there! Anyway, we should sit. My husband should be here any minute, and Lucia just went out to put another few hours on her parking. You know Lucia. She lost her ticket so she has to do the whole thing over again. Otherwise, the silly girl could have called it right in!”
“We haven’t heard back from Jordan, but we have a seat for him if he’s able to get here. He’s been a bit secretive lately. Maybe it’s a girl,” Elly said.
“Jordan always has a girl. He brings a new one every time we get together,” Tate said.
“Hey! Don’t pick on Jordan. You have a new girl every five minutes, too,” Elly said.
“That’s because he doesn’t want one for real,” Mya said, shaking her head sadly.
“They’re all real girls. Women, that is!” Tate said. He shrugged. “Give me a break—I’m young. And I’m looking for the best.” He glanced over at Raina and said lightly, “Had a good one once, but she slipped away. Ah, well.”
“You’re such a liar, Tate,” Raina said, laughing. “You love the law and moving forward, and that’s okay. We are still young.”
Axel noted she was truly amused. There was nothing bitter in her words, and Tate grinned, as well. It was all in good humor.
Or so it would appear.
“There, you see,” Tate told Mya and Elly.
“Oh, your love life—or lack thereof—is your problem, my friend. One of us is always around when you need sisterly advice. Hey! There’s Lucia,” Mya said. “And cool! Len is right behind her.”
The other two joined them, with greetings all around.
“No Jordan?” Len Smith asked, taking a seat by his wife.
“No, I guess he got busy. He had said he’d try to come, and we texted him the information. His loss,