“Of course not,” Dad said.
Riley skirted the desk and kissed Dad on the cheek.
Josh wanted to ask where his kiss was.
Dad’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.
The two were becoming quite close, which was good and bad—good in the sense that they were bonding, but bad in the sense that Dad would be heartbroken when she returned to Boston. He was doing his best to push Josh and Riley toward being a couple, getting married, and the whole nine yards.
Hell, Josh wanted her to stay too. He wanted her around permanently. But his relationship status would have to wait. They needed to find Liza.
Riley eased down on the cushion next to Charlie. “It sounds like Taylor has been telling us the truth, but I still claim she’s hiding something about Liza, mainly because she seemed too nervous when we met her at her apartment. I might be wrong, but I don’t think Liza called her that day and said she was on her way to her apartment. If Liza had been, she would’ve called us, Josh.”
Riley was right. Why would Liza talk to Taylor and not them, especially Riley since the two had plans together?
“Are you two going to share?” Dad asked.
Riley and Josh filled him in on the conversation they’d had with the agents, including how Liza could’ve been hurt and in a hospital in the city.
Dad shook his graying-blond head of hair. “She would’ve called if she was in a hospital, or at least someone would’ve called us or her father.” He lifted the receiver of the desk phone. “I’ll call my brother.”
Josh doubted Liza would’ve had anyone call her old man. If Josh had to wager, he doubted Liza carried the man’s phone number in her purse.
Josh sighed as he sat down on the arm of the loveseat with Riley next to him.
Riley rubbed Charlie’s back as the dog laid his head on a pillow. “I know you said rent is expensive in the city, but I can’t help but think that something isn’t right with Taylor. She’s dressed as though she comes from money. The ring on her finger is evidence that at least her fiancé has money, and the rundown apartment doesn’t match up with her persona.”
Josh couldn’t say he disagreed, but that dinky and dingy apartment probably rented for at least fifteen hundred dollars a month.
“I’m going into the city first thing in the morning to talk to Taylor,” Riley said as sure as Charlie was snoring.
Josh jerked so hard, he almost fell on top of her.Over my dead body.“You’re not going alone.”
You can’t stop her. You don’t have any say in what she does. And let’s not forget you’re handicapped. With your slight limp and lack of hearing, you wouldn’t even hear a gun being cocked until it was too late.
Dad set the receiver down. “No answer. Also, I have my quarterly appointment with my neurologist tomorrow at Gold Coast General.”
“Then we’ll go after your appointment.” Josh could make arrangements for one of Dad’s caregivers to take him, but Josh wanted to be there. That way, he could hear firsthand what the doctor had to say, especially if they had to make decisions on the next steps of Dad’s medical care. The neurologist had recommended a feeding tube at some point. Dad wasn’t quite there yet, but he was starting to have problems with swallowing.
Riley rested a hand on Josh’s thigh. “You take care of your dad. I’ll be fine. I’m just going to talk to Taylor. Besides, she might open up to me without you there. I think she’s afraid of you.”
Josh pushed his tongue against his teeth to keep from groaning at how good her hand felt on him. Maybe he was exaggerating a little on how she affected him, but the woman had some kind of hold over his mind and body.
“And what if the black SUV shows up? Or they follow you this time?”
The more Charlie got rubbed, the more Josh pouted, wishing he were a dog.How crazy is that?
“They don’t know who I am.”
“So those men didn’t see you in the car as they passed by?”
“Maybe. But I was petting Charlie when they drove by, which was another reason I didn’t get a good look. I was trying not to bring attention to myself. Besides, they probably didn’t even think twice about a girl and her dog. I promise I’ll call you as soon as I’m done and on my way back here.”
Josh studied her and realized she had a beauty mark just below her left eye.
Dad cleared his throat, bringing Josh out of his lust-filled haze.
Focus, man.
A wild laugh broke out in his head. As long as Riley was near him, his head would be fuzzy.
“Josh,” both Dad and Riley said at the same time.
Josh blinked and found Dad grinning as though he knew what Josh was thinking. Dad probably did since he was a man too.
“Promise you’ll call me as soon as you leave the city,” Josh said to Riley, knowing deep down in his gut that he was going to regret not going with her.
