Page 90 of Protecting Josie
By the time she was finished speaking, Josie was a bit light-headed. It almost felt like she was in a dream, as if everything had happened to someone else.
“We’ve got all of them at the station now. The neighbors are being interviewed. Apparently they aren’t well liked in the area, and no one is hesitating to speak up. We’re also canvassing for security camera footage as well.”
“We’ll be staying the night here in Vegas, after I take her to the hospital. I’ll leave you my contact info, as well as my friends’ info. We’re all Navy SEALs, stationed down in Riverton, California.”
“Appreciate that. Thank you for your service.”
Nate nodded, then reached for the door handle.
Josie scooted to the edge of the seat, and when Nate picked her up, said, “I can walk.”
“I know. But I need this. Please.”
Josie heard the anguish in her man’s voice. She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder as he carried her toward his truck.
Preacher had been talking to a few officers, but when he saw them, he broke away and jogged over.
“She’s gone,” Smiley said when they reached the truck. He was standing next to the vehicle with a frown on his face.
“Who?” Josie asked.
“Bree.”
“Who?”
“The woman who was in the car. The other woman who’d been sold to that asshole. She was tied up and beaten. I brought her to the truck and told her to stay here. But after everything happened, I came to get her…and she was gone.”
“Oh no,” Josie whispered. “Where’d she go? Do you think someone got her?”
“I don’t know,” Smiley said, sounding more worried than she’d ever heard him before.
“You want to stay here, maybe look around while we take Josie to the hospital?” Preacher asked. “We can come back after.”
Smiley nodded. “If that’s okay.”
“It’s fine,” Nate told him.
“It’s just…she was beaten all to hell. And terrified. Her ex fuckingsoldher. I don’t know where she could’ve gone,” Smiley said, running a hand through his hair.
Josie felt a kinship with the unknown woman. They’d both almost experienced something beyond horrifying. “I hope you find her,” she told Smiley.
“Me too. I’m glad you’re all right,” he said gruffly.
“Thank you for coming with Nate to find me.”
“Wouldn’t have been anywhere else. Blink might be new to our team, but he’s one of us.”
Josie wanted to cry. She loved that Nate had friends likethese. That he had people who would have his back no matter what.
“Call if you need us,” Preacher told Smiley.
The other man nodded. “I’m just going to hang out, maybe talk to some neighbors. She has to be around here somewhere.”
He wandered back toward Millie’s house and the groups of people who were still standing around. Even though it was the middle of the night, the adrenaline and excitement were keeping people at the scene.
Nate got Josie settled in the back of the truck, then climbed in after her. Preacher got behind the wheel and headed down the street.
Josie closed her eyes and leaned against Nate, fully relaxing for the first time since she’d opened the door to find Gen waiting for her.
