Page 36 of Girl Long Gone

Connor groaned and sat up, rubbing his hand over his smooth head. “Great timing, Porkchop.”

Evelyn laughed and crossed the room to scoop the dog into her arms. She’d always been more of a cat person, but something about Porkchop’s scrunched nose and constant snorts pulled at her heartstrings. “Poor guy. You didn’t get any attention last night, did you?”

“Trust me, he gets more than enough.” Connor stood and rolled his neck back and forth. “I can’t believe we fell asleep on the couch. What time is it?”

Evelyn searched the room for a clock, finally finding one on the cable box. “Eight a.m.”

“I haven’t slept that well since the night before Monica went missing, even if we did sleep on the couch.” He stilled and glanced at her, widening his eyes. A vein pulsed at his temple, and he pressed his lips together, turning their pink color nearly white. “Shit. I need to find out if anyone caught Gabriel last night.”

The sense of peace Evelyn had woken with vanished. She’d lost hold of reality while wrapped in Connor’s embrace and forgotten a madman was on the loose.

“What did I do with my phone?” He stalked to the kitchen and swiped the device off the counter.

Evelyn set the dog on the floor, but he stared at her with soulful brown eyes and refused to get his butt off her foot. She crouched and ran her hand over his soft fur, her gaze not leaving Connor as he checked the screen.

“Ben texted. They’re good. Nothing new to report. Mark left a voicemail.” Connor lifted the phone to his ear. His shoulders drooped, and he closed his eyes.

Gabriel’s still out there.

He lowered the phone from his ear and let his hand fall to his side. “No one’s seen him.”

Disappointment crushed her windpipe, and she lowered herself all the way to the floor. Porkchop scurried into her lap. “What now?”

“We either find him or figure out who’s helping him, and let that person tell us where he is. Mark interviewed Kevin Myers, the guy who works for Gabriel. Kevin confessed to calling Gabriel after I set up a meeting with him, but Mark doesn’t think he’s in on anything.”

“Gabriel must have decided to come after me because he knew you’d be busy. But I still don’t understand why he’d show his face. He risked everything last night. Why?”

“I don’t know. I can only guess we’re getting close and he’s rattled. Someone I’ve already talked to could have spooked him.”

“Which leaves Simon Thompson and Gabriel’s dad, right?”

“Exactly. I need to talk to both men again. With everything that happened last night, it might loosen their tongues.”

“I’m coming with you.” Placing the dog beside her, Evelyn stood and faced Connor.

A smile lifted his lips. “Trust me, I don’t want you to be alone, but I also don’t want to put you in danger if one of these guys is Gabriel’s accomplice. I’ll drop you off at Ben’s.”

“No. You’re not leaving me behind. If I’m with you, I’m safe.” The truth of her statement echoed inside her and shattered a lifelong fear rooted in her soul.

Security was a foreign concept, even after being freed from her deranged parents for years. This feeling of having someone protecting her, fighting to keep her safe, broke a dam of longing and need so fierce her heart threatened to burst. For the first time in her life, hope blossomed for a future spent loving someone.

Connor nodded. “Okay. You can come with me. I want to speak to the Wilsons first. Even if Mr. Wilson isn’t helping Gabriel, his parents could have insight about where he might be.”

“Good idea. Are we just going to show up at their house?”

“Not this time. His dad didn’t buy my story, and his mom was too naïve to be of much use. His dad still goes into the office during the week. It’s Monday morning, so chances are he’s already there. I’ll call ahead and confirm. Mark might have uncovered more information that could be useful in getting Mr. Wilson to talk. I’ll call him while I take Porkchop out. I’ll only be gone a minute.”

Evelyn waited for Connor and Porkchop to leave then clicked the deadbolt into place. She hurried down the hall to the bedroom. Opening her bag, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweater, and the necessary toiletries to make herself halfway presentable. She didn’t have the luxury of vanity this morning. Not when she needed to help catch a killer.

The sound of the door opening signaled Connor’s return. “Ready to go?”

Connor held a large envelope in his hands and turned to her. “Did someone stop by while I was outside with Porkchop?”

“No, why?”

Connor handed her the envelope. “This was sitting on the floor, like someone pushed it under the door. Both of our names are on it, but there’s no address.”

Lead pooled in her stomach. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out glossy pictures. Evelyn gasped, and the envelope fell to the ground. She flipped to the next picture and the next. Each picture the same. Photographs of her asleep in her bed, oblivious to the monster who’d crept inside her home.