Chad let go of his wife’s hand and scrubbed his face. “Jesus. Liam, this is…this doesn’t even sound real.”
“Mallory was taken around the same time you were in Chicago.”
His eyes widened. “You don’t think I did this, do you?”
It was then, in that moment, I knew deep in my gut and in my heart, my brother wasn’t a part of this.
“No, I don’t think you did. It was just a crazy coincidence. Randy and Jonathon think it’s maybe a sex trafficking thing.”
“Jonathon? He’s working this?”
“Yeah.”
“He didn’t mention it to me.” He shook his head. “I mean, he doesn’t normally talk to me about his cases, but I would havethought he would have told me. I’d want to make sure Krista stayed vigilant to her surroundings.”
I shrugged. I had no idea why Jonathon had kept it from him.
“He told us he went to Chicago with you,” Billy stated. “For a job interview.”
Chad nodded. “Um, yeah. He likes to go to Chicago when I go. He loves that place, and I think that was why he was interviewing. I didn’t see him much this last trip. He had the interview, then said he had some things he needed to take care of.”
I sat up straighter. “What?”
Chad looked at me, confused. “What do you mean, what?”
“He told us he was with you the entire time and was only gone during the interview.”
Laughing, Chad said, “Nah. He’s got someone there I think he hooks up with when he’s in town.”
“He goes to Chicago that much with you?” I asked.
Nodding, Chad said, “Yeah, like I said, he likes it there.”
A sudden chill moved over my body, and I shivered. “Wait here.”
I stood and headed into my bedroom. MaryAnne and Mallory were both fast asleep on my bed. I opened one box, then another, until I found what I was looking for.
When I walked back into the living room, I saw Krista was leaning into Chad and he was speaking softly to her. I sat back down.
“Chad, have you ever seen this guy?” I held up the picture of Donald, and Chad took one look at it and nodded.
“Yeah, I’ve met him before. That’s David York.”
My heart fell to my stomach. “You know him?”
Chad nodded. “I mean, we’re not friends, I’ve met him a few times while in Chicago. He and Jonathon are good friends,though. They served in the Army together, that’s how I met him, through Jonathon.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “You’re telling me that Jonathon is friends with this guy?”
“Holy shit,” Billy whispered.
Chad looked confused. “Good friends. He’s talked about David ever since they served together in the military. It was the reason he came with me to Chicago the first time, to see David.”
I stood and started to pace. My heart hammered so loud in my ears I could hardly think straight. Jonathon had said the guy’s name was Donald Henly. Had he just said that to throw us off from his friend, David York?
“We need to call Randy,” Billy stated.
“What is going on? How do you have a picture of David?” Chad asked, then picked it up from the floor where I had dropped it. “That’s Mallory in the picture.”
