Page 31 of Cade

Cade lightly squeezes my hand, but the tension hasn’t left him. “So if he’s just an idiotic accomplice, who the hell is doing all of this?” Logan moves his laptop back in front of him and types for a few more moments.

“I think it’s one of the girls who you had that…interaction with.”

Cade asks with clenched teeth, “Which one?” Logan types again and shakes his head.

“That’s where things get murky. I don’t know if that Keys guy found out more, but I’m thinking, in my opinion, that it’s either that Cindy or Katie chick.” Wait. What?

My mouth asks the question before my brain can process it. “Those are the last two of the four that I would’ve guessed. Why do you think it’s them and not the other two? I mean, one of the other girls claimed to have slept with Cade and everything.”

Ethan’s voice fills the room again. “Keys just texted the same thing, though he’s leaning toward Cindy. He mentions something about her background.” Logan nods, then realizes Ethan can’t see him.

“Yeah, that’s what I found too.” Logan looks at us and drops a bomb. “Cindy ain't her legal name. She’s also wanted in two different states for questioning regarding the questionable disappearances of two different women. The more recent one, well, that woman’s name was Cindy West. That’s the same name she’s been going by for the last year and a half.”

Ethan mutters a reasonable question. “I wonder if that’s why she quit when I moved her to a different department. It was right when I took over, and the paperwork was a mess. I had all the staff fill out new paperwork and needed copies of identification and such. She couldn’t slide under the radar with that name anymore, could she?”

I ask what we need to know now, as in this moment. “Where is Cindy, or whatever her real name is?”

Logan looks at me. “Now this is the part that I got help from Samson and Juan. Samson can find medical records. Let’s just say I never want to be on his bad side.” Asher, reading the room, nudges Logan.

“Focus, babe. Tell them what they need to know.” Cade gives a chin lift to Asher, in one of those silent thanks that men give each other.

Logan looks around the room. “Her legal name appears to be Trixie Smith. She’s spent much of her teenage years in and out of mental institutions. It looks like doctors diagnosed her with schizoaffective disorder. She’s rarely, if ever, on her meds, and that’s where the problem lies. She gets ideas and latches onto them and can’t let go of them till she’s either caught and put back in the hospital to get medicated or till she ends up arrested because something happened. I lost track of her about five days ago. Her phone died, and I haven’t been able to find a trace of her.”

Ethan cuts in. “Keys says the same thing. He also mentions that she’s not going to just drop this idea of you, Cade, being hers and Hanna being in the way. I’m going to hire security when you come back down here. We aren’t going to take a chance that something may or may not happen. Until she’s found, we’re going to take every measure possible to keep the two of you safe.”

I must zone out for the rest of the conversation because I don’t notice that a few people have left the room as Cade kneels down in front of me. He’s got a concerned look on his face and reaches up to cup my cheek.

“I’m so sorry about all of this. You didn’t sign up for this when you moved in with me. I—” I stop him because I don’t want him going down that road.

“You aren’t responsible for another person’s behavior. I wouldn’t change anything between us, ever. I love you. I choose to love you every day, and I’m going to keep choosing you till the day there’s no more breath in my body.” I lean in and give him a quick kiss.

“I mean, I never thought I’d be the focus of a certified crazy stalker. I thought I’d only read about them.” That gets a sigh and a chuckle out of Cade. He looks at me with that sexy-as-sin smile. “Woman, I love you.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I once read that scars are evidence of a life fully lived, but that not all of those scars are physical. I think the ones that aren’t physical leave the most evidence.

~Text from Anna to Hanna~

Hanna

This evening we’re having a family dinner at the clubhouse with Cade’s family coming, and I think a couple of his teammates are planning to come up and join us as well. Mom outsourced the cooking for tonight to some of the other women in the club because we are spending the day running wedding errands.

After the eventful news of the morning, Mom and Cara decided we should focus on wedding and reception planning. We just met with a florist who’s going to do some beautiful garlands to hang in the barn. We have cake tasting next, then Mom made an appointment at the bridal shop in town for me to try on dresses. Cade mentioned bowing out of that and going with Zane for a bit.

Everyone is checking out the new bake shop next to the cake store, as our appointment is at the top of the hour. Well, everyone but Pops, who’s outside leaning against his truck. I can’t see him, but that’s what he’s been doing every time we’ve stopped somewhere. He’s come along to everything, but not come inside to hear any details. I squeeze Cade’s hand as we’vebeen walking hand in hand through the shop. He stops and looks at me.

“I’m going to go out and talk to Pops. I can’t handle him not talking to me anymore.” He doesn’t stop me or even offer to go with me because he knows this needs to be between me and Pops.

Cade leans in and gives me a quick kiss. “Love you.”

I make my way outside and tell Tucker we’re going to find Pops. He leads me down the sidewalk. There are several open parking spots, and then I can make out a truck and know it’s Pops’. I’m about halfway through the open parking spots when I hear tires squeal and an engine rev. The next few seconds pass in a blur. One moment I’m walking toward Pops and the next, he’s running at me and shoves me back and onto the ground. Tucker’s on top of me and I hear a car hitting a person, then crashing into a building.

“Pops! Pops, where are you?” I can’t see a lot other than rubble and a sedan that’s halfway inside the building it just crashed into. Tucker’s by my side. I reach and find his leash.

“Find Pops, Tucker!” I get to my feet, and Tucker moves fast and gets me to the other side of the car, where Pops is lying on the ground. “Pops!” I fall to my knees and reach for him, but I’m afraid to hurt him more. I hear him moan and know he’s at leastalive. I vaguely hear voices in the background yelling that they’ve called 9-1-1 for help.

Pops’ hand reaches for mine, so I take it and move in close to him, tears falling from my face. “Help is coming, Pops. Stay with me, you have to stay with me.”