Page 96 of Love Takes Home

“Sounds about right.”

“And the FBI has the ability to do that? Just delete someone from existing?”

“Fuck, they can probably do it with a push of a button.”

“Then we’re back to square one.”

“Maybe not,” he tells me.

“How so?”

“There’s another woman who popped up in a search connected to Keith. Her name is Stephanie Turner.”

“Means nothing to me.”

“And it wouldn’t. Ten years ago, she got married. To a Norman Marks.”

“Marks? Like Davis’s old contact?”

“Bingo. We’re trying to figure out what the relationship was exactly, but there’re photographs of them on old social media accounts long since deactivated.”

“Is Daniel talking to Mary about all of this today?”

“Fuck yeah, he is.”

“Please let me know when you all have something.”

“You have one job. Take care of your girl.”

“I can still do shit on the computer.”

“Good, then you go down the thirty search engine pages and see if you can find some more deactivated social media pages that put this group together.”

“I hate you sometimes.”

“No, you don’t.” He laughs as he hangs up.

It’s so unbelievably frustrating to know we’re right there. Right on the line of figuring out what’s going on, of solving thepuzzle, but the piece in the center that pulls the picture together is missing. It’s all logistics and who was where when. Some days it’s great. Give me a computer and let me at the information. By mostly legal routes, of course. Let me hack into their emails. Let me see what their financial accounts look like.

But this is different. This isn’t someone else’s life. This is Ginny. And her life is tied to mine. I remember in boot camp and then Ranger school, the married drill sergeant and later my commander, telling us the worst thing that could happen was for us to have a spouse or family at home and for the enemy to find out. Because they will use it against you if they have to, and people who have their heart threatened are most likely to cave under the pressure. Logic goes right out the window in those instances and emotion takes over. I didn’t use to believe that. And then I saw it with my own eyes. Trained, hardened men and women crumble at even the thought of their families being harmed. I get it now.

I look at my watch. No notifications, no recordings, nothing. I have two and half hours before I have to go get her and I need someone to tell it to me straight.

I grab my keys and head to the truck. I think it’s time to talk to Sarge. He meets me at the door to the clubhouse, and I open my mouth and unload everything. All my feelings, all the pain and worry. All the stress.

And he does what he always does. Lends an ear, talks to me straight, and asks how he can help.

I think about my past, about what happened when I was in the Army and the lifelong family I found because of it. And how differently I could have turned out had I not had someone like Sarge demand I figure my shit out and walk with me through the worst of it. How without him, I wouldn’t be the man to stand next to Ginny. I wouldn’t have been worthy of even an ounce ofher love. Between my mom and him, I am alive. I am worthy. And I know I am.

Chapter 29

Ginny

The school week ended.I thought that was going to be my good news for the weekend, but Joker surprised me with another trip to the cabin. This time, I didn’t mind him taking my clothes off. And other than the t-shirt I would put on, I haven’t really worn clothes. And I’m good with that.

It was a relaxing weekend, one that didn’t involve any students talking shit about Lucas, or baseball team members giving me the side eye, or Keith being a creeper in the hallways. It was filled with my music on the back deck, good food, and enough sex that I have to worry I’ll go back and walk funny. Not complaining about that at all, just so you know.

The plan was to stay out here for a few more days, but Joker got a call from his boss, Daniel, this morning. There was an emergency in a small town less than an hour north. A mother and her infant. Joker looked so upset when he got off the phone, I told him he had to go. He didn’t think they’d be all day, butthey had to help them pack what they could. Aiden came to get him on their way, so I’d have his truck if I needed to run to town for anything. The kitchen is still pretty stocked, but I strip all the sheets and gather the dirty towels and put them in the wash. I did some light dusting and set up the portable crib I found in the closet of one of the bedrooms.

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