“What else did you find?” Janie asked Blake next.
“Your friend was also right about the White House intern roster.” He tapped the tablet’s front, revealing a split-screen image. “The list on the left is a zoomed-in portion of the original, which was uploaded into the White House database shortly after the first of the year. This one”—he pointed to the digital document on their right—“is that same section of the list as it shows now. Notice anything different?”
“Her name is gone,” Janie whispered more to herself than anyone else.
Like the woman herself, Amy’s name had vanished without a single explanation as to why.
“Are there any other questions for Miss Reynolds?” Emmett posed the question to his team.
“I have one.” Gwen looked over at Janie from where she sat on the other side of the table. “If Amy Weaver hadn’t bumped into you on the sidewalk that day, you wouldn’t even know she existed. So I guess I’m wondering why you’re willing to spend a chunk of your own money to hire us to help you find her?”
“The truth?” Janie kept her spine straight and her shoulders back. “I have no idea. All I know is I can’t stop thinking about the way she looked at me that day when we were standing on that sidewalk. She was scared.” Her throat worked a swallow. “And she was ready to talk to me later that night. I don’t know if she got spooked and ran or if someone got to her before I arrived at her place. All I know, is my gut has been screaming at me ever since, and I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror if I don’t at least try to find her and make sure that she’s okay.”
An almost discernable smile graced Gwen’s mouth. “Fair enough.”
The two women shared a look she prayed meant the pretty blonde was on her side.
“Anyone else?” Emmett waited, and when the others shook their heads and sat back in their chairs, he turned his head in Janie’s direction. “Can you give us a minute?”
“Sure.” She stood and made her way to the door.
The urge to look back at Emmett was strong, but she fought it and kept her gaze forward. If she looked back, Janie was fearful she’d literally start begging his team for help.
With or without them, she wouldn’t stop looking for Amy. But she really hoped she wouldn’t have to go at it alone.
Luckily the team didn’t make her wait very long for their decision. It took all of five minutes—maybe less—for Emmett to re-emerge from the shadows of the hall.
“We’re taking the case,” he announced unceremoniously.
Her pulse spiked, and tears of relief stung her eyes, taking her completely by surprise.
“You are?” Janie rushed to where he was standing. “Thank you so much!”
Her first instinct was to go in for a hug, but she stopped herself short to keep from crossing a line. Hugging was second nature to a mid-western girl like her. But out here?
Step out of his personal bubble right this second before he changes his mind and kicks you to the curb.
Janie took a step back and stretched out her hand for a final, binding handshake. “Seriously, Emmett. Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome.” He slid his palm against hers. “We’ll get a contract written up, and I’ll email it over by the end of the day.”
She smiled, wondering somewhere in the back of her mind whether she’d ever get used to his touch.
Planning on touching himoften, are ya?
“How much do you charge?” The untimely—and loud—blurt sent a rush of heat into both of Janie’s cheeks. Hoping to save face, she hurriedly amended the question with a much softer, “I mean, I know we didn’t talk numbers, but I can put down a retainer today, if need be. Do you guys do any sort of installment plan, or do you need the full amount up-front?”
There was still a decent amount of her inheritance left in the bank. Janie had planned to hang onto it as a sort of nest egg. But if it meant saving an innocent life?—
“We’ll get all that sorted out later.” He pulled his hand free. “Until then, just make sure you keep your phone on in case we need to reach you.”
“Of course,” Janie promised. “And please, pass along my thanks to the rest of your team. You said last night that this isn’t your typical kind of case, so I appreciate your willingness to help in spite of that fact.”
“You do know there’s a chance Amy Weaver really did just up and run away, right?”
“I know.” She sighed. “There have been so many times over these past couple of days when I’ve almost convinced myself this is all nothing more than a giant waste of everyone’s time. But I keep going back to that list, and how the White House is acting as if Amy was never there, and I just . . .” Janie’s next sigh came out a bit more forceful. “Something in my gut says this is a hell of a lot more than a wild goose chase. I hope I’m wrong, but if not . . .”
She didn’t finish because really, what more was there to say?
