Roaring toward Colorado Springs,Chase thought of the night he’d followed Jade in their convertibles. He smiled, remembering how she’d stuck out her tongue when he’d taken the lead. As images of making love to her that night floated across his mind, his smile slowly faded, and his heart bled. His determination to find her clenched his jaw as his fists tightened around the Harley’s handlebars. Chase wished for the hundredth time he knew where the hell the Spatafores were holding Jade.
When Acacia Park came into view, he slowed the motorcycle and heard the chimes of the water fountain Jade had mentioned. The sound indicated Uncle Wilber was about to rise from inside its base. Chase spotted Katy just before the whimsical statue of a man and his pet Dalmatian magically appeared within a circular ring of spraying water jets. With an umbrella-like blue top reaching fifteen feet in the air, Uncle Wilber began playing his repertoire of jazz on a tuba, thus blocking Chase’s view of Katy. Chase parked the Harley, glanced around for any kind of a trap, and approached. Katy looked nervous but waved at him.
“Katy, thank you for meeting me,” Chase said, stopping at the outer edge of a ceramic tile mosaic surrounding the water feature. “By way of introduction, I’m Chase Cooper.”
“Katy Victorson.” They shook hands. “I thought you might be Chase when you showed up today,” she said. “This is the bench where Jade and I always sit. Please have a seat.”
Sitting, Chase asked, “How did you know who I was?”
“Jade texted me a few days ago. She said she’d met a man named Chase,” Katy told him. “She didn’t say where she was, and I didn’t ask because neither of us wanted to leave any kind of trail for the Spatafores to follow her.”
“I understand. Do you know where either one of the Spatafores live?”
“No. They’re oddly secretive. I don’t think anybody knows where they live, except Margo,” she said. Katy then turned her attention to the Uncle Wilber fountain, smiled broadly, and waved to a boy talking to some other kids. “The one with the light brown hair is my son, Finn. He’s eleven.”
“Jade told me about Finn. I’m sorry for the loss of your husband.”
“Thank you. Jade has given Finn and me free grief therapy, and it’s helped so much.”
“That sounds like Jade. Did you see her yesterday?”
“No, just briefly this morning. Usually, I see Jade several times a day, Monday through Friday. Margo had me cancel all of her appointments for the rest of the week.” Katy paused and grimaced. “I’m going to ask you straight out, do you think the Spatafores have her?”
“Yes.” Chase figured Franco had snatched her in the employee parking lot before she could make it inside her office.
“Me too.” Katy nodded. “Franco is obsessed with Jade.”
“Were you able to talk to her this morning?”
“Only to try to warn her that the Spatafores and Margo were saying she was out due to a reaction to a Covid booster. To make them think I believed the lie, I gave Jade a get-well card.”
“What did she have on today?” Chase asked.
“A blue dress and red heels. Why?”
“That’s what she had on yesterday.”
“Jade would never wear the same thing two days in a row.”
“I didn’t think so.” That fit in with Chloe and Teresa thinking the woman with the Audi had been sent to get clothes. “But she might not have had a choice.”
“Right.” Katy shook her head in disgust. “It’s scary. Should we call the police?”
“I’ve filed a report.”
“Good.” Katy said, “When Jade texted me, she said the two of you had gone horseback riding. I knew right then and there she liked you because she would not have risked that if she didn’t. I texted back saying you must be very special.” With a smile, Katy pulled out her cell phone. “This is her reply.” She handed her phone to Chase.
Chase is more than special. He’s the first man I’ve ever been attracted to. Ever. It’s a mental AND physical connection. Chase is so handsome, and he makes me laugh. He’s a sweetheart. Katy, I really like him.
Chase read it. Twice. He handed the cell phone back to Katy and asked her to screenshot the message to him. He gave her his cell phone number, and she did so. Then Katy told him that text was the last she’d heard from Jade until seeing her in the office with Franco hovering over her like a vulture. Katy had noticed Franco trying to take her get-well card but said Jade had held onto it. As they talked, Katy went on to say Franco’s office was plastered with Jade’s photos. Katy shared her opinion that Margo was in love with Mateo, and that’s why she was helping the Spatafores. Katy credited Jade with standing up for her when she’d been late or missed work because of Finn being sick, having a school event, or otherwise needing her.
“Jade understands how it is for a single parent. Her grandfather raised her alone.”
“Yes, Jade was still sad over his death when she moved here last May.”
Finn walked over to them then, and Katy introduced him to Chase. Finn’s hair was cut short, no doubt like his dad had worn in the military. With a smile and excellent manners, the boy stuck out his hand and shook with Chase.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Finn said. “That’s a cool Harley.”
