Page 107 of Sin With Me

I quickly scanned the access key and pushed the dooropen.

“Kate!”

I searched through all rooms frantically, even checking under beds and behind curtains, though I already knew that she wasn’there.

“She left a note,” I heard Lola call out from the kitchen. “She went to the precinct to get a box of papers about Xavier.”

“We just came from there,” Brook replied.

And we must have missedher.

“Fuck! What do we do now? Where would he take her? Why would he take her? She didn’t do anything to him, just Cortez. Cortez…”

That’s when it dawned on me. Everything made sense, and I felt like I’d just been hit over the head and all the pieces scrambled together. If I was right, then Kate’s troubles had only begun. If my gut was right, which it usually was, then our chances of getting her out of Mike Donaldson’s hands were falling tenfold with each minute we stood around.

“Cortez is not only looking for revenge but also the lost money. He thinks Kate knows where the fifty millionis.”

“Who is he?” Lola asked.

“Kate’s half-brother.”

“Kate’s brother died when he wastwo.”

“No, he lived. I don’t know how, but that fucking bastard lived, and I’m pretty sure that even though he was adopted, Cortez ensured that his nephew knew about his roots. Mike was the key to get to Kate and the money, and when he found out that Kate was going back to Pace, he waited like a patient predator.”

Brook placed his hand on my shoulder. “I have the jet on standby. Just tell me where andwhen.”

“To the only place that money could logically be is in Pace. And the only logical hiding spotis…”

No, no, no….

Could it really be that I had been so close to the money and never thought of looking where I was supposed to? I turned on my phone and opened the tracking app that would trace Kate’s phone. The last location picked up was her precinct and I swore under my breath. The phone must have been turned off, and we didn’t have time until it went back on again – ifever.

“I’m flying to Pace and I’m going now.” I didn’t wait for a reply, instead heading straight for thedoor.

“You’re not going by yourself.” Brook followedme.

“I’m going with you,” addedLola.

I froze. “That’s two more people I have to keep trackof.”

“You may not think so, but I’m capable of taking care of myself. You’ll thank me when I save your sorry ass,” Lola replied.

“It’s true. She’s one of the strongest women I know.” My brother gave her that I see you and I know you see me kind of glance. I wanted to roll my eyes. Just this morning he’d been fighting with Lola, and now he was already trying to get inside her panties.

“Fine. Let’s go.” We took the stairs back down to the garage and drove to the airport. Brook called the pilot from the road to file a flightplan.

“Why would Kate’s brother want to harm her?” Lola asked, as we passed the security gates.

“Because he’s also the son of Benjamin Cortez. I think Anna ran away that year from Pace because Ben Cortez took Mikey away from her. I don’t think she ever admitted to anyone that Mikey was Ben’s. Father John insisted Mikey was theirs. Ultimately, Ben Cortez had Anna believe that her sondied.”

“Remind me again how you know this? And how is Mike Donaldson Ben’s son?” Brook asked.

“It does make sense.” In the rearview mirror I saw Lola’s face fall as she digested the idea I’d had for a while now. “Ben and Anna… they… no, I don’t think Kate’s mother would willingly sleep with Benjamin Cortez.”

“She didn’t,” I said. “Anna and John must have wanted nothing to do with Ben Cortez after he rapedher.”

“You sure Mikey didn’t die? Mr. Black never mentioned him. If Mikey was alive, then Anna had noidea.”

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