Page 43 of Fighting for Mallory

“Let’s find out.”

They spent a delightful hour discovering how fantastic they were together in bed. Afterward, they napped for a short while, had sex again, and showered.

Great sex increased their appetites. In the kitchen, Faith chopped vegetables for a salad while Judd prepared the meat and stuffed four green peppers. He set the pan in the oven and programmed the timer for an hour and a half. While the stuffed peppers baked, they discussed what they’d learned so far about the pieces of the puzzle that weren’t fitting together. With the Lapeno family murders unrelated to Bentley’s, they could focus their time and energy on finding Neheb.

When dinner was ready, they tabled conversation about work in favor of sharing details about their personal lives. Judd skipped over the problems in his marriage that caused it to end, and for someone whose path to success had always been clearcut, the loss of his marriage had, he admitted to Faith, been a blow to his ego.

“If you did your best as a husband with a demanding career, then don’t blame yourself,” Faith commented. “At least you know what it feels like to be in love. I’ve never been in love with anyone. I’m too busy chasing down my next big story, wherever it may lead. I don’t have time to invest in anything or anyone except my career.”

“So, the idea of settling down doesn’t appeal to you?”

“On the contrary. I’d like to have it all like Brielle. A demanding career, a sexy, loving husband, and kids. I just haven’t met anyone who’s willing to give me the kind of freedom and understanding I need.”

“Most men are intimidated by women like you. Women who are strong and independent.”

“Are you?” She flashed a sexy smile at him.

“No. Not by those qualities.” Judd paused and drank in her tousled hair and swollen lips from their lovemaking. “By your sheer sexiness.”

“Wow. No one has ever said anything like that to me. Go on. Tell me more.”

“What if I show you instead?” He leaned forward and captured Faith’s mouth in a deep kiss.

She rose from the table and took his hand. “You don’t seem very intimidated.”

“Take me to bed and have your way with me.”

Faith laughed and led the way to his bedroom.

As they shared a quart of mint chocolate chip ice cream in bed an hour later, Judd’s cell phone vibrating with a call interrupted them. When he saw a number he didn’t recognize, he started to decline the call but abruptly changed his mind.

“This might be important,” he told Faith.

“Answer it.”

“Judd Morgan.”

“Judd, it’s Detective Martinelli.”

He sat up straighter and glanced at Faith. “What’s going on? Are you and Mallory okay?”

“No, Judd, we’re definitely not okay. We were attacked by Neheb’s minions. I was shot and Mallory was abducted. We have until the twenty-ninth before she’s sacrificed.”

“Sacrificed? What the hell does that mean? Where are you? I’ll coordinate a manhunt for her.”

“I don’t have time to explain. No manhunt. We’re keeping this on the downlow. What you can do for me is help us find Neheb before it’s too late.”

“You got it.”

“Start with any colleagues of a college professor named Dr. Patricia Samir who might be in California at a university with programs in Egyptology.”

“All right. Hang tight, Luca. We’re going to find Neheb. I promise.”

When Judd disconnected the call, Faith chided, “You shouldn’t have made a promise we might not be able to keep. How are we supposed to find a ghost?”

Judd chuckled and pulled Faith on top of him. “You’re Faith Stoker, Ace Reporter. You broke the mystery surrounding Axel Anderson and proved he wasn’t a ghost after all. Surely, you’ll be able to find Neheb.”

“I spent months investigating Axel Anderson. We only have a few short days to find someone who hasn’t left a trail.”

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