Cannon puts a finger over my lips. “I can see your panic. You’re worried about money. Wipe it out of your mind.”
I’m breathing heavily. I’ve never shopped for anything other than the basics in my life, let alone online. “I don’t know how,” I mutter.
Cannon kisses me again, making my brain cells scramble. “I’m certain June will help you. I bet you’ll have the hang of online shopping in ten minutes.”
“I’ll definitely help her,” June says excitedly.
Blade laughs. “I’ve created a monster.”
Chapter Nineteen
Cannon
* * *
“You think they’re okay?” I ask as Blade and I settle on chairs in my home office to discuss what the team has discovered about Eloise. I feel bad about leaving her with June to shop. It seemed like the two of them have hit it off, but I don’t know Eloise well enough to be certain she’s not just a really good actress.
“They’re fine. They have unlimited funds and a laptop. What could possibly go wrong?” he jokes.
I rub my beard. “I’m not sure Eloise will be willing to actually spend any money. She’s very uncomfortable letting me buy her things.”
“Don’t worry. June isn’t as casual about it as she was pretending either. It’s hard for her to accept gifts.”
I try to relax and focus on what matters most. Eloise’s safety. We didn’t discuss anything specific while the girls were getting to know each other, partly because I didn’t want Eloise to overhear our conversation, but also because I was half listening in on the two of them to make sure Eloise was comfortable. “Talk to me.”
“You were right about Eloise’s record. She doesn’t have one. Not a single thing. There’s nothing falsified about ever having been stopped by the cops, detained, or arrested. Larkin lied to her.”
I release a deep breath. That’s a relief. It was as expected, but still, if that asshole had created false police reports, flames would have come out of my head, and I might have made his ultimate demise last a lot longer than I’m currently planning.
“You were also right about her school records. Excellent grades on every report card. Her elementary teachers adored her. The only negative comment anyone ever had—if you can even call it negative—was that she was often too quiet and didn’t interact with the other children much.”
I don’t comment on that. I’m not surprised. She was never in one place long enough to develop relationships. “Wait, how did Mace pull her records so fast? She probably went to damn near twelve schools in twelve years.”
“Yeah, he hacked into the state system where there was a file on her.”
I chuckle. “Of course he did.” Thank God for Mace.
“As for Larkin. He was the cop at her high school for three years. He resigned about a year after her ‘disappearance.’ If what she says is accurate and Larkin was running a human trafficking ring, I’m not surprised. I’m sure he’d have accumulated enough money to retire by then.”
“Do we know where he is now?”
“Yep. Got an address. He has a Ring doorbell, too.”
“Super convenient. Has Mace captured him coming and going?”
“He has.” Blade lifts his phone and taps the screen several times before flipping it around to show me. “This is Gary Larkin.”
I grit my teeth as I memorize his face.
“We don’t have any guys currently working in that part of the country, nor do I trust anyone local to snoop around without ratting us out if Larkin is a beloved former cop. I’m sending Tank to feel this one out.”
“I should go with him,” I say, glancing at the door. There’s no way I can leave Seattle or even my apartment right now. Eloise needs me.
“No, you shouldn’t. And before you ask, Tank will not take him out. He’s going to break in and see what he can find out about our upstanding cop slash human trafficker and get back to us. Let’s see what he can dig up on this prick before we take action.”
“And then?” I know I’m not going to be able to be the point man on this case. I’m too close. I’m clenching my fists and salivating over the desire to take this guy out, preferably after pulling each of his nails out with needle-nosed pliers.
“And then we lure him here,” Blade replies.
