His to Take (Wicked Lovers #9)(115)
Author: Shayla Black

Bailey nodded. “He was in a fit, but he relented. We grabbed some fast-food burgers and kept driving. We didn’t stop for a couple of hours.”

“Before the sun set?” When she shrugged, he rephrased his question. “Do you remember from what side of the car you could see the sun?”

Bailey tried to picture that drive. It was hard when so many memories from that time in her life flooded in, both simultaneous and incomplete. “We spent so many days in the car during that trip, I don’t know for sure if I’m remembering the right leg. But I don’t think Viktor was wearing his sunglasses. And the backseat seemed hotter than normal, like the sun was beating down on us.”

Joaquin grabbed the map from his backpack and knelt, spreading it out. He pointed to a spot. “Here. So from southern Pennsylvania, you traveled east? Do you remember how long you were in the car?”

She shook her head. Her hazy memory was so frustrating. Latching on to the bits she recalled was of life-and-death importance. Yet she didn’t really know the details Joaquin needed.

She wrinkled her brow, deep in concentration. “I think I remember my parents snapping at one another because they arrived at the campsite as dark was falling. My birth mother complained they’d have just an hour or two to set up, and that wasn’t enough time.”

“So . . . some place less than three hours east from Gettysburg. Some place near a lake. Shit,” he cursed. “I don’t think this map is as detailed as I need.” He tossed the paper map aside and pulled up another map on his mobile. “The screen on my phone is awfully small. A computer would be really fucking helpful about now.”

“Why not call someone who can help you?” she suggested. “Sean or Hunter. Even Kata.”

Joaquin paused. “I usually work alone, but . . . yeah. Good point.” He flipped through his recent calls, punched a button, then engaged his speakerphone. Within seconds, a male voice picked up on the other line. “You okay there? Kata is worried about you.”

Hunter. Bailey smiled to herself. The former SEAL would definitely get quick answers.

“Fine. Tired and in need of decent food but otherwise alive. I don’t think anyone is following us, but I’ll keep looking.” Joaquin filled his brother-in-law in on everything Bailey had remembered at the house and again this morning. “So I need a lake in eastern Pennsylvania or the tip of northern Maryland. Can you rattle off a few? I’m also looking for anything that might have a fence painted green near a park around the lake.”

“That’s going to be hard to find,” Hunter commented. “Let me look at some travel sites and maps online.”

A few minutes passed in relative silence. Anxiety ate away at Bailey’s belly. What if they couldn’t find Viktor’s research? What if they dead-ended here because she couldn’t remember anything more?

“Got a few possibilities for you here, though I don’t know if any have a green fence. That will take more digging. The most likely suspects seem to be Memorial Lake, Locust Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Pocono. If you’re just looking for a body of water, don’t forget the Susquehanna River, the North East River, the Delaware River. Damn, there’s so fucking many of them. Still looking . . . Lake Beltzville, Lake Harmony, Lake—”

“That’s it!” Bailey insisted, her heart in her throat as a jolt of recognition rattled down her spine. “It’s coming back now. We arrived at the campground just before evening. Remember I said that my parents argued? My brother quipped something to us kids like ‘So much for Lake Harmony.’”

“That would fit,” Hunter confirmed. “The drive from Gettysburg would be less than three hours. Let me see if I can find anything about a green fence.”

“Tell you what,” Joaquin said. “You look. Bailey and I have to leave here. It’s past checkout time and I don’t want to stay in one place for too long and give anyone an easy way to find us. We’ll hop in the car and head for Lake Harmony. If you come up with anything else or can figure out exactly which part of the lake that fence might be in, call me. Hopefully, we can put some of this mystery to bed soon.”

Hunter agreed, and the men rang off. Joaquin turned to Bailey with a determined look on his face. “Let’s go. I have a gut feeling we’re getting closer.”

Bailey did, too. But she didn’t necessarily like it. The nagging fear that had been plaguing her for too long swelled in her throat until she nearly choked. But what choice did she have?

“All right.” She blew out a breath. “First, where’s that protein you promised?”