Want You (A Rylie Wolf FBI Suspense Thriller—Book Four)

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

Rylie’s home in Rapid City wasn’t really a home. Though she’d been living there a couple of months after moving from the Seattle field office, she’d been on the road more than she’d been in town. Her apartment showed the obvious lack of care and flair. Though she’d been trying to spruce it up with a fresh coat of paint last night, renovations were now the last thing on her mind.

The moment she got out of bed, she packed for the drive back west. She hadn’t even had a chance to put the clean clothes in the dresser yet, after washing them upon her return from Montana. They went straight from the laundry basket back into her duffel bag.

When she finished, it was eight in the morning, and she tapped her fingers on the kitchen counter as she filled a travel mug with fresh coffee, antsy to get on the road.

Her supervisor, Special Agent in Charge Kit Brandon, probably wouldn’t be in yet, but no matter. Rylie had won a lot of brownie points, solving the past few murder cases, and Kit was always telling her she should put the brakes on and stop working so hard. She’d cut her some slack.

So when the phone rang to Kit’s voicemail, Rylie said, “Hey, Kit, just wanted to let you know I’m taking the next few days off and going out of town for personal reasons. But call me if you need me. I’m around and can come right back.”

She ended the call, hoisted her bag onto her shoulder, grabbed her commuter cup, and opened the front door—

—only to almost walk straight into the broad chest of her partner, Michael Brisbane. Movie star handsome and oddly happy-go-lucky for this line of work, he stared at her with his ice-blue eyes wide. “I knew it.”

“What?” she asked innocently, not meeting those baby blue eyes of his, which could pour on the guilt trip better than anyone else she knew.

“Don’t give me that. You know what,” he said, eyeing her duffel bag. From the look of him, he hadn’t slept very well. His clothes were uncharacteristically rumpled, and he had a shadow of dark stubble on his chin. “Let me guess. You’re going to Elephant Butt.”

“Elephant Hole,” she corrected. “And I’m not going there. I’m going back to—”

“To Seattle?” He raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with doubt. “I thought you didn’t have anything there to go back to.”

She couldn’t meet his eyes. She stared just to the left of his ear as she formulated the lie. “No. I told you. I have a friend—he’s like an uncle. Hal. He lives all alone on that ranch in Montana, and he seemed lonely when I stopped by before. And I’m trying to patch things up with my dad, too. So I thought I’d start in Cody and—”

“Whatever.” He didn’t buy a word of it.

“It’s true—”

“Don’t insult me, Wolf.” He shook his head, his disappointment heavy in his face. She couldn’t help feeling bad, and it wasn’t just those big puppy-dog eyes of his. “It’s our business to see through lies. And you’re telling a doozy. You’re probably the worst liar I’ve ever come across.”

She shrugged. “Okay, I admit it. I just called Kit and left a message. I’ll be back in a few days. I promise.”

He dug his hand deep into the pocket of his slacks and flashed her a dark, hurt look. “And were you ever going to tell your partner?”

The truth was, she’d been thinking about it. He’d made the discovery of the necklace, after all. And though they’d only known each other over the span of a couple of months, during the last few cases, she’d come to trust him. “Sorry. But it has nothing to do with you, Bris. It’s a personal thing, and I don’t need a sidekick to come along with me on personal things, Robin—”

“For the last time, I’m Batman. You’re the sidekick.”

She glared at him. “Okay, have it your way. The bottom line is, I don’t need your help. This is personal.”

“But I found the necklace.”

“So?”

“And so you were just going to jet out of here and leave me wondering where the hell you went? Is that it?” He leaned against the door jamb. “Nice. Now I see why you always worked alone.”

She sighed. They’d been in some tight spots together over the last couple months, and he’d proven himself to be a regular prince, in more ways than one. Not only was he brave and trustworthy, but he was damn handsome, and as goofy as he could sometimes be, he had an easy, self-deprecating charm that people couldn’t help but like. Everyone liked him.

Sometimes, she’d look at Michael Brisbane and get a feeling she hadn’t had, even with her ex, Joe. Fluttery feelings that she had no business having where her partner was concerned.

And that was the last thing she needed.

“I’m sorry. Really. But I have to do this on my own. Please understand,” she said, taking a step forward so he’d move aside and let her pass.

He didn’t, and she found herself standing uncomfortably close to him. So close that if she took another step, she’d be standing on his toes. She expected him to move, but he didn’t. Looking up, she met his eyes. Their gazes locked and he didn’t flinch.

“Do you mind?”

“You know the answer to that,” he murmured, staring her down. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

She frowned. This was new to her. Where everyone liked Bris, not many people could stand Rylie. She knew that. She was difficult. It didn’t just shock her that he actually wanted to spend time with her—it was a new experience. And as much as she would’ve liked the help and the company, she knew it was probably not a good idea. “Bris…”

“The least you can do is have breakfast before you hit the road,” he said, bringing his arm from behind his back and holding up a white bakery bag. “Donuts. Come on.”

Rylie sighed. She was kind of hungry, and it would be a hassle to have to stop at some fast-food restaurant or greasy spoon on the way. She stepped aside and let him in, grunting as if he wasn’t doing her a favor.

“All right. Fine.” She wagged a finger as he went to walk toward the table. “But don’t think this is going to convince me to let you come with me.”

He smiled, revealing those two adorable dimples. “Who me? Never.” He bit into a donut, and powdered sugar puffed out in a cloud around his mouth. “You like jelly?”

“Fine.” She sat down next to him and opened the bag, fishing a donut out. Anything was better than having to stop on the Highway Thru Hell, as their beat across several states in the northern part of the country was known. The more she’d gotten to know about the many crimes that took place along that stretch of interstate, the creepier it got. Murders, kidnappings, r***s… it wasn’t safe at all.

“So,” he said, polishing off his donut before she’d even taken a nibble of hers, “I’m assuming you found out more when you went through the files last night?”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t find anything else.”

“So you’re just going to go out to Elephant Butt—”

“Hole,” she muttered. He was just being funny now.

“Right. Like I said. Elephant Hole. You’re just going to go on a fishing expedition? Do cartwheels all over that place? It’s an encampment, you know. A bunch of natives and soldiers had a few b****y run-ins there, or so the history books say.”

“Of course I know. I used to live around there.”

“So what do you expect you’ll find, other than some old arrowheads?”

She shrugged and licked powdered sugar off her fingers. “I don’t know. But I know that the place it was found was a mile east of the RV park in Story Creek where my sister was kidn*pped. So it stands to reason that they took her that way, and stopped there, for whatever reason.”

His eyes narrowed. “Wow. So you have it narrowed down to… like… half the country. That’s helpful.”

“Not half the country. There’s a well there. And maybe there are more clues.”

“After twenty years?”

Rylie grimaced at him, but she had to admit, he did have a point. It probably was a fool’s hope. “You don’t get it. When she disappeared, it was without a trace. That necklace is more information to go on than I’ve had—ever. So the least I can do is ask around Elephant Hole, make some inquiries, see if anyone remembers anything.”

“From twenty years ago,” he filled in.

He didn’t have to tell her that. She knew her chances were slim. But she simply crumpled up the napkin and said, “I still have to do it.”

“I know you do.” He took another donut out and devoured half of it in one massive bite. “Which is why I’m coming with you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yeah, I am. Stop fighting. It’s decided. You might be stubborn, but I’m stubborner.”

“That’s not a word.”

“Sure it is.”

“Bris…”

“I won’t hold you up at all, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m already packed. My bag’s in my truck.”

She raised an eyebrow. So he’d been planning on not taking no for an answer all this time? He might be easygoing most of the time, but he was right—when he wanted to, he could be just as hard-headed as she was.

She was about to argue some more, just because it was Bris, and they liked sparring and getting each other riled. But then his phone buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket and brought it to his ear.

“Bris.” A pause. “Oh. Hey.”

His eyes went up and found Rylie’s. “Yeah. Yeah. She’s right here. No. She hasn’t.”

Rylie stared at him. From the tone of his voice and the buzz of a severe female voice coming through the receiver, she knew exactly who it was—Kit Brandon, their supervisor.

From the look on Brisbane’s face, it was clear something was up.

What is it? she mouthed, as he listened intently.

New case, he mouthed back. Something in Montana.

Well, speak of the devil. They’d have to pass right through Elephant Hole to get there.

“Here, Kit, let me put you on speaker.”

He set the phone down on the table between them. There was no need to debate it now. They’d both be heading back west to deal with another case. Together.

But she’d have to try to find the time to sneak away and look into Elephant Hole. Preferably by herself.