Page 357 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

His favorite was the one that said Jacob had killed Becca in a pact with Hank so they could both be in a relationship with Addie. He only knew the gist of the book because his agent had told him she read it on a cruise and thought the whole thing was hilarious. Then again, she knew Jacob wasn’t some kind of amorist.

His last relationship was…

He didn’t even know.

It must’ve been a while, considering he still felt Addie’s hug. It was the closest he’d been to anyone in years.

Until this.

Jacob crossed to the door and held it open even though it didn’t need assistance doing its job. Sammie looked like she wanted to give whatever this was another try.

“Go get changed.”

She breezed out in the shirtwaist dress his assistant had found. Muttering something that sounded like, “Your loss.”

Jacob gave himself a minute. He wanted to know if Addie got questions like that or if no one ever mentioned it to her.

People in this town were always trying to drag him back into the limelight. It sounded like the worst idea ever, and he’d managed to keep his success pretty unnoticeable so far. Not many people knew he was the guy behind the Life in Story books—the writer and photographer.

It probably said something that he wanted to tell stories for others and had no interest in his own.

He grabbed checks for the two of them from his safe and met them at the door. “Thanks, guys.”

Dylan gave him a salute using the check. Sammie grabbed hers and ducked out the door.

Jacob stared at the sunset that washed the sky in pink, then went to get his ringing phone. He still had to clean up and close the studio, and he was wiped. Who was calling?

The number wasn’t one saved in his contacts.

“Jacob Wilson.”

Silence greeted him. Then a choke, as if the person on the other end couldn’t contain their distress.

“Hello?”

“I’m…Celia. I’m her mother, Carinne.”

Celia had never mentioned her mother’s name, just that she lived with exacting parents who hadn’t liked her boyfriend. “Carinne?”

“Do you know where my daughter is?” The female voice was accented. Interesting enough he wanted to hear a story.

“I only met Celia a few times at the retirement home.” And fought with her boyfriend. “I don’t think there’s anything I can provide the police to help them find her.”

“Unless you’re the one who took her.”

“Ma’am—”

She cut him off. “Your history and all, and you said you know her. She’s gone. No one knows where she is.”

“I’m a suspect as far as you’re concerned?” He worked to rein in his frustration. “I had nothing to do with her disappearance.”

“So you say.” She sniffed. “The FBI is getting involved now. That’s what the police said. Some profiler who catches dangerous criminals and finds people. She’ll sniff out the truth. You won’t get away with this.”

CHAPTER NINE

When Russ found out she’d taken his hammer, he’d be mad. Though, it wasn’t like Addie would use it to commit a murder. If she did, he’d have something to be mad about.

The sound of the hammer echoed in the empty room. Empty bookcases. Desks also empty. She had a laptop and her cell phone. The city of Benson wasn’t going to provide the federal government with anything, so she was surprised even the furniture was here. She’d tried the chair someone wheeled in and immediately gone online and ordered a new one she paid for out of her own pocket. Forget requisitioning.

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