Peyton closed his eyes, the force of Trevor’s relief also nearly knocking him over. “So are you, man.” He finally stepped back. “We need to talk. Did my package arrive?”
“Yes, just an hour ago.” He eyed Jake. “And who is this?”
“Trevor Clarke, Pack Alpha of the Staffordshire Pack, let me introduce you to Jake Peterson, the long-lost father of one of my Enforcers and now an adopted packmate. He’s already taken a knee. You can say anything in front of him. I’ve already told him what I know, and you’ll soon know why.”
Jake shook with Trevor. “Sorry about the duds and possible funky smell,” Jake said. “I’ve been in the wild for a while. We washed the worst of it off me a few countries back, but I wouldn’t mind a long soak.”
Trevor clapped Jake on the shoulder. “Well, I’m certain we can take care of all of that in short order. Let’s go inside, shall we?”
Before Peyton did anything else—after hugging Trevor’s wife, Elizabeth—he opened the package Ken sent and verified all the contents while Trevor watched.
“Will you call Gillian now?” Trevor asked.
Peyton shook his head. “Not yet. I need to talk to Ken first.”
“Everyone needs to know you’re back though, correct?”
“Not yet.” He met Trevor’s gaze. “We have a lot to talk about before Ken arrives. Then you’ll understand why I don’t want anyone to know.” He pointed at Jake. “Or that he’s back, too. When’s Ken due?”
Trevor looked at his watch. “If his flight’s on time, and if he doesn’t have any trouble with the drive or finding the house, he should arrive in approximately four hours.”
“Will that be enough time to fill me in about what happened after they snatched me?” Peyton asked.
Trevor grimly nodded. “Would you like food or anything first?”
“I’d kill for a bottle of scotch or something else you don’t mind me draining dry.”
“Can I get some of that action, too?” Jake asked.
Trevor smiled. “Gentlemen, I believe I can take care of that for you without any trouble.”
Ten minutes later, they sat in Trevor’s living room, with a bucket of ice and three different bottles of scotch on the coffee table, and full glasses of iced liquor in Peyton’s and Jake’s hands.
Trevor settled on the sofa across from them, a glass of sherry in his hand. “Where would you like to begin?”
“Let me tell you what I know so far,” Peyton said. “About when they took me. Then you fill in the blanks after I was taken, and I’ll tell you about what happened after I woke up.”
Peyton’s story was far shorter, only needing a few minutes.
What happened to the Haugen family turned Peyton’s stomach and enraged him. “Has anyone reached Geir Haugen yet?” Peyton asked.
“Not yet,” Trevor said. “It’s difficult to get in touch with him where he’s located. We can’t exactly tell the authorities his family’s been murdered, and then have no record of it in either the media or with local law enforcement.”
“And you’re certain he’s not involved?”
“Would I stake my life on it? No. Am I reasonably certain? More than enough. Besides, we’ll be able to verify his whereabouts, although it could take a little while to do so without raising suspicions. It concerns me that the family was likely murdered by someone who knew Fredrik, at least in passing. From everything we’ve uncovered, he loved his sister and mother very much, and it would be completely out of character for him to risk their lives, much less harm them directly.”
“Is it possible he called it in and someone intercepted the tip on your end?”
“Doubtful. Whoever reported it likely had already captured the family based on…the evidence at the scene.”
Peyton took another sip of the cold liquor, savoring it. “Is it possible Faegan did it?”
“That I do not know. If the tip was false to start with, then the reports of corgi sightings were likely falsified as well. My guess is it was someone who knew of the family, and knew Fredrik at least in passing, enough so that he would have dropped his defenses around them. I believe had it been anyone with so much as a passing resemblance to Faegan, Fredrik likely would have run and not trusted them.” Trevor indicated Peyton. “Please continue your story, and then we may see if any missing pieces become visible.”
Peyton told him what happened, with Jake contributing background information. That took over an hour.
Trevor held up his glass in a toast to Jake. “That was remarkable thinking,” he said. “The way you managed to get the two of you onto the plane.”
