“I know,” he replied. Just that quickly a thick blanket of exhaustion fell over him. He tried to shrug it off as he got out of the car, but he was only half-successful.
She handed him a room key. “You’re in room 108 and Annalise is in room 110.”
“Got it,” he replied.
“I’ll be back with some food for you,” Rowan said. “And I’ll arrange for a rental car, too.”
“Sounds good,” he replied, and then braced himself for seeing Annalise again. He knocked on her hotel room door.
“Come in.”
He was surprised to find her door unlocked. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. She stood from the chair at the desk and faced him. There was a charged stillness between them for a long moment.
She moved forward and into his waiting arms. She’d just been through a horrendous event. Who knew what she’d had to do to survive her time in that classroom.
He held her as she buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried. He knew her tears were a combination of exhaustion and stress, and fear for the little girl who was still missing.
He caressed a hand up and down her back and murmured soothing sounds as he waited for her to stop crying. He wanted to be here for her, but he also needed her to move away from him.
Holding her was bringing up old memories he shouldn’t entertain. Besides, he still had an active crime to resolve, and that’s where all his thoughts and the last of his energy needed to go.
Finally she gathered her emotions, and after drawing several deep, shuddery breaths, she stepped back from him and sat on the edge of the bed. “Any news on Sadie?”
He turned to close and lock her door, then faced her once again. “Not yet. We’re doing everything possible to find them, but so far we have nothing.” He gestured toward the computer. “You said Sadie might try to get you a message, and let’s hope that happens soon. One of Jacob’s men confirmed that was their plan all along, to take one of the girls and break into a banking system. I’d send you home, but you also mentioned a secret language you all have.”
She tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear, an old nervous habit he remembered from years past. “It was mostly just for fun. The girls loved learning it and using it to communicate with me and each other. For me it was just another tool to keep their minds engaged and challenged.”
“So, do you really think Sadie will try to contact you on this page?”
“Absolutely. If she gets an opportunity to get on a computer, then I believe she’ll make contact. She’s very smart, Evan.” Tears glistened in her beautiful green eyes once again. “She’s very special, and she’s already been through a lot in her short life.”
“We’ll get her back, Annalise,” he said. There was no question that Jacob and his wife were dangerous criminals, but at the moment they needed Sadie to go through with their insane plan.
“You mentioned something about thinking Jacob had inside information?”
She frowned thoughtfully. “I can’t be absolutely sure, but all my instincts say yes. Jacob knew Sadie was the smartest of the girls. He told her that a little bird had told him she was the smartest. At one point he offered her something to eat and not the others. He also said something about having information that the only people who would be in the school when they burst in would be me and a few students.”
“That definitely sounds like there was an insider working with them.” He grimaced. “I’ve got Hendrick checking into the backgrounds of everyone who works at the school. Is there anyone you can think of who might be a part of this?”
Her frown deepened. “I can’t imagine anyone I work with helping those monsters. I truly believe all the teachers love their jobs and the students, and would never have anything to do with what happened.”
“I know you must be exhausted. Why don’t you take a shower and then sleep for a couple of hours? I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the web page, and I’ll wake you if anything shows up there,” he suggested.
She looked down at herself and frowned and nodded in agreement. He knew Rowan had provided fresh clothing for her as well as some toiletries.
“A hot shower sounds wonderful. Maybe I can wash off some of the filth I feel after being around those horrible people.”
She picked up the things Rowan had gotten for her and then headed for the bathroom. Once she was gone and the door had closed behind her, he sank down on the edge of the bed and drew in several deep breaths.
The sound of the shower running instantly evoked a vision of her beautiful naked body beneath the water. He closed his eyes. They used to love to shower together.
He opened his eyes and released another deep sigh. He’d worked many difficult cases in his years with TCD, but to save a little girl in danger by working with the ex-lover who had walked out on him promised to be one of his most challenging ever.
Chapter Seven
The long hot shower refreshed Annalise more than she wanted to admit under the circumstances, but it didn’t completely wash away the trauma of the entire event. Her lower lip was still slightly swollen from the slaps she’d received, and her body ached from the various bouts of physical abuse she’d endured from Gretchen.
Still, she’d take the aches and pain. At least she was alive, and she prayed that Sadie would be recovered alive and well.
She pulled on the jeans and TCD tee Rowan had provided,
