Page 63 of Jericho

"I don't know," I tell him honestly.

"I know this is difficult, Peach, but he wants you to find him. I don't think he's playing you. He thinks you know exactly where they are."

I don't know how much truth there is to that because from the discussion the guys here were having, the bomb that was planted in that house was meant to kill everyone. The trap was set to make the world believe that Eli Gaines was dead, much the same way I was led to believe that Nolan died all those years ago.

"I don't have a clue."

I watch as Nolan's throat works on a swallow, and I know whatever comes out of his mouth next is something neither one of us will like.

"Was there ever a time when things weren't as volatile? When maybe he confided in you? Spoke about hopes and dreams? What he wanted his life to look like when he took over for your father?"

I shake my head. "He was—"

"I don't want intimate details, Peach. I'm already planning on killing the man. He's narcissistic. It might be something he mentioned in passing. The man expects you to hang on to every single word that has ever come out of his mouth. This is something he thinks you know."

All I can do is shake my head. "We didn't have a good relationship. In the beginning, he tried to look like a better man than he was in front of my father, but he's always been Damien. He never let me forget about the time he found us together. It was as if being promised to him and spending time with you was a betrayal he could never forgive."

He holds me tighter as if my words bring on a wave of regret for him, but we can't worry about any of that right now.

"He had cameras in the house," Casper says from the other side of the room.

"Yes," I answer. "They were all over and I often wondered if he had hidden ones too."

"No," Casper says. "He had cameras up in the house the guys just went into down the street. We tracked the IP address. Does the address 1945 Palisades Drive mean anything to you?"

"Where?" I ask.

"Here in Bridgeport."

"No," I tell him.

"It's very possible he just wanted to get us to town," Hemlock says.

"He'll know we're coming. He knows how big of a team we have," Nolan says.

"Think he'll run?" Hemlock asks, and Nolan looks at me as if I know the answer.

"He's a very prideful man," I say. "But I can't be sure. His confidence can only take him so far before reason kicks in."

"So you think he'll take off?" Hemlock prods.

I shrug, heartbroken all over again. "I don't know."

"He'll stay," Nolan says. "He wants to finish what he started eight years ago. There isn't a cell in Damien Gaines's body that would argue he'll lose. It's that misplaced confidence that will get him killed."

"I have two teams down the street ready to roll," Casper says. "They're heading back this way to pick you two up. I only pulled guys that haven't gone inside, so maybe it'll give us a small advantage if he's watching. We haven't found but one outside camera, and it's pointing at the front porch. I'll makesure the guys move in a rotation, in and out, and maybe he'll think it's just business as usual over there."

"I need to go," I tell him, standing from the couch.

"No," both Nolan and Hemlock say at the same time.

"I can't be worried about Eli and you too," Nolan adds. "I need to know you're safe, so I can focus all my energy on bringing our son home safely. Please tell me you'll stay here, Peach."

I look up into his eyes, knowing I want nothing more than to argue with him, but I'm well aware of my limitations. The time I've spent with him and these other men makes it much more obvious that there's nothing I can do to battle Damien on my own.

I'm well and truly irrelevant in this battle.

"I trust you to bring him back to me safely."

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