Colonel Jones wanted Nat and Jac one hundred percent dependent on him. That she and Jac had escaped still infuriated him.
She bit back a shiver just thinking about him. About how her own escape had happened, after he’d run Jac off when Jac had been only sixteen.
It wasn’t Jac that he wanted to idolize and worship him. It was Nat. Because Nat was his by blood. Jac wasn’t, despite the legal claim. But Nat—he’d always thought he owned her.
He despised Jac, had almost washed his hands of his late wife’s daughter from a previous relationship. Jac was flawed to him.
He wanted to control Nat. To have her one hundred percent broken to his will.
The colonel’s harassment since the bombing was just getting worse.
She was eventually going to have to tell her sister. Just so Jac would know what was going on.
If anything ever happened to Nat, the colonel would be the first place Jac would need to look.
Nat wasn’t certain their father hadn’t killed their mother, either. She’d find out one day, though. One way or another.
Nat was still looking. One day, she would know.
Max was the one to fill them in on what they were doing out there today. Nat nodded at him, quietly thinking once again how good he was for her sister. He stood at Jac’s side, strong and protective—not even realizing he was doing it. He was strong enough to protect her sister from the nightmares of the world. Nat almost envied her that.
Jac gave the orders. Nat knew what was expected of her.
Jac looked at Nat. “Watch yourself out here.”
“Of course. Be careful out here, Jac. I’ll talk to you later.” Nat nodded and gave the signal for Kudos and Karma to flank her. They moved to obey immediately. “We’ll be ready, if you need us.”
“I know.”
Nat nodded at Hanan one more time. She had a job to do.
It was time to do it.
Nat started toward the woods. The forest was where she felt most at home, after all.
Safest.
Despite the lessons her father had beaten into her when Jac wasn’t around to protect her.
In the woods was the only place Nat had ever been able to escape him, after all. The very lessons he’d taught her—had been the only tools she’d had to escape all those years ago.
59
Todd’s phone rang, right when he was watching the woman with the dogs as she started ordering the local guys around. Half of them had incredulous looks on their faces as they stared at her.
No wonder.
She was just a kid.
She didn’t look like she belonged out there at all. She’d even rolled up the sleeves on the damned PAVAD jacket.
This woman had gotten a PAVAD appointment and not him? It didn’t make any sense.
Jaclyn walked across the road to the woman. Side by side, he was struck by the resemblance. Jaclyn was taller by several inches, with more red in her hair. The other woman was a great deal thinner, shorter, and darker haired. That was about it.
He’d heard she had a sister somewhere in PAVAD. He wouldn’t have guessed search and rescue.
Not for one of Colonel Jones’s daughters.
They’d grown up with prep schools and trust funds and dinners with heads of states. Tramping around the woods with dogs bigger than she was didn’t make any sense to him at all. An enigma—even more so than her older sister.
She wasn’t as pretty as her sister. Not really. Jaclyn had a more classic appeal—this woman had a lost-waif look. Girl next door in trouble look.
Not his type at all.
Especially with the guard dogs watching every move everyone made. The bigger one looked like he belonged in a Stephen King novel or something.
He pulled his phone out quickly and checked the display.
Eugene Lytel.
Todd texted him back quickly. Now was definitely not the time.
Lytel was on his way with the auxiliaries. He wanted to meet with Todd as soon as possible. They had something to discuss.
Damn it. Sweat beaded on the back of his neck.
Something didn’t feel right about Lytel. Not by a long shot. Not anymore. Todd wasn’t so certain what he was doing now was that great of an idea. Not a good idea at all.
He was going to have to find a way to get out of this somehow. And not destroy everything he had worked for.
As thunder cracked overhead, with the storm getting closer, Todd wondered exactly how he was going to accomplish that.
60
It probably would be faster to get off the plane and drive. Miranda thought about the possibilities as the plane was delayed once again.
She’s already been sitting for more than ninety minutes. It was a four-hour drive between St. Louis and Indianapolis. As the stewardess walked by, Miranda caught her attention. “Excuse me?”
“Yes? How may I help you today?”
“How long of a delay is this going to be?” Miranda discreetly flashed the credentials that she carried with her everywhere.
The flight attendant’s eyes widened. “Is there some sort of trouble on the plane?”
Miranda shot her smile and shook her head. “No, but I’m expected in Indianapolis soon. I’m wondering if it might not be a good idea to trade my ticket in and drive.”
The flight attendant nodded. “From what I saw on my phone, this storm is going be a big one and coming in fits and spurts. We’ll be sitting here for a while. But it’s moving through rather quickly. But being what it is, you may be better off driving.”
“Thanks. I’m on time sensitive business.” Miranda took it as the sign that it was. She stood and grabbed her single bag.
Twenty-five minutes later, Miranda maneuvered her small SUV onto the road. “Indianapolis or bust,” she yelled at the top of her lungs.
Just for the hell of it.
Why not?
There was no one next to her to hear.
61
Todd felt absolutely useless as he stood back and watched what was going on around the red Pontiac. The forensics team had finally arrived, hopping out of their two
