Page 15 of Complicated Past

While she imagined Linc’s friend would love coming home to find preschooler shows on his recently viewed list, all Linc was doing with Jalen upped his relatability and appeal.

After finishing the dishes, Linc raided Dev’s linen closet for spare sheets and blankets. When he carried out the sawhorses, she did a double take.

“Where did those come from?”

“The second bedroom. I was helping him with some renovations before we deployed.”

She pulled out her laptop while he set up the sawhorses. He brought over two of the kitchen chairs, then draped a blanket over one side and anchored it with some books from the shelves on either side of the wall-mounted television. After he finished covering it, they had a fort far better than the blanket draped over two card tables she and her sister and cousins used to make.

He put a folded blanket down on the floor and added some pillows before Jalen crawled in.

“Come in, Uncle Linc,” he pleaded.

Linc got on his hands and knees and crawled in.

Kendra’s body temperature rose, and her ovaries came dangerously close to exploding. With his incredibly good looks, charming smile, muscular body and arms, intelligence, and love for kids, how was this man still single?

She shook her head as if that could dispel the thoughts going through her brain. Linc Porter was military andnotthe man for her. For all she knew, he might have a girlfriend. Not that she was going to ask. This arrangement was just for a day or two, then she’d resume her regular life, and he’d return to his.

As much as she detested the initial online matching process, once she was no longer a possible target of a drug cartel, it would be time to start thinking about dating again. She loved helping others but wanted her own family—a husband and kids.

Marcus hadn’t been the right one—even though it broke her family’s heart. But Prince Charming wasn’t going to randomly knock on her door. She had to put herself out there.

EIGHT

Hunched over in the blanket fort, Linc used the T.V. remote to scroll through the streaming options to find a show for Jalen. He hadn’t thought through bringing Kendra here with them. They didn’t have a change of clothes or toothbrushes. Maybe he could rustle up something to make Kendra more comfortable. Dev had dozens of books she could pick from, ranging from biographies, history, action, mysteries, and spy novels, if she wanted to read. The guy was always reading during his downtime on deployments, unless there was a game going. None of the team played poker with him anymore—at least not for money.

Jalen stretched out on his stomach absorbed from the moment the show started.

Before they reached the opening credits, Linc’s phone rang. Clara.

“I need to get this.” Linc made his escape, awkwardly climbing over Jalen, who didn’t budge.

“Did you find the van?” He settled on one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

“Do you have any idea how many white work vans are registered in Cumberland County? The partial plate came backas a match to a similar make, but the plate was stolen the other night. And I wouldn’t put it past them to steal another plate to make it harder to identify.”

“You’re right about that.”

“I know. They’re running the plates on every one patrol sees. They’re looking for the dent in the back right bumper you noticed. But I do have good news.”

Linc’s heart rate kicked up.

“We found a flight reservation in Brianne’s name. The seat next to her was for a Tawnya Fahey, spelled T-A-W-N-Y-A. Do you know her?”

“No. Where did they fly to?”

“Her last known address was in Atlanta. She’s not living there anymore. We don’t have a local address for her. No criminal records either. We’re trying to get her credit card records to see if we can locate a hotel reservation.”

“Where did the flight go?” he pressed after she ignored him the first time.

“Acapulco, this past Tuesday. We don’t have the resources to call all the hotels and rental condos in Acapulco.”

“Bri told her coworker it was an all-inclusive resort. That should narrow things down,” Linc suggested.

“We can start there, but don’t bank on that being true. Acapulco is typically safe, especially near the beaches. However, they grow poppies in the surrounding area, so you have major drug production. The government broke up the biggest syndicate, but now you’ve got smaller groups constantly fighting for control, and the region has some of Mexico’s highest crime rates.”

Clara wasn’t telling Linc anything he didn’t already know. Drugs, guns, human trafficking.

---