Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
A sick feeling roiled in Nora’s stomach. “Your father promised me he’d call me on Monday.”
Austin’s expression sharpened. “And he didn’t?”
Nora shook her head. “The last time I actually spoke to him was a week ago Monday. We’ve traded messages since then.”
“About Christian?”
Nora glanced at the house. “Let’s go inside.”
Austin reached for a grocery bag in the trunk before she could stop him.
“I’ve got them,” she said.
“I insist.”
She started to protest, then caught sight of a familiar badge beneath his jacket. “Wait. You’re FBI too?”
“I am.”
That made her feel a little better. “Okay then. Thank you.”
She grabbed another bag and headed toward the house while Austin followed with three bags from the trunk.
As soon as Nora opened the door, Bo exploded across the threshold. The dog barked once at Austin, then shoved his nose directly into the man’s hand.
Austin looked down. “Security is clearly tight around here.”
She frowned at the dog. “Bo has many strengths.”
The dog leaned his full weight against Austin’s leg. “Does he?”
“Not really.” Nora frowned at the canine.
Austin let out a small chuckle.
She stepped into the house. “Mom, I’m home.”
Her mother glanced back from the sink and immediately noticed Austin. “Nora? You have a guest with you?”
“Mom, this is Austin Donnelly. Agent Donnelly’s son.”
Her mother’s face lifted.
Austin set the groceries on the counter. “Mrs. Loveless.”
“Your father . . .” Mom dried her hands on a dish towel. “He worked so hard trying to find Christian.”
“He was determined to help.”
Something in her expression shifted. “Is he here with you?”
Nora stepped in before Austin had to answer. “He’s not. But Austin and I need to talk about something. Where’s Christian?”
“Upstairs in his room. He’s been in there a while.” Her mother nodded at the groceries. “I’ll put these away.”
“Thank you.”
Nora led Austin through the kitchen and into the small room off the front hall. It had mostly become a catchall space over the years—an old desk lined one wall, boxes of Christmas decorations were stacked in one corner, and two returns rested near the door.
Nora closed the door then she folded her arms and faced Austin. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Austin wished he knew how to answer Nora’s question.
He’d spent most of the drive to Fog Lake wondering what Nora Loveless would be like.
He hadn’t expected this.
She was more striking in person than she’d appeared in the news footage. Straight, dark hair fell past her shoulders, and she had the same clear blue eyes as her sisters—the kind that probably looked warm when she was happy.
Right now, she didn’t look happy.
She stood with her arms folded, studying him as if she’d already decided not to trust him.
The news coverage had made her relationship with Jacob Morgan public. Austin couldn’t blame her for being wary of strangers.
“My father’s motel room looked like he left it expecting to come back,” Austin said. “But he didn’t.”
Concern flickered across her face. “Have you reported him missing?”
“Before I left his motel room in Knoxville I called it in. However, he’s an adult who’s been unreachable less than a day.” Austin rubbed the back of his neck. “I know how this works.”
Nora’s arms tightened across her chest.
Austin hated how reasonable his explanation sounded, especially when none of this felt reasonable.
She leaned against the edge of the desk. “Why did you come here?”
“Your name was on his phone.” He paused. “Why?”
Her expression remained stoic with caution. “What did your father tell you about me?”
“He and I weren’t exactly comparing notes.”
Her gaze lingered on him as if she’d heard more in that answer than he’d intended.
Maybe she had.
“Agent Prudence Prine contacted your father after Christian came home,” Nora said. “Then he called me to ask some questions. This update obviously piqued his interest.”
“Did my father mention Roy Callahan?”
Her gaze snapped to his. “Why?”
“Callahan’s name was in his notes. So was Everett Voss’s.”
Nora pushed away from the desk. “What did he find?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I drove here.”
Before she could say anything else, her mother’s voice carried from the kitchen.
Nora glanced toward the partially closed door, and tension spread across her face again.
A few seconds later, someone answered.
Christian.
Nora went still.
Whatever she was protecting, it somehow involved her brother.
“Nora.” Austin lowered his voice. “What did my father say to you?”
Her gaze returned to him. Something in her face softened—not toward him exactly, but enough that he saw how tired she was beneath all that control.
She drew in a deep breath before saying, “He told me he never stopped working Christian’s case.”
Austin’s chest tightened. He wasn’t surprised. Not really. But hearing someone else say it stirred an old resentment he didn’t have time to deal with today.
“What did he find?” he asked.
“He wouldn’t tell me. He said our family had been through enough, and he wouldn’t give us another theory unless he could prove it.”
That sounded exactly like his father. Jeff Donnelly never called when he said he would. He called when he was sure.
But what exactly had his father’s theory been?