The Perfect Couple (Last Stand #4)(66)
Author: Brenda Novak

Jonathan was infinitely relieved by the doctor’s findings. But he still didn’t have answers to the questions that nagged at him. And after another night with so little sleep, he felt like roadkill as he watched Colin pass out maps to his lawyer friends and several volunteer neighbors. The press and the police were there, too. Detective Thomas had already spoken and was now circulating flyers provided by the police department.

Jonathan hated the fact that Zoe couldn’t join them. He knew how much she wanted to, but the doctor had insisted on keeping her in the hospital until she’d fully recovered. Something last night had made her ill.

She’d tried to argue with the doctor’s decision, of course, but she’d been too weak to be effective. When Jonathan left, she’d told him she’d never speak to him again because he wasn’t taking her with him.

He sort of hoped that was true. Then maybe he could stop replaying those few moments when she’d guided his hand to her breast….

As the searchers got into their cars and started off for their designated areas, Colin approached. "Morning."

"Morning." Jonathan smiled, but he was surprised by Colin’s appearance. Although he was as meticulously groomed as always, his eyes were bloodshot enough to suggest that he, too, had passed a hard night. "You okay?"

"Me?" He raised a hand to his chest. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

"You look like I feel."

"I was up late," he said with a sheepish grin. "What’s your excuse?"

"Same thing."

He bent to peer inside Jonathan’s car. "Where’s Zoe? I thought she’d be here."

"She’s not feeling well."

He frowned. "That’s too bad. What’s wrong?"

"I don’t know yet. Maybe you can help me figure it out."

"How can I help you?"

"How many glasses of wine did she have last night?"

Colin rubbed his clean-shaven chin. "Three, maybe four. I wasn’t really counting. Why?"

"Did she seem tipsy when she left?"

"Hell, no. Or I wouldn’t have let her drive."

"Did she eat much?"

"Not as much as we would’ve liked."

Four glasses of wine could do it, especially on an empty stomach.

"We’re worried about how she’s holding up through all this," Colin went on. "Sounds as if it’s beginning to wear her down."

"Maybe. Where’s Tiffany?" Jonathan had been hoping to speak with her. She might have a different perspective on Zoe’s behavior than Colin did.

"She left for my father’s cabin. Until Sam went missing, we were planning to spend the whole weekend there."

"She went without you?"

"I’ll join her when this is over. She wanted to lug the groceries up there and do a little cleaning while she had the chance."

It made sense. Everything made sense except Sam’s disappearance and Zoe’s condition last night.

"Too bad we can’t offer the reward Zoe mentioned at dinner," Colin said. "These flyers would be a lot more appealing if they looked like this."

He scrawled $10,000 Reward across the top. "That’d motivate the casual observer, eh?"

On their way back from L.A., Zoe had told Jonathan about the reward.

She hadn’t said plans had changed, but he could understand why they might have. "Anton reneged?"

"He dropped by this morning to tell me I could go ahead and advertise it–he’d come through. But now that they’ve broken up, I don’t know whether to trust that. Could be a ploy to get Zoe back. Once he realizes it won’t work, then what? And I couldn’t reach her, so…"

Jonathan wondered what Zoe would’ve said about it. He knew she’d do anything to find Sam. He also knew she probably wouldn’t want to feel beholden to Lucassi. "Let’s keep Anton out of it."

"Right. Maybe I’ll post the reward myself," Colin said.

Jonathan couldn’t tell if Colin was just bragging, but he suspected that was the case. "Tiffany wouldn’t mind?"

"Are you kidding? She cares as much about Zoe and Sam as I do."

"You two have been good to her."

"We should be good to her. We’re her neighbors. Well, we were her neighbors."

Jonathan’s BlackBerry rang before he could respond. Caller ID

revealed a southern California area code, but it was a different number than the one he’d seen on Zoe’s cell phone.

"Thanks for all your help," he said, and answered, but before he could determine who it was, Colin interrupted.

"You gonna stick around today?"

"I’ve got an appointment. I just came over to make sure everyone got off okay. I’ll stay in touch with Detective Thomas to see how it goes."

"Okay." He handed Jonathan the flyer he’d written on. "Tell Zoe I hope she feels better."

"Will do." Staring down at Sam’s picture, Jonathan turned his attention back to the phone. "Hello?" he said again.

"Is this Jonathan Stivers?" It was a male voice. "Yes, it is."

"This is Franky Bates."

The man who’d raped Zoe at fifteen. Jonathan had given him a card but hadn’t really expected to hear from him. "What can I do for you, Mr.

Bates?"

"Um, I know you probably…well, Zoe probably doesn’t want to hear from me. But…I’ve been doing a lot of thinkin’ and…I’d like to help. If I can.

I mean, if she’ll let me."

Jonathan sank into the driver’s seat but didn’t start his car. "I appreciate the sentiment behind your offer, but there’s nothing you can do, Franky."

"I figured you’d tell me no. But I’m here in Sacramento. I’m willing to do whatever you ask."

Jonathan sat straighter. Did Franky’s presence have any connection to last night? "When did you get into town?"

"Couple hours ago. I just grabbed some breakfast. I didn’t want to call too early."

"What are you doing here? Maybe that’s a more relevant question."

"I was hoping you’d believe I’m for real if I came all this way."

"Did you fly or–"

"I drove. I figured, hey, why keep stressing over the situation. I’m gonna go up there and see what I can do."

"Have you had any contact with Zoe?"

"No, no, of course not. But my grandma sent her a few things. I mean, it’s just baked goods and a crocheted afghan, and a little gift for her daughter if…if we can find her. Nothing to get excited about. But Gran really wants her to have it."

If Franky had been driving all night, there’d be ways to prove it. "You got gas receipts to show where you were last night, Franky?"