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.The only civilian who remained behind was Frank.Jake knew the first dozen or so calls would be from his cell phone.And after that, hopefully a clue would lead to Edie.God, he wanted that so badly he could taste it.He could feel a fragile hope stir inside his heart, a hope he was afraid to acknowledge, afraid to embrace.A big hand fell on his shoulder.Frank Merriweather’s eyes were filled with compassion.He had fought the long, hard war that was just beginning for Jake.He knew the horrors to come.For the next several minutes Jake heard only the pounding of his heart in his ears.He knew the others were talking but he couldn’t hear them.He could hear nothing but his own fear, the faint beat of a sliver of hope and the need to find something to bring Edie home.As they waited for the phone to power up Frank’s hand remained on Jake’s shoulder, as if to anchor him and keep him from spiraling down into an abyss of darkness.When there was enough power on the phone, Teddy, still wearing the gloves, picked it up.Jake moved away from Frank and closer to Teddy.“Check the calls she received,” he said, as if Teddy needed to be told what to do.Teddy began to check the numbers in the queue, reading them off aloud.“Jake.Jake.Jake.” He read off at least a dozen Jakes and then frowned.“There’s a 212 area code number.”“That’s New York City, has to be her agent or editor,” Jake said.Teddy looked at the next number and then frowned and cast a quick glance at Jake.“What?” Jake’s heart banged hard against his ribs.“The Skylark Motel.” Teddy punched the button a number of times and then looked up at Jake once again.“There are several calls on here from the Skylark Motel.”“The Skylark Motel?” Jake repeated the words slowly.All the blood seemed to rush from his head.All the cops knew that particular motel.It was nothing more than a den of dope dealers and hookers.Who would possibly be calling Edie from there?Teddy dropped the phone into an evidence bag and handed it to Art.“You and Kincaid get that back to the station and into the tech’s hands.” He turned to Frank.“You stay here with Jake.I’ll check in later.”“That’s not going to happen,” Jake replied.“I have no intention of sitting tight.I’m going with you.”Teddy frowned.“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”“Yeah, well I don’t give a damn what you think.I can either ride with you or I can take my own car.One way or another I’m going to the Skylark Motel.”“Just remember you have no authority here,” Teddy said minutes later when both men were in his car.“I don’t need any authority, I just need answers.” Jake rubbed the center of his forehead where a headache had blossomed and banged as dark thoughts flittered through his brain.“Is it possible maybe Edie was interviewing somebody at the motel for a new book?” Teddy asked.“She would have told me.” Jesus, the Skylark Motel? Who on earth would have been contacting Edie from that dump? Who would she be talking to there?Did she have some kind of a drug problem he didn’t know about? He dismissed the idea.He’d been around addicts and there was no way Edie showed any signs or symptoms in the three days a week they were together.But what about the other four days?Was she seeing somebody else? His heart cringed at the very thought.Did she have a lover she met whenever she wasn’t with Jake?Secrets.In the course of an investigation usually secrets were uncovered about the players.The upstanding father who was addicted to porn, the mother who popped pills and drank the day away.The perfect family, who behind closed doors experienced all kinds of abuse.Men embezzling from their companies, women with young lovers on the side.There were always secrets when you peeled back the protective layers people wrapped around themselves.What secrets were they about to uncover about the woman he loved?He’d always known that Edie had private areas in her life that he wasn’t aware of, but to what extend would those secrets shatter his very soul?By the time they reached the motel, Jake was sick to his stomach.It had been years since Jake had been at the motel.The last time he’d been a patrolman called out for a disturbance.Certainly the years had not improved the property.The thought of Edie coming here to meet anyone made him ill.Edie…what secrets did you have? What couldn’t you share with me about your life?They pulled up in front of the office and got out of Teddy’s car [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]