Her heart squeezed with emotion. Evelyn Nowak had been more like a mother than Joanne’s real mom had ever been, and truth be told, she’d missed Sloan’s mom terribly over the years. The idea that she would bend over backwards to help her and her kids nearly broke her fragile composure.
Mac stopped in front of them. “You’re sure this is what you want to do? Not too late to change your mind and go to the police.”
They’d been discussing this for hours, both before Mac and his team arrived and after. Jo had limited options. Try to find the money and return it to its rightful owner, go to the authorities, or do as she’d originally planned and run away. While that was her favorite option, she could see the wisdom in looking for the money first, and with Sloan and HERO Force on her side, there was actually a chance she’d find it.
Already, their computer guy was working on tracing David’s accounts and searching for others, but so far, he hadn’t found any money. “I’m afraid to go back there. I keep seeing my house all torn up, knowing someone was in there.”
“You’ll have me there with you, and the other men nearby,” said Sloan. “And you won’t need to go home. They can search your house without you being there. You can show us all the places David hung out and we can look for clues.”
She nodded. It sounded like a simple enough plan, but inherently dangerous, and she wondered if she’d ever sleep again. “I know. We’ve been through it all. I’m just worried.”
“There’s nothing in here,” said Champion. “I’d like to take your cell phones apart, any other devices.
Jo handed hers over, as did April. Fiona held up her beloved iPad. The poor kids, they must be at least as frightened as she was, yet they were holding up like champs. While she didn’t tell them their lives had been threatened, she did come clean about the man who wanted back the money Daddy had borrowed. “It’s going to be okay, guys,” she said with more certainty than she felt.
April walked to her and opened her arms, the rare hug making Jo feel there was hope for them yet. The last year with April had been difficult, with the girl becoming more defiant and argumentative. She could only hope their current ordeal would bring them closer together instead of further apart, and the hug was a step in the right direction.
“Nothing in here, either,” said Champion. “Could be some kind of tracking software, though.”
Sloan nodded. “We need to destroy the phones.”
“My ’Pad, too?” asked Fiona, her bottom lip sticking out.
“Yes, sweetie, I’m sorry.” He squatted down in front of her. “We need to make sure we stay safe, and there could be something on there that puts us in danger.” The little girl nodded, her face a mixture of resolute acceptance and quivering loss, and Sloan knew he had to buy her another iPad at the earliest opportunity.
“It’s time,” said Mac.
Champion got on his phone. “Chop, they’re coming out to load the RV.” He’d been watching the house from the road to make sure no one else did the same.
“Won’t take long,” said Sloan. “All we’ve got is one bag each and a mangy ol’ husky.”
Jo nudged him with her elbow. “Don’t make fun of my dog.”
Sloan met her stare, intensity flashing in their depths before he grinned. “Who would have thought one day I’d ever choose a Winnebago over a Porsche?”
“I know, right? I call shotgun.”
“You’re my official copilot. You’d better ride shotgun.”
She smiled, suddenly noticing all eyes were on Sloan and her. Mac had stopped pacing and stood with his head cocked, Champion was openly staring, and all three kids looked like they were watching a pig fly across the sky. Her cheeks heated, and she pushed off the counter. “Okay, kids, let’s get this show on the road.”
11
Sloan drove along the highway, Joanne by his side and the kids tucked into the back of the vehicle, classic rock playing softly on the radio. Fiona had fallen asleep with her new iPad on her lap, April had been playing on her new phone since they left New York, and Lucas was completely engrossed in his Nintendo Switch. The devices were expensive, but he didn’t care.
Joanne had quite a fight with April over putting Instagram on her new phone, going so far as to forbid the girl from installing it. Sloan witnessed the legendary wrath of an eleven-year-old girl, and quietly wagered April would install it anyway.
They selected a campground an hour outside of Chicago to stay in overnight. Between the impending reservation and the long, quiet drive, he couldn’t help but feel like he was living someone else’s life, that these were his kids, this was his wife, and they were traveling on some special vacation.
It was a stupid fantasy and one he wouldn’t have admitted to if Joanne had asked what he was thinking. There was just the peaceful feel of sharing each other’s company and Sloan’s profound sadness at what might have been.
What if he’d said yes all those years ago, instead of freezing up like the idiot he’d been? It hadn’t taken him long to realize he’d made the wrong choice in refusing to marry her. Within two weeks of his arrival at basic training, he’d already bought the ring. If he’d gone to her then or called and apologized, told her he was an asshole and a jerk and a hundred different things, he could have begged to have her back. Maybe she wouldn’t have married David, and their entire lives would have been different.
But that’s not what he did.
He’d choked. He’d dug in his heels. He’d arrogantly thought he’d have the rest of his life to make it up to her. He’d dragged his feet and taken his time and planned exactly how he wanted to pop the question, never imagining she would already be someone else’s wife by the time he returned from training.
“Tell me about David.” The words were out before he could stop them, the need to know what happened outweighing his desire to maintain the peace. The air between them changed instantly, seeming to carry a charge like a storm blowing in.
