It rebooted its system a couple of hours ago and is currently generating data and GPS coordinates.
The anticipation of finding out where Adeline is threatens to shred my nerves to pieces. I can barely stop myself from hitting the computer to make it go faster, even though I know that won't do a damn thing to help.
The only thing I can do is wait.
I type out a quick text to Jax, not knowing if he's asleep or awake, telling him that I might have a new lead.
It only takes a few minutes before Jax comes barreling into my office, out of breath and looking like he just ran a marathon. He puts his hands on his knees, sucking in air. "What…did…you…find?" he asks between pants.
"She activated the watch. I'm waiting for the data to upload."
He straightens and narrows his eyes at me. "So…nothing?"
I smirk at him and wave my hand towards a seat nearby. "Want to wait with me?"
Groaning in frustration, he goes to a chair and dramatically plops down on it. We wait in silence as I watch the upload bar indicator slowly move centimeter by centimeter on the big screen before me.
"What if it's not her?" Jax asks the question I've been mulling around in my own head.
"Then we'll find out who has the watch and see if they know where she is," I say through clenched teeth. The thought of someone else having the gift I gave her guts me, because it makes me crazy with doubt and worry.
My attention snaps to the screen when a new window automatically opens. Jax moves from the couch to hover over my shoulder as we read through the data together.
"She's in Pennsylvania," he whispers.
I Google the town she's in. It has a population of around 900, a small farming town in the middle of nowhere. It would be easy to stay hidden in a place like that. "Smart girl," I mutter.
"Do you think it's Adeline?"
"It's her," I tell him confidently. It has to be. I've run out of options, and I won't even conceive the possibility of not finding her now. If nothing else, this will give us a better lead than I've had since she first disappeared.
"When are we leaving?" Jax asks, and I look up to see he's anxiously waiting by the door.
"As soon as possible," I confirm.
"I'll tell Wraith to ready the plane," he says anxiously. Then he quietly adds, "For all of us."
"All of us?" I inquire.
He shrugs and shyly looks down to the floor for a moment before saying, "Well, I have to bring Katya along." With a shake of his head, he adds, "I just don't trust her yet not to run, and she's not safe out there on her own."
I nod, completely understanding his situation given what I went through with Adeline. I just worry that Jax is going to get hurt in the end. I'll deal with this Katya problem later, but right now I can only focus on getting to Adeline and making sure she's safe and sound.
"Be careful," I tell him, and he gives me a long stare before nodding several times. He understood the hidden meaning behind my words, and I hope he takes them to heart.
After Jax leaves, I upload the data onto my laptop and phone and gather everything I will need for the trip, packing only the essentials.
Once I get my girl back, I'm bringing her home.
CHAPTER 36
ADELINE
JAMES CLOSES THE store with a sign in the window indicating that it will be closed until further notice. And then him, Laura and their two kids pack up and leave for New York.
I told James that I didn't know if I would be here when he returned, and he told me to call as soon as I figured out what I decide to do.
I don't think his mother told him all the details of why I was running and needed a place to hide, but I'm sure James is putting two and two together now because of the obvious coincidences. I think he knows the break-in at his mom's place is somehow connected to me, but he didn't make me feel guilty about it or even accuse me of anything.
