Star of His Heart - Brenda Jackson [77]
Fear ran down Jada’s spine. She didn’t want to even think what he had in mind. “You won’t get away with this. The authorities will find you.”
He looked over at her again. The look on his face made her skin crawl with panic, dread and terror. She had never seen such a look on his face before, even during his worst fits of anger.
“Yeah, they may find me but I’m going to make damn sure they never find you. Count on it.”
Chapter 22
Rome checked his wristwatch again, then looked out the front windows. Lieutenant Barton had called more than an hour ago, indicating there had been some new development. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, almost at the end of his rope. It had been five days and still Jada and Roberts had not been found. It was as if they had disappeared off the face of the earth.
“Keep the faith, Rome.”
He turned his head to look at his mother. Her dark eyes shone with compassion and understanding. Nettie had called in the Cavalry. Within an hour of his return to Houston, his parents had shown up and by the next day, so had his three brothers. All of them were there, giving him support for a woman they had not met but loved just the same because they knew he loved her.
“I’m trying, Mom, but it’s hard.”
“I know but you have to believe that she’s coming back and this nightmare will be over soon. You have to stay strong. She’s going to need you now more so than ever before.”
Rome nodded, knowing he would be there for Jada at any cost. Even if he had to resign from military service. He would make whatever sacrifices were necessary. “Where’s Dad?”
Nadine Kalloren threw a quick glance to the other room and smiled. “He’s in there talking to your sister’s young man. Your father likes him. We all do. Ashton seems to have made her happy.”
Rome nodded. Just as Jada had made him happy during the short while they had spent together. At that moment he heard the sound of a car door opening. Glancing out the window he saw Lieutenant Barton get out of the car. Following close on his heels, arriving in another car, were Trevor Grant and a man who, when he’d been in the Marine Corps, had become a legend in his own right—Drake Warren. He had heard that Warren was in town for Trevor’s son’s christening.
His mother’s gaze followed his. She recognized the lieutenant but not the other two men. “Who’re those other men?”
Rome smiled faintly. “Friends of Ashton’s. Recon men who used to be the marines’ finest.” And for the first time in five days Rome felt a leap of hope within him.
“Is that it?” Rome was saying to the lieutenant with hard-edge steel in his raised voice. “You came to tell us that the police apprehended Roberts a few hours ago but Jada wasn’t with him, and that he isn’t being cooperative and telling where she is?”
Ernest Kalloren intervened after sensing his son was about to really lose it. “Rome, calm down and let the lieutenant finish talking.”
Rome shot a glance at his father. “He doesn’t have to, Dad. I have a feeling what he’s going to say.” Rome met Lieutenant Barton’s eyes. “You don’t think Jada is still alive and will be calling off the manhunt now that Roberts is back in custody.”
Netherland was up off the sofa in a flash. “Is that true, Lieutenant Barton? Surely you won’t call off the search based on that assumption. She could be anywhere out there, needing help. Isn’t there a way someone can force Roberts to tell where she is?”
“Yeah, just give me less than an hour with him, and I’ll have him spilling his guts all over the place, literally.”
Everyone’s attention turned to the man who had made the statement. He was Trevor and Ashton’s friend, Drake Warren, whom they called Sir Drake. And just looking into his dark-brown eyes led everyone in the room to believe the man was dead serious. The eyes that returned all of their stares were cold, dark and lethal. According to Ashton, Sir Drake worked for the CIA, and he looked the part,