Page 51 of Stay Baby Stay

Jonah shoots a weighted glance my way. As much as I can’t stand the idea of Holly and Teagan wandering around unprotected—no offense to Burger—she’s got a point. The guy I chased for half a mile clearly wasn’t there looking for a fight. And a teenager on the run would take one look at Jonah and me and haul ass the opposite way.

“I don’t like it,” I grumble.

“What’s to like about any of it?” Holly says. “Teagan’s right. It’s been almost two days. That’s plenty of time for Kenzie to have made it back to Knoxville. If we can’t get the cops officially involved, then it’s up to us to go look for her.”

My chest tightens. I feel cagey, tense, like a wolf backed into a corner. Not by Holly or Teagan, but by the scope of this fucking case. I’m operating on multiple fronts here, trying to solve these murders, find McKenzie, and figure out who the hell in my department is leaking info to that piece of shit, Russell King.

But not having the force behind me severely limits my options when it comes to locating missing persons.

Maybe Teagan and Holly would have better luck finding McKenzie on their own. They know this city in ways Jonah and I don’t, the hidden corners where homeless teens hang out. They know how to survive and how to be careful.

I exhale through gnashed teeth. “Fine. But you girls stick together and keep a phone on you at all times.”

“And check in every hour, on the hour,” Jonah adds.

Holly nods with grim determination. Teagan rests her head on Jonah’s shoulder.

“We will,” Teagan says. “Promise.”

Jonah cups her face in his baseball-glove of a hand. “You girls take the Escalade. Burger fits better in the back.” He turns to me. “Now, what’sourplan of action?”

I figure, while the girls are hitting the streets, that leaves Jonah and I the freedom to take a more top-down approach. I lay my napkin on my empty plate and slide my phone from my pocket.

“We call in the pros.”

Chapter Twenty

Caleb

Jonah and I split the phone calls to the two other members of our fearsome foursome. Austin Pope, Jonah’s business partner, is the first to arrive.

After the necessary greetings to both the baby and Burger—including sloppy kisses from both—I introduce Holly to the new guy.

Austin smiles and shakes her hand, then says to me, “Your text sounded ominous, Cal. You sending us into a war zone?”

“Nothing as official as that,” I tell him. “I will need to make use of your special-ops training, though.”

Austin’s ex-military. He and Jonah go way back, and the two of us used to be drinking buddies before I got off the sauce. We’ve both seen more awful shit than most men will ever see in their lifetimes. It’s not often you find someone you can bond with over trauma.

“Sounds illegal.” Austin smirks. The droning growl of a Harley rumbles up the driveway. “Speak of the devil...”

Austin opens the kitchen door, siccing a very excited Burger onto his younger brother, Mike.

“Whoa, buddy,” Mike says, climbing off his bike. Burger plants his paws on Mike’s shoulders and begins bathing the man’s face in dog slobber. “Good to see you, too.”

“Jesus,” Austin yells, “get a room.”

Mike brings Burger inside and gives baby Joey a few quick tosses in the air before planting a friendly kiss on Teagan’s cheek. The two of them look like walking canvasses with all their tattoos.

I introduce Mike and Holly. From the tired look in her eyes, I can tell the socialization is taking its toll on her energy levels. The fact that she’s still eager to head out and search for McKenzie is a testament to her strength and how far she’s willing to push outside her comfort zone.

“I want you girls back before sundown,” Jonah says to Teagan. “Make sure your phone is charged and call us if you run into anything.”

“We will.” She rises onto her toes to kiss her husband. He pulls her tight against him, prompting me to squeeze Holly’s hand.

“Promise me you won’t take any unnecessary risks,” I tell her.

“I promise, Daddy,” Holly whispers. I know she needs to do this, but watching her leave is gonna fucking gut me.

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