Page 52 of Complicated Past

“I thought—” Bri choked on a sob.

As he listened, Linc’s gut twisted into tight knots. Had Bri not seen Kendra wearing his necklace and gotten the message? His plan hadn’t worked, and he’d added to her stress with her thinking Jalen was in danger. As Costa entered the arrivals area again, Linc scanned the passengers, looking for Bri. When Costa pulled to the curb, Linc opened his door and exited before the van came to a complete stop.

“Uncle Linc!” Jalen called and waved an arm.

Bri spun, her mouth dropping open just before Linc reached her. “You’re here?” Her voice wobbled. He wrapped his arms around her and Jalen, and she clung to him. “How’d you know?”

He loosened his hold on her slightly. “I got your message. When I couldn’t reach you, I got worried and took emergency family leave.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.” She raised her face and stared at him with damp eyes.

“Your brother filing a missing person’s report for Mrs. Feldman aided in our investigation,” Clara said. “He wanted to fly down to Mexico to find you himself.”

“I would have gone if I’d had any idea where to find you.” He brushed away her tears with his thumb.

“I was going to tell you when I called. But Tawnya—” Bri’s eyes widened, and her head jerked toward the parking deck. “You need to stop Tawnya.”

“Two Homeland Security officers are tailing her to the delivery,” Clara assured her. “We’ll get her, and, hopefully, the people she works for.”

“Good.” Bri exhaled, then took another deep breath. “Before I could tell you what was happening, Tawyna came in, and I had to hang up. I was going to call you back because I knew you’d know what I should do. I pretended I didn’t know they’d switched the suitcase she’d lent me with an identical one, but she overheard enough to know I’d figured out their plan. When we went to the pool, she not soaccidentallyknocked me into the water while I had my phone, so it died.”

“You were smart to get hold of hers to call,” Linc said.

“I called Grams to warn her, but Tawnya caught me. It went downhill from there. I didn’t know if I’d even see you again.” She kissed Jalen who played with the lock of her coppery brown hair that had escaped her hair clip.

“If it weren’t for your brother, we might not have had any idea what was going on or how to get you back here,” Clara said. “I will need to get your statement, but that can wait until tomorrow. I imagine you need some rest, and it would be better to make sure we get the details straight. And you’d probably like some time with your son and to check on your grandmother.”

“Yes. Thank you. Thank you. I can’t believe this nightmare is finally over.” Her body sagged into Linc’s.

He dialed Kendra.

“Is everything all right?” she immediately asked.

“Went down without a hitch. You can pick us up in zone five.”

“Thank goodness. See you in a minute.”

“I’ll let you know how things wrap up.” Costa returned the van keys to Clara. “Trade you.”

Linc removed the camera pen attached to the top of Bri’s purse, removed his earpiece, and handed them to Costa.

“What’s that?” Bri pointed to the pen.

“A recording device, so we could listen in. Officer Garcia clipped it on when she checked your purse. And she planted a GPS tracker in your suitcase to make sure we don’t lose it or Fahey and can locate who she’s taking the drugs to,” Costa answered.

“You don’t know how relieved I am that you figured this out and are here.”

Kendra parked Linc’s car at the curb and got out. She rushed to Bri, and the two embraced.

“I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know how you got dragged into this.”

“The school called me when your grandmother didn’t pick Jalen up, and they couldn’t get hold of her or Linc. Fortunately, your brother arrived and got my message. He’s been taking excellent care of Jalen, hasn’t he?” She rubbed the boy’s back.

“Uh-huh!” Jalen nodded emphatically. “Uncle Linc built me a blanket fort. He made me pancakes and cheesy eggs. And I have a new friend, Beckham.”

They’d done it—together. “Kendra was a big help with him, and if she hadn’t called her cousin, Detective Lowe here, to make searching for Regina and her car a priority, we might not have found her.”

“We make a good team,” Clara said. “I’ll even put in a good word for you with Ruby.”

---