Page 43 of Special Agent Jennie

Chapter Thirty-two

Jennie couldn’t believe her earlier behavior. Ludicrous! Freakin’-out-of-her-mind stupid. How could she have ignored all sense of decency? Just because seeing him again, knowing how her stomach churned from wanting his taste, his arms around her, feeling a part of him, was no reason for her to have lost all inhibitions.

She couldn’t believe she’d behaved in such a way… it had never happened before. Most dates with her went along a certain pattern and very few ended up with her accommodating some guy’s demands.

Only when it suited her needs did she let anyone get close. And that didn’t happen very often. Yet just a few seconds in Kane’s company, and she’d lost her mind and forgotten her rules.

His voice, his smell, the way he moved, God… all those fantasies she’d experienced over the years. Most ended with her showing him the door, but a few had ended in the same way things had gotten out of control tonight. As if she had no will, no choice… just hunger.

And him the only person able to satisfy that appetite. And satisfy it he had. She’d felt as if her head would explode from the desire he’d built inside her from a simple kiss. Once their lips had touched, it had ignited her, and in turn, she’d torched him in the same way. They were combustible and every tingling gratified nerve in her body thanked her for the experience.

Needing to get on safe ground before she leaned over and started the intoxication again, she grumbled. “Stop looking at me like that and get to the point. Why did you come here?”

He put his coffee mug down and scratched at his hair, pushing it to the back of his head. A custom she remembered him doing from the old days whenever he needed to organize his thoughts. Of course, it flipped back in place again, rumpled and looking sexy as hell. She peeled her eyes away and slammed her mug down. “Chrissakes, talk already. You break into my… ahh, house and expect me to listen. So here I am. What?”

“You need to let Bosko free.”

“I can’t. The man’s lying to us about the girl, says he left her at his place but when we went and searched, she wasn’t there. We need to find her.”

“Of course, she’s at his place, he told me so on the phone.”

“Yeah, well he lied.”

“No. Lance wouldn’t lie. He’s a Federal officer for Chrissakes. Why would he?”

“Because kidnapping is a federal offense. And statutory rape loses him his job, his reputation, and his freedom.”

“Good Lord, Jennie. The man is as clean as a newborn. He’d never break laws on purpose. No way he kidnapped the girl, she just showed up on his doorstep.”

“If that’s true, why didn’t he contact her family to let them know she was okay?”

“Didn’t he tell you anything… about the girl I mean?”

“At first, he intimated that Melena had been in a bad situation and had come to him for help. But once we got him to the Bureau and couldn’t find the girl, all he’d say was Melena needed to tell her truth. It’s bloody frustrating.”

“Well, sure… because he obviously expected you to pick her up at his apartment.”

“Right. Sounds feasible – except she wasn’t there both times we checked. All we found was blood on a towel and a mess in the bathroom.”

Jennie knew she was stretching the truth, but she hoped the shock might get Kane to divulge more about what he knew so she’d exaggerated the scene. The blood was minimal, and the mess only appeared to be a person searching for something and obviously not finding it.

Kane rubbed his forehead. “Jesus. If he’s said nothing, I can’t break his trust in confiding in me. All I can tell you is that Melena can’t go back home… she won’t. Lance is protecting her. We need to find the girl and then everything will become clear.”

“So where do you suggest we start?”

“I think we should go back to his place. He gave me the combination lock to the front door. It might have been that she’d slipped out while you visited that last time.”

“You figure she’s returned?”

“Pretty sure. According to Lance, he’d been her only friend. It’s why she came to him. For protection.”

“Protection from who?”

“That’s what the FBI needs to find out.” He stood up and turned to leave.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to Lance’s place. She’s probably there, scared out of her mind because he hasn’t returned.”

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