Page 4 of Philly
“What’s the case then?”
“She’s missing.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m guessing it wasn’t the flu that made her sick that day, which would make the baby—if it lived—about what, two now? If a pretty young woman, who’s also the mother of a toddler, goes missing, it’s in the news. This hasn’t been in the news.”
“She went missing three months before you were seen with her in San Diego.”
Philly blinked. “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”
Callie tipped her head a fraction but didn’t answer. “You said it was a white Land Cruiser?”
“Yes. I might have noticed the plates, but after two-plus years, I don’t remember. Have you considered she might have been on the run from someone? Maybe even the person who filed the missing persons report? Which I assume there is.”
“Her husband filed the report.”
He inclined his head but held her gaze. “Then maybe you should leave it. There’s a reason she went missing, a reason she left her husband and family. I don’t think it takes a genius to figure out what that reason might be.”
“Are you saying her husband was abusive?”
Philly shook his head. “That’s one of the possibilities—none of which are good. And finding her and returning her to that situation could have unintended consequences.” He narrowed his eyes. “This is hardly a white-collar case, Callie. Why are you looking into it?”
Her dark brown eyes studied him. “Laura Nolan was—still is—married to Rian Nolan. The Nolan family has come up in an old investigation I’m looking into.”
“And when you discovered that the wife was still alive—or still alive three months after she ‘disappeared’—you decided she might be your inside track into the family?”
“As you said, she likely left for a reason. She had many reasons to stay, including a life of luxury and, quite possibly, a baby. And yet she left. I’d like to know why.”
“At the cost to her safety,” Philly replied, his voice flat. He had a lot of reasons not to like Callie Parks, but he’d always assumed her willingness to hurt others was something special she reserved for him.
Callie’s jaw ticked. “I donotwant to put her in danger,” she said so emphatically he almost believed her. “If I can find her and if she’s in danger, there are ways to make contact that will keep her off anyone’s radar and still in the shadows.”
He sat back and crossed his arms. “You’re an FBI agent. You’re working a case. Even if you keep your notes confidential or refer to her as a confidential informant, don’t you think people will figure out where you got inside information on the Nolans…” He cut himself off as the pieces of what she said—and didn’t—fell into place. Leaning forward, he set his forearms on the table. “You’re not working a case, are you? Not officially.”
Bingo. Her eyes slid away and she took three breaths, her gaze fixed on the front door. “Like I said,” she said, returning her attention to him, “it’s an old investigation. There is an official record and file.”
“But it’s notyourinvestigation,” he pushed, noting her use of “investigation” rather than “case.” Laura Nolan’s disappearance was a “case,” but he’d bet his house that whatever else Callie was working didn’t rise to that level.
She stared at him for a weighted moment, then pushed away from the table. “Thank you for your time today, Gabriel. It was…helpful.”
He remained seated as she gathered her purse and jacket. She gave him one last nod, then walked toward the door.
“Callie,” he called. She turned. “Leave the wife out of it. I get that you want what you want, but people leave those kinds of situations for a reason. You throw her back into it, what happens next will be on you.”
Again, her jaw ticked. He braced himself for a retort, but instead, she stilled and searched his face, as if reading a book. When her eyes met his, the curiosity flaring in the dark depths sent up a hundred and one red flags.
“Thank you, Gabriel,” she said again before turning and walking out.
When the door closed behind her, he let out a long exhale. Then, pulling out his phone, he called Mantis.
“Yeah,” his brother answered.
“We have a problem,” he said.
“How big?”
Philly’s gaze returned to the door. In his mind’s eye, he saw Callie climbing into her car, her mind working through all the angles. “Big. She’s looking for Laura Nolan.”
3
