Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) - Karen Rose Page 0,93

them.

Excellent, was Raeburn’s reply. We’ll apprehend ASAP.

Um, no. That would be the wrong move. Fearing that Raeburn would go off half-cocked, Tom called his boss. “We can’t just bust in and arrest him,” Tom said when Raeburn answered.

“Why not?” Raeburn snapped. “I can have a warrant in ten minutes.”

“Because we still don’t know where Eden is. Do you want to bet those people’s safety on Pastor rolling over and telling us? They’ve already demonstrated how ruthless they can be and we don’t have any physical evidence on Pastor himself, only DJ. Without leverage, he’s not going to simply give in.”

Raeburn huffed, a frustrated sound. “No. I don’t suppose he would.”

Encouraged, Tom went on. “And we have to make sure we get Belmont at the same time, or he’ll go under so far that we’ll never find him. He’ll keep coming after Mercy and Gideon.”

“True,” Raeburn admitted, disgruntled. “I doubt they’ll discuss the compound’s location specifically, but even a mention of Eden might be the leverage we need. I want eyes and ears inside that facility. Come in and we’ll discuss our options.”

Tom slipped his phone into his pocket. He should be energized and thrilled that they knew exactly where Pastor was, but he wasn’t. He was too numb. At least Liza is okay. Safe, anyway.

He didn’t think either of them was okay. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be okay again.

TWELVE

GRANITE BAY, CALIFORNIA

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 8:50 A.M.

Liza put her phone on Irina’s kitchen table and picked up her fork, avoiding the older woman’s eyes as she focused on the plate of eggs and bacon in front of her. Irina had seen the look on her face when she’d knocked on the front door that morning and insisted that she eat.

“Well,” Irina said, “that explains the boxes in your car. You’re moving out of Tom’s place?”

“I’m moving out of the side of the duplex that I’ve been renting from Tom,” she corrected, grateful that it was only the two of them in the homey quiet of Irina’s kitchen. She couldn’t have handled all of the Sokolovs that morning.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not really. Unless you know someone who’s looking to rent in a family-oriented neighborhood. Plenty of room for kids to run in the backyard.”

Not that she’d dreamed about kids of her own.

Of course she had. God, I was so stupid. Tom had lost his child with Tory, and Liza had dreamed of giving him the family he’d always wanted. But he didn’t think of her like that.

You didn’t feel the same way.

No. I didn’t.

“No, but you can post it on a realty site and we can put out some feelers.”

“I appreciate it. I’m also looking for a job. Just until school starts in July.”

Irina’s brows lifted. “I thought you were going to take a holiday.”

“Not now,” Liza murmured. “My job at the veterans’ home was only as a fill-in for a woman on maternity leave, so going back there isn’t an option. I checked the want ads last night but didn’t find anything.”

She’d done a lot of things last night, because sleep had eluded her. She’d scoured the want ads, updated her résumé, gathered her letters of recommendation, and packed up her belongings.

“I know some people I can ask,” Irina said. “There’s always a demand for nursing assistants. Can you send me your résumé?”

“I have it with me.” Liza retrieved her résumé and letters of recommendation from her handbag and slid them across the table so that Irina could examine them.

“Impressive. Coupled with your military service, you’ll have no trouble getting work.”

“That’s what my nursing school advisor said. She was also army, back in the day, and helped me with financial aid for school and helped me find a job in the interim. She also helped me get my CNA license, all before my discharge was effective.”

“Have you called her yet?”

“I plan to, later today.” She’d be able to call on the drive to her tattoo appointment. The sketch was also in her handbag, carefully folded, just in case Sergio Iglesias was a nice guy and didn’t throw her out after she asked him about the Eden tattoo.

She’d already texted Daisy to ask the woman to accompany her and gotten a “Hell, yeah” reply. Which presented another problem.

“Can I store my boxes in your garage? Just for today. I need to go somewhere with Daisy and she won’t fit in my car right now.”

Irina nodded. “Where will you go?”

“With Daisy?”

“No. Well, yes, but I meant where will you live now that