Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,203

stood empty for secure pickups and drop-offs. As soon as the garage doors were down, Irina burst from the house, Karl on her heels. They opened the passenger door and dragged Liza into their arms.

“Irina was worried,” Karl said over Liza’s head when Tom got out of the SUV. “The bombing at the radio station has us all upside down.”

Karl owned the station, Tom remembered. “Your staff? They’re all right?”

“All but our receptionist, but she’ll be all right soon.” Karl walked around the SUV and clapped Tom on the shoulder, his grin a little sly. “Thank you. I won two hundred bucks.”

Tom rolled his eyes, his cheeks heating. “Yeah. Well. I need to go.”

“Did you eat?” Irina asked.

“No,” Liza said. “We came straight here. Now that I know everyone is okay, I can eat.”

Irina pointed to Tom. “You cost me twenty dollars.”

Liza laughed, the sound musical. “Take me to the food, Irina, and leave poor Tom alone.”

Karl herded them through the laundry room and into the kitchen, which was bursting at the seams. Half of Karl and Irina’s brood was here, as were Mercy’s friends from New Orleans.

Irina shooed him toward the table. “I’ll get you a plate. We had a late breakfast.”

Tom pulled Liza’s chair out for her and looked around. “Where’s Jeff?”

“Asleep,” Zoya said. “He was up all night doing something for you.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Tom asked, surprised.

“No,” Zoya pouted. “I was annoyed, but he said he didn’t have permission to share that. Just that you two were—” She waggled her brows. “You know.”

Catcalls followed. Tom thought the seclusion was getting to them. They were a punchy crowd. “He helped us locate Pastor’s wife,” Tom said.

Silence descended as every eye met his. At least they weren’t teasing him anymore.

Mercy exhaled unsteadily. “What?”

Tom sat next to Liza, nodding his thanks when Irina gave them each a plate full of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. “Jeff helped us locate Pastor’s wife,” he repeated.

“But . . .” Gideon swallowed hard and met his sister’s gaze. “I guess she wasn’t dead, either.”

“I guess not,” Mercy murmured.

Rafe scowled. “Jeff should have told us.”

“No,” Irina said, sitting down with her ever-present tea. “He did the right thing.”

“Tell us about Marcia,” Gideon said quietly. “What did she tell you?”

Tom glanced at Liza. “You can tell them. I need to eat and run.”

Eating faster than his mother would have approved of, he listened as Liza shared what they’d learned. When she got to the part about the banker, he cleared his throat, and she glided past it so smoothly that he was certain she could read his mind.

“It doesn’t sound like you cared for Pastor’s wife,” Daisy said to Liza.

Liza made a face. “She seemed selfish. She did report Eden once she’d gotten her kids out, but the community had already moved on to a different location. At least that’s something.”

“What’s the next step, Tom?” Karl asked. “Do you have any leads on Belmont?”

“Nothing that you didn’t find out the hard way,” Tom said. “He stole a box of explosives from a business partner.”

Irina abruptly set her cup on the table. “He has more?”

“Yes.” Tom wasn’t sure if that was classified, but this family needed to be aware. “Be very careful about anything that’s delivered, even if it’s something you ordered. Raeburn said that he’d keep FBI presence here at your house. Not as many as yesterday, but you’ll still have protection.” He stood. “I need to go now. Liza, a word please?”

She looked worried as she followed him into the laundry room. “What did I—”

He didn’t let her finish, closing the door and then crushing her mouth with his. She hummed deep in her throat, her arms winding around his neck. As kisses went, it was pretty damn good.

She was panting when he backed away, and he was hard. “Keep yourself safe,” he said roughly, as his phone began to buzz. “Hey, Croft. Did you find Daniel Park?”

“Not yet,” Croft told him. “I’m texting you an address. Come there instead.”

“What is it? Who lives there?”

Liza’s eyes widened as she grew more alarmed. But she said nothing.

“Stephanie Stack,” Croft answered. “She was Tony Ward’s first grade teacher. Now she’s dead. Two bullets to the head, like the nurse and the woman he killed Saturday night.”

“Fuck. What was he looking for?” Then he knew. “Addresses. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Tom ended the call, then kissed Liza one more time. “Stay here. I need you to be safe.”

He could see that she wanted to