Page 157 of On the Double

“Geez, look somewhere else. There’s nothing to see here.”

“Just making sure you don’t spontaneously combust,” Scottie chuckled.

“There you go,” the waitress said, setting a large cup of orange juice in front of me. “And what can I get you to eat?”

My stomach churned at the thought of eating anything.

“Get him everything on the menu. Just bring it out as it’s ready and set it on the table.”

“Everything?” she asked, her eyes growing wide.

“Everything.”

“Okay,” she said, turning away. “This better be one huge tip.”

I scrubbed at my eyes, needing another ten hours of sleep before I would be functional. That little cat nap hadn’t done shit for me. I felt like I could fall asleep at the table.

“Drink,” Lock said, shoving the glass closer to me.

Staring at the glass for a moment, I finally drank the orange juice, surprised when I finished the whole glass and still wanted more.

“See? Fresh orange juice will do that to you,” Lock grinned.

“Okay, any new leads?” Brock asked.

“Nothing,” I shook my head. “My last lead was fucked.”

“There has to be something. How is it this woman has escaped us for so long?” Brock asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve been through all her family. I talked in depth with her grandma about potential places she might go. Oliver said she only contacts him on a burner phone.”

“She hasn’t even told him where she’s staying?” Scottie asked. “Doesn’t that seem strange?”

“She doesn’t want him to know where she is because she doesn’t want me to know,” I grumbled.

Everyone shared a knowing look, but it was Lock who got us back on track. “There has to be a footprint somewhere. No one just vanishes.”

I nodded in agreement, but then considered something I hadn’t before. “You’re right. No one vanishes. Unless they have help.”

“Help from who? Everyone at OPS knows she’s missing. They all were there for your epic showdown with her,” Brock pointed out. “Who else does she know who could help her vanish?”

“IKE,” Scottie suggested.

“No, she’s never met him,” I said.

“Libby?”

“She’s off the grid,” Lock pointed out. “And I doubt she would help anyone we know if they were strapped to a bomb.”

The door rang as it was pulled open. I glanced up and I knew right then and there who was behind Harper’s disappearance. Rae looked at me, saw the anger on my face, and shrugged.

I shoved back from the table and stormed over to her. “Why?”

I heard the other chairs screech back as they rushed over to stop me from beating her ass.

“Because you needed to get your head on straight.”

“Three fucking months, Rae. I’ve been looking for her—going out of my fucking mind day and night?—”

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