He sent a quick text to his team, knowing they’d scour the bar with him, just in case he was wrong. Then he led Polly through the crowd.
“What if something happened to her?” she asked, nerves shaking her voice. “What if someone took her like they took the other women? Oh God, this is how Maggie’s mother went missing. She left the bar and ended up in the river.”
“Hey.” He stopped and cupped her cheeks. “Let’s not borrow trouble before we have to.”
She scanned his eyes before finally nodding.
He followed her to the bathroom and waited outside the door. He didn’t like that he couldn’t see her. His hands clenched, his chest feeling tight, right up until the moment she stepped back out.
She shook her head. “She’s not in there.”
His phone vibrated with a text.
Zac: Outside, west of the building beneath a green ash tree. She’s with Jonah. Just talking at the moment. I’ll keep my eyes on them until you get here.
Shit.Polly wouldn’t like this.
He took Polly’s hand. “I know where she is.”
“You do?”
He stepped outside, keeping Polly partially hidden behind his body and scanning the dark street as he moved. Zac leaned against the wall on the side of the bar. Outwardly, he looked relaxed. But Joel knew that with one wrong move from Jonah, Zac would be across the lot and detaining the guy before he could so much as try to run.
Not that any of his team thought Jonah was behind these murders.
Polly gasped when she saw them behind the tree. They stood close, Jonah’s hand on Olivia’s hip, head lowered like they were about to kiss.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered, before marching across the lot.
Joel dipped his chin toward Zac, a silent thank you, before following.
“What are you doing?” Polly cried when she reached them.
Olivia gasped and jumped back. “Polly?—”
“He’s a suspect in a murder investigation,” she barked.
“Yes, but?—”
“And you’re at your own divorce party. A partyyouorganized.”
“It’s my fault,” Jonah said quietly. “I texted your mother and asked to meet.”
Olivia touched Jonah’s chest before looking at her daughter. “Jonah didn’t kill anyone.”
“And you know that because you know him so well?” Polly gasped.
“He’s my husband.”
“He’s been your husband for two seconds! And you’re drunk. We’re going home.”
Her mother’s brows twitched, and for a second Joel thought she’d fight Polly on it.
Then Jonah touched Olivia’s arm. “It’s okay. She’s just looking out for you. When all this is over, when my name is cleared, we’ll sort out everything.”
If the tensing of Polly’s muscles was anything to go by, she didn’t like that.
Joel touched the small of her back, feeling just a bit of the tension ease out of her.
