Surrogate Escape

“I’ve been with patients all day except for lunch over at the diner. Not sure which is bigger news, that you two found a baby or that Lori will finally speak to you again.”

“Speak to me?” Jake sounded incredulous.

She narrowed her eyes at the implication that he’d had reason to avoid verbal exchange with her. If he said another word on the topic, she was going to finally tell him what a complete jerk he was. Why had she let him kiss her?

Lori wouldn’t marry him now if he got down on his belly and groveled in the dirt. Redhorse was off the menu and he was not stealing any more kisses, either. Not today or ever.

“Whatever you say, Officer,” said Kee, and he gave Jake a playful push.

Jake’s mouth twisted as he allowed the shove to rock him and did not offer an insult back as he was likely to do with Ty or Colt. Kee had always been treated differently because of his leg-length discrepancy. His younger brothers looked out for him, his fiercest defenders. Even now, after the corrective surgery, the Redhorse men persisted as if their eldest still required special handling.

“How did Lawrence look?” asked Jake, wisely changing the subject.

“Just as you’re imagining.”

“Bear Den had me do that initial interview with him.”

“A tough place to start. A missing child, I mean.”

Jake did not disagree. “He also had me check back with the families of the others. A follow-up interview.”

“What others?” asked Kee.

“We have five missing girls since last November.”

“What? I didn’t know that,” said Kee. “Who?”

Jake listed the names, and Kee’s frown deepened. He turned to Lori. “Didn’t we see Maggie here last week?”

“I’m not sure,” she said. But the hairs on her arms were lifting as she considered the possibility. She was not sure about Maggie. But she was positive they had recently seen two of the other girls Jake had just mentioned.

“What’s wrong, Lori?” asked Jake.

“Maybe nothing. Excuse me, gentlemen.”

She stepped out, leaving Jake and Kee to watch her abrupt exit.

“What was that about?” asked Kee.

“Don’t know.”

“So...” Kee rocked back and forth from heel to toe. “You two back together?”