some war zone on the other side of the planet. He suffered from severe PTSD but didn’t let that stop him. I laughed because he was never in situations where he could just pretend he was out having fun.” She blew out a breath. “In the end, he got trapped in a small town under siege. It was being bombed. Civilians getting bombed. There was literally no reason for it other than the powers that be wanted to exert authority. Children died. People had no access to food or water or electricity. Dad was right there in the middle of it, suffering with them. Reporting so he could ask the world when they would send help.”
Liam was mesmerized as Rae shared the story, admiration for her father glowing on her face. “He called in. Did a phone interview to tell the world. Mom suspected that he somehow had a feeling he wasn’t going to make it out that time. So he’d arranged for that interview. I remember watching the news, listening along with her and Alan. Listening to his voice as images played across the screen. We were all crying as we watched.” Rae hung her head for a few moments and then lifted it, her eyes closed. “Sure enough, a bomb hit the house where he and some other journalists were staying, killing three of them. Dad included.”
Liam said nothing. He waited to see if she would say more.
She drew in a long breath, then opened her eyes.
“So . . . I see nothing wrong with following Enzo Astor’s movements tonight in our search for Zoey. This operation is nothing in comparison.”
Rae somehow wanted to fill her father’s big shoes, but she’d chosen a different, and thankless, path. Liam had a feeling that her perspective was the catalyst that often put her in harm’s way. He’d have to take extra precautions with her, a tough gig. “I’m sorry, Rae.”
“Don’t be.” She sipped on her coffee. “What are we looking for specifically?”
“Someone could be using a cabin accessible only by snowmobile this time of year. It’s not uncommon, but we’re looking for suspicious usages.”
“Our chances of seeing that activity might be better at night, too, since it might actually increase once it’s dark out. Plus, we can watch from the shadows and more easily see inside. I like it.”
“Good.” For some unknown reason, he reached across the counter and took her hand.
“But you don’t have a truck.”
“No, but Heath does. I have the keys. I’ll use his until the insurance replaces mine.” He relaxed, now that she was on board. “I can’t sit around the house and do nothing. Even researching gets tedious. If we were in the city, we wouldn’t think twice about doing a drive-by in the evening. So think outside the box a little bit.”
“I think you and I are in sync. I won’t sleep tonight anyway. This keeps us working, and it’ll just be another stakeout.”
“I’ll say it again, you’d make a good private investigator.”
“And you’d make a good journalist.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
10:27 p.m.
Denver, Colorado
Alan wanted to collapse on his bed, but Mom had come to help and was staying in the house. Providing encouragement and support. At this moment, she was still fiddling in the kitchen, making herself tea like she did every night, and he felt obligated to sit with her for a few moments.
Barefoot, he strolled into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of milk—the real stuff, compliments of Mom.
He did everything by rote now.
His Zoey. He’d lost his Zoey.
He’d been a fool to love her and marry her, but if he could go back, he’d do it all over again. Because he could never give her up. And Callie. She was all he had left.
“Alan.” His mother’s soft words couldn’t pull him out of his daze.
Oh. Right. Time to sit and talk while she drank tea. More like listen. He could only listen. He had nothing more to say to anyone, especially to the police who were eyeing him closer than ever now. He and Zoey had argued the day she disappeared. The police knew about that now. A neighbor had shared. Alan hadn’t thought of it as an argument. Just a disagreement. Didn’t every married couple have disagreements?
He slouched in the chair at the table and chugged his glass of milk. “Yeah?”
He looked at Mom, then just as quickly looked away. He couldn’t bear to see the agonizing emotions in her gaze. Sympathy and pity, regret and sorrow. She hadn’t thought Zoey was