“Yeah, but there are a lot more out there, and the clock’s ticking. So maybe you can narrow that list of properties down to those that have the kind of privacy that would be necessary to pull off this kind of operation, as well as the access they’d need to transport all those girls. Maybe something that has its own airstrip or is close to a private airstrip?”
“I’ll get on it. I’ve also pulled a list of all employees for New Horizons. I’ll send it to you.”
Shit. He hadn’t thought that far ahead, which was exactly why he was glad to have Meems on his team. This thing he had with Meredith, this crazy attraction, was throwing him off his game. If he didn’t want to endanger the entire investigation, he had better get his head back in the game, and fast.
“Hey, can you check that list of employees for anyone by the name of Lance?
He’s one of the bouncers at the club and is Matt’s primary source of contact for this thing.”
He poured a cup of coffee as she searched her database.
“Not finding any reference to a Lance, not as a first or last name. Do you have anything else, another name?”
“Nothing. Wait. I might have something. Hold on.” He raced up the stairs to dig through the jeans he’d worn last night. How had he forgotten this? He pulled out Matt’s cell phone and powered it up. Scrolling through the recent calls, he found what he needed. “Meems? I’ve got a telephone number. See what you can find. I’m still at Meredith’s and will probably be here until I get my ride back. Can you stop by here this morning?”
“I’ll be there in half an hour.”
He headed back downstairs and was just about to press Jace’s phone number when he heard someone pull into Meredith’s driveway. He brushed the curtain back from a window by the front door.
His sister and Allie were bearing down on him.
…
Meredith woke up to a beam of light piercing through her eyelids. She brought her hand up to shade them and blinked, trying to get her bearings. Nine forty? She’d actually slept in?
That was a first. It had been a good sleep, too, and even if it was only a few hours, she felt more rested than she had in a long time.
No. Wait. It was more than that…
The events of the early morning hours came sharply into focus.
She’d slept with Travis.
No, more than slept—she’d completely lost her mind and made love to the man. And now…she looked around, noting the wrinkled sheets next to her…he was gone.
Her heart lurched in her chest, and she sat upright.
This is ridiculous, Mer. Get a grip. He’s probably just downstairs. In fact, she was certain she could smell coffee brewing. He hadn’t taken off, hadn’t abandoned her. He couldn’t, even if he wanted to. She was his client, and she was paying him to do a job.
Wow. That didn’t actually make her feel any better.
A few minutes later, she was dressed and had managed to put some mascara and a little lip gloss on before heading downstairs to find Travis. She tried to shrug off the irrational twinge of disappointment that he hadn’t bothered to wake her up, or to at least say good morning. They’d slept together, that was all. They hadn’t made a blood pact to be the other’s soul mate or anything.
But would a simple good morning have been so hard?
The sounds of voices coming from the kitchen told her they weren’t alone, and her steps slowed as she tried to figure out who was there. Lots of voices—she should say lots of female voices, that was for sure.
Trepidation slowed her approach even more. Which was ridiculous, since it was her house. But with the chatter from the other room, it all felt foreign.
“You know, finding a wedding date and sticking to it shouldn’t be this difficult,” Allie said in a teasing voice.
Meredith had no doubt who Allie was talking to, confirmed a minute later when Claire answered. “Hey, can I help it if my one and only brother can’t pinpoint an available weekend until mid-September?”
“Uh-huh,” Allie said. “And last time it was because you didn’t want to miss the senior class trip to DC, and what was the excuse the time before that?”
The chatter continued, but Meredith was still stuck on Claire’s comment. Travis certainly had a busy schedule. Wouldn’t be back in town until at least September. Two months from now.
What had she expected? He had a life, and it wasn’t here.