“Benson doesn’t buy it,” he said. “Thinks he’d have heard something about it by now. But my hunch says it’s a possibility.”
“Could be you’re both right. A trafficking ring, but not necessarily located in Dallas.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m starting to think. Word is, the girl hadn’t been in Dallas very long. Tina’s roommate said she thought she was running from something.”
“Have you talked to Kate about it?”
“No. This has been brutal enough without telling her there’s a chance her sister had been caged like an animal for God knows how long, drugged against her will, forced to have sex with dozens of men.”
“I see what you mean.”
Jase glanced up as the women walked back into the office. Leather creaked as he stood up from his chair. “You ready?”
Kate smiled with excitement and he felt a little kick. It occurred to him how rarely he had seen her smile that brightly. Kate was a pretty woman. When she flashed that happy smile, she was downright gorgeous.
His body stirred. He took a slow breath and pulled his brain back from where it was traveling.
“Harper’s going to schedule a meeting with Charles Stanton at the end of the week,” Kate said. “She’s offered to sit in. If she likes what she hears, she’ll support the project.”
Jase smiled. “Sounds great. I had a feeling you two would get along.”
Kate looked at Harper and both of them grinned.
“You ready to go?” Jase asked. When Kate nodded, he joined her at the door.
Kate went up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for this, Jason.”
His face went warm. “They’re my friends,” he said a little gruffly. “I’m glad you got to meet them.”
As he walked out of the office, he caught a last glimpse of Chase. His friend was smiling smugly. Jase was afraid of what that knowing smile meant.
The thought slid away as he followed Kate into the main part of the office and spotted Jax Ryker and another PI, Jonah Wolfe.
“Got something for you,” Jax said. The muscles in his barrel chest strained against the navy blue T-shirt he was wearing. The Maximum Security logo—a pair of old-fashioned iron handcuffs—rode above the name printed in white on the upper left side.
“Jax, meet Kate Gallagher,” Jase said. “Kate, this is Jaxon Ryker and Jonah Wolfe. They’re both PIs here at The Max.” Wolfe was several inches taller than Jax, with a leaner, lankier build. His hair was a glossy black, his eyes dark brown and intense.
“Good to meet you,” Kate said.
“Nice meeting you, Kate,” Wolfe said. “I gotta go. I’ll see you guys later.” Wolfe strode off and Jase turned to Ryker.
“So what have you got for me?” he asked.
“I know you’ve been hunting Randy Harding. You mentioned you’d tracked him as far as Waco, but you didn’t have an exact location.”
“That’s right. I need to get down there and find him.”
“I’ve got an informant in the area,” Jax said. “Called me on a case I’m working. I figured he might know something about Harding or be able to find out, so I asked him to look into it.”
“Your guy knows where he is?”
“Got an address out in Bellmead. My guy says he’s been jacking cars for an auto theft ring working out of Austin. Got a woman with him.”
Jase nodded. “Rosa Diaz.”
“Sounds right. Harding’s been loaning her out to his friends. Apparently, she’s scared to death of him. She wants out, but she’s afraid to leave.”
Tension settled in his shoulders. Looked like Rosa had finally figured out Harding wasn’t the good guy she’d believed. Jase softly cursed. He should have gone after Harding sooner. The man was violent and unpredictable. He’d already killed one woman in a fit of rage and wounded two cops.
