Trevor lifted his head from his hands to see Jake standing next to him. “Sure.”
Taking the kitchen bar stool next to his, Jake exhaled a loud breath before saying, “I know you think this is your fault, but it’s not.”
With his elbows leaning on the granite countertop, Trevor laughed humorlessly as he fisted his hands together in front of him. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but you can save your breath. That man is hurting her because of me. I know it, and you know it. Hell, even Lexi knows it.”I’m so sorry, baby.
He stood, but Jake halted his movements with a hand to his forearm. “Hold up a second. Just hear me out.”
Trevor didn’t sit back down, but he didn’t walk away from his friend, either.
“I get where your head’s at, Trev. I’ve been where you are.”
Trevor shook his head. “This is different.”
“Really? Oh, good.” He pretended to be relieved. “So, you weren’t just sitting here wondering what you could’ve done differently to keep this from happening. Or, how one decision you made a lifetime ago could cost you everything. And since this is so different, you definitely weren’t just thinking how Lexi would have been better off if she’d never met you.”
Shit.Those had been his exact thoughts. Stunned, Trevor stuttered, “H-how did you...”
“I told you. I’ve been there. And if I remember correctly, it wasn’t so long ago thatyouwere the one trying to convincemethat what happened to Olivia wasn’t my fault.”
Shaking his head, Trevor said, “It’s not the same, Jake. The guy who went after Olivia did so because of something he blamedherfor. Not you. Anthony Young took Lexi because of a decisionImade.” Trevor slapped his own chest.
“Anthony Young is a fucking nut job. Hell, you heard him. He keeps referring to Lisa as his fiancée. The woman broke things off, went clear across the world, and started seeing someone else. Yet, he still believes the two of them were getting married back then.”
“Why now?” Trevor ignored the excellent point Jake had just made. “That’s what I don’t understand. She died nine years ago, so why come after me, now?”
Jake’s expression eased. “I wish I knew, brother. But that’s one question I can’t answer.”
“I think I can.” Ryker walked up to them. To Jake, he said, “Sorry. Couldn’t help but overhear.” Both men gave the Homeland agent a nod, so he told him what he knew.
“I was wondering the same thing...why now, after all these years? So, I did some digging. Turns out, Young was actually engaged to someone else recently...another woman who worked for the CIA. They were supposed to be married this spring, but she left him a few weeks ago when she stumbled across a file on his computer. It was filled with classified intel that Young never should have even had access to, let alone had copies of on his personal computer. Apparently, he’s been keeping tabs on several people connected to Lisa since her death nine years ago...her family, you”—he tilted his head at Trevor—“and Omar Hadim.”
“Jesus,” Jake muttered. “He the one who killed Hadim?”
“He put in for three weeks’ vacation the same day the chatter about Hadim’s resurfacing started to pop up. You tell me.”
“You think Hadim’s what set him off?” Trevor asked Ryker.
“I think it was a combination of a lot of shit. According to his ex-fiancée, she not only broke things off between them, she also gave him an ultimatum...either he tells their boss what he did, or she was going to. He left for his ‘vacation’ the next morning, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Until today.”
“Sounds guilty as hell, to me,” Jake commented.
Ryker agreed. “From the sounds of it, the guy was already a ticking time bomb. Then, his woman not only leaves him, but says she’s going to rat him out. Young had to know he was going to lose his job and probably do jail time for illegally accessing and downloading the intel his fiancée found on his computer.”
“Then, word gets out that Hadim’s been spotted.” Trevor nodded. “It’s like he was hit with the perfect shit storm.”
“Exactly,” Ryker agreed. “And with guys like Young who are already mentally unstable, all it takes is something to throw that switch. Seeing him on that video? Yeah, that guy’s hell and gone.”
“And he has Lex,” Trevor growled. “Even worse, we have no idea how to find her.”
“Holy shit!” Derek exclaimed loudly from the living room.
Trevor practically ran over to him, fear shoving his heart into his throat. “What is it? What happened?”
“He did it.”
“Ah, God. No.” Trevor’s fists grabbed the back of the couch to keep himself upright. “Hekilledher?”
“What? No!” Derek looked up at him with widened eyes, he quickly said, “Shit. Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to make you think...he’s connected to a live feed. As soon as you click, you’ll be able to see him in real time.”
