Page 50 of Stay Baby Stay

We head back toward the stairs.

“You gonna tell me what your girl’s running from, or am I gonna have to guess?” Jonah asks.

“I’ll tell you everything, but you’re gonna want to be sitting down for this one.”

The four of us, plus baby Joey, gather around the table for a lunch of turkey sandwiches and various sides. Once we’ve all gotten a bit of food in us, I begin explaining the broad strokes of the case, and the important players. Holly fidgets as I reach the part about McKenzie going off with the driver, nibbling at her cuticles instead of her food. I draw her hand away from her mouth and into my lap, as I bring everyone up to speed to the present moment.

Teagan and Jonah share a loaded glance.

“You guys can stay here as long as you want,” Teagan says, reaching for Holly’s other hand.

Holly tenses, but doesn’t pull away, and Teagan clearly doesn’t take offense. An ex-foster kid herself, she’s come a hell of a long way from the shy, distrustful teen Jonah took in as a favor to his social-worker sister.

“I appreciate it.” I raise my glass of sweet tea in thanks.

“That’s what family’s for,” Jonah says, scratching at his beard. “Could the guy who broke into your place be the same one who picked McKenzie up from the party?”

I glance at Holly, who shrugs.

“I didn’t get a good look at the man who stole Cal’s laptop,” Holly says. “But he was thin enough.”

Joey amuses himself by blowing spit bubbles. Teagan wipes his face with a napkin as Jonah breaks up pieces of turkey to go on Joey’s plate. Taking care of Joey is a dance they’ve learned by heart, and one they’ve both taken to masterfully.

“It’s a hell of a coincidence,” Jonah says. “Someone stealing evidence from your partner’s desk the same day this guy decides to break into your place.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I tell him. “Thing is, anyone on that video had motive to steal the footage. Which narrows down the suspect pool to around, oh, seventy.” I sigh with frustration. Holly draws her thumb across my knuckles.

I notice Teagan watching us with a look of contemplation.

“How does McKenzie tie into all this?” Teagan asks.

“Her disappearance fits the profile,” I say. “Most of the other victims have either been linked to the sex ring or the reverend’s revival tours.”

“So, you’ve got two cases then,” she says. “The sex trafficking ring, and the murders. And the only thing that can tie them together is McKenzie, who’s missing.”

“That’s the gist of it.”

“Have you gone out to look for her? Even if she’s laying low, she’s going to need food and shelter.”

Holly shifts in her seat. “I wanted to ask around, but Cal thought it would be too dangerous.”

“Well, then,” Teagan says. “That’s our next step. We go look for her.”

“All right,” I say, nodding to Jonah. “Your truck or mine—”

“No, not you guys,” Teagan says. “No homeless fifteen-year-old is going to talk to the two of you. But they would probably talk to Holly and me.”

“Hell no.” Jonah scowls. “I do not like the idea of you girls traipsing around out there by yourselves.”

“We’ll take Burger,” Teagan says. The big brute lifts his head at the sound of his name. “Cal, no offense, but finding McKenzie is the key to solving both these cases. And you haven’t even gone out to search for her.”

“I didn’t want to put Holly in danger.”

“And I’ll walk through fire before I let anyone putyouin danger, little girl,” Jonah says to his wife.

Teagan rests her hand on Jonah’s arm. Holly watches them closely, like she’s trying to work out a puzzle.

“I know you just want to protect me,” Teagan says, “but if this guy wanted to hurt Cal or Holly, he wouldn’t have been so sloppy about breaking into Cal’s place. He would’ve covered his tracks and waited for the opportunity to ambush them inside the apartment. Instead, he ran.”

---