a lot to me. We touched base throughout the years.”
Cade flattened a hand against his scalp. Another betrayal. His mother had never told him and Kyle she’d had contact with Kevin. “My son’s not with me. I’m on assignment, and it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to bring him along, anyway.”
“Bring pictures, then. Give me a time and a place, and I’ll be there.”
Kevin had detected a chink in Cade’s armor and had gone for the parry.
“I—I have nothing, son. I want, no I need to see you and Kyle before I leave this earth. I need redemption, Cade. Haven’t you ever needed redemption?”
And the thrust.
Through half-lidded eyes, Cade watched Gavin draw patterns with the tines of his fork in the syrup left over on his plate.
“I’m near Albuquerque. I’ll figure something out and get back to you.”
When Cade ended the call, he knew he’d been sucked in again. Maybe this time he could get some closure, or whatever the pop psychologists were calling it these days.
“So, that was your father.”
He peeled a couple of bills from his stack and dropped them onto the table. “Yeah.”
“Obviously not the first time you’ve talked to him.”
“After Mom died, Kyle insisted I use my resources to track down Kevin.” He shrugged. “He wasn’t too hard to find, but Kyle was the one who contacted him.”
“But you haven’t seen him yet?” Jenna whipped Gavin’s napkin from his lap and handed it to him. “Wipe your mouth.”
“When we first contacted him, he said he had to get some things in order.”
“He’s in order now?” Her eyes narrowed.
Jenna had been outraged on his behalf when he’d told her the sad story of his father’s criminal life and abandonment of his family. Then she’d become fiercely protective of him. He’d detected a lot of irony in that because he was supposed to be the tough guy. But after seeing how Jenna had responded to everything life had thrown at her since, it made perfect sense.
“Kevin’s ill—throat cancer.”
“That’s too bad. Now that he’s on death’s door, he wants to see you?”
“Something like that.”
She sat up in her seat. “You’re not taking Gavin to see him, are you?”
“Of course not, but apparently Mom told Kevin about Gavin before she died.” He shook his head and took a gulp of water from the half-empty glass in front of him. “I didn’t even know Mom had been in touch with the old...guy.”
“I thought she hated him almost as much as you hated him?”
“Maybe all that hate’s not so good.”
She held up her hands. “I’m not judging you for wanting to see him, Cade. It will give you closure.”
He laughed and her eyebrows shot up. “I know it’s a hackneyed expression, but there’s truth in it.”
“Don’t I know it.”
She tapped his phone on the table between them. “Nothing from Prospero yet?”
“Not yet. I got confirmation of the messages I sent earlier, so I’m sure Prospero took care of the situation at the Arizona outpost. Jim is in custody and Miyata is safe.”
“Do you think Jim ever met Zendaris?”
“I doubt it. Jim was just another pawn, and that’s the danger. Zendaris has them all over.”
Jenna’s gaze darted from table to table in the restaurant as if expecting to see a Zendaris pawn drinking a cup of coffee. “Do you think it’s okay to do some shopping here?”
“We’re safe here for now. Zendaris knows I’m with you and he realizes he’ll have a harder time getting what he wants.” He reached across the table and tweaked Gavin’s nose. “In fact, I’m going to stay with you until those plans surface and Zendaris knows I don’t have them.”
“Really?” Jenna’s voice squeaked and she grabbed his hand. “Really?”
“Is that so hard to believe? After what happened at the compound, I decided I couldn’t bail on you again.”
Her fingernails dug into his flesh. “I wouldn’t call it bailing. You have a job to do, and if staying with us takes you away from tracking down Zendaris, I’d rather have you on the job.”
“That’s a one-eighty from just two days ago when your claws came out at the sight of me.”
She rubbed his hand where her nails had left crescent indentations. “I know what’s at stake now. Maybe I always knew. When Prospero hired you, I had my chance then to leave you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” He threaded his fingers through hers. “Even though we’ve both paid a high price.”
“I don’t mind paying the price, but I don’t want Gavin to live his life in hiding.