Chapter 65
Chapter
Sixty-Five
Luke ended the call and shoved his phone into his pocket. “Jacob’s not answering his phone.”
Wren’s stomach tightened. “What’s next then?”
“We go to his house.” Luke glanced at Prine. “You ready?”
She was already reaching for her coat.
Wren stepped toward them. “I’m coming.”
Luke stopped and shook his head. “No.”
“Luke—”
“No.” He softened his voice, but not the answer. “You stay here. If Mason is there, we don’t know what we’re walking into.”
Wren folded her arms. “My son is missing.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t ask me to sit here.”
“I’m not asking.” Luke held her gaze another second before turning toward the door. “We’ll call the minute we know something.”
Prine followed him out.
Wren stared after them, an ache forming in her chest.
“They’re right.” Nash stood beside her, though he sounded like he didn’t particularly enjoy saying it.
She shot him a look. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Her thoughts raced. “I have to call Nora. She has to hear about this from me first.”
“This isn’t going to be a fun conversation.”
“No, it’s not.”
“I’ll pray for you.”
“Thank you. That . . . that means a lot.” She stepped away and dialed her sister’s number.
Nora picked up on the first ring, and Wren told her that Jacob had lied and was now a suspect.
“You can’t be serious.” Nora’s voice came out breathless. “Jacob’s a good man.”
“He hasn’t been telling us the truth.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Jacob was at the hospital because his aunt was sick.”
“Rachel says his mother was an only child and his father only had brothers.”
“Maybe he meant—”
“One of his uncles never married. The other one’s wife is deceased. Has been for a long time. So there is no aunt, even by marriage,” Wren said quietly. “And he hates hospitals.”
Nora was quiet a moment before asking, “Why would he lie to me? Are you making this up? Is it because you’re upset I have a boyfriend? Are you afraid I won’t be able to help out with Mason anymore or something?”
“What? No. It’s not about that at all. I didn’t want to have to tell you this, Nora.”
“Jacob is the first man I’ve let into my life . . . well, in a long time. He . . . he makes me happy.”
“I know. I’m sorry, Nora. I don’t know how to say this. But the police are on their way to question him about Mason now. You can be mad at me later. But right now, I just need to ask you some things.”
She was silent a moment. Wren knew she was angry. That maybe she even blamed Wren for all of this.
Finally, Nora said, “What do you need to know?”
Nash stepped closer. “Is there anything else you can tell us about him?”
Wren put the phone on speaker so he could hear.
“Like what?” Her voice sounded throaty with tension.
“It doesn’t matter,” Nash said. “Anything can be important.”
After a moment of thought, Nora finally said, “He talks about work all the time. Nothing important really. It’s mostly just claims. He tells me about some of the houses he visits. He was at this one house a couple weeks ago and sent me pictures because he thought I’d think it was funny.”
Wren frowned. “Why?”
“The people who lived there loved Southern Gospel.” Nora looked at her. “Apparently, they had albums everywhere. They even had our old one.”
Nash narrowed his eyes. “He specifically told you that?”
“He did. Why? Is that important?”
“It could be.” Nash paused. “Did he say where it was?”
“No, but he sent me a picture.”
“Can you send it to me?” Nash asked.
“I’ll do that right now.”
Wren didn’t know if this would lead anywhere. But she still wanted to see. Maybe that photo would offer something.
Nash waited for the picture to come through. It only took a few seconds.
“May I?” He reached for Wren’s phone.
She nodded and handed it over to him.
He clicked on the photo and then found the metadata—and it was geotagged.
His breath hitched. He had an address.
He grabbed his phone, dialed Prine’s number, and gave her the update.
“Why do you think Mason might be at this location?” she asked, a healthy dose of skepticism in her voice.
“Because if Jacob only dated Nora to get close to Mason, then maybe all of this was a game to him. Why else would he send Nora this picture?”
“I don’t know. It could be a stretch.”
“You’re right,” he said. “It could be. But I’d also like to check it out, just in case.”
“Okay, you do that. But be careful. We’re still headed to his house—we’re about ten minutes away.”
“I’m sending you the address, just in case.”
“Smart thinking.”
He ended the call and nodded toward the door. Wren followed him. He thought about trying to talk her out of coming with him, but he knew it would do no good.
There was no time to waste.
They climbed in his truck and took off.
Wren stared out the windshield, her entire body tense. “What if Mason is there?”
Nash tightened his hands on the wheel. “Then we call it in and wait.”
Wren turned toward him. “Nash, if I see any sign my son is inside that house, I’m not sitting in this truck and waiting for anyone to arrive.”
“I figured you’d say that. Promise me you’ll stay behind me. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“I will.”
“Promise me.” He locked gazes with her.
She didn’t look away. “I promise.”