Vanished by Joseph Finder Read Free Book Online Page B

TelePrompTer. I had a feeling she was thinking that possibility through to its logical conclusion, which wasn’t a happy one.
    “You don’t really believe things like that happen, do you?” She sounded almost scornful.
    “Not really,” I admitted. “Rarely. But the world’s a dirty place. Who knows.”
    “Then what? What do you think happened?”
    “Wish I had something to tell you.” I thought for a moment. “Listen, Lauren. When I asked you if Roger knew the guy, or the people, who grabbed you, you hesitated.”
    “I did?”
    I’d noticed a flash of uncertainty appear in her face; maybe she wasn’t consciously aware of it. “Was there anything in Roger’s face, his expression or whatever, that might have indicated he wasn’t totally surprised by what was going on?”
    She was silent for a few seconds, pensive. “You know, I just remembered something.”
    “Okay.”
    “It’s what he said when we were attacked. The last thing I heard him say.”
    “Okay.”
    “He said, ‘Why her?’ ”
    “ ‘Why her,’ ” I repeated. “Which implies, ‘Why not me?’ ”
    “Like he knew them. Like maybe he knew who they were.”
    I thought for a moment. “I think it tells us something more important.”
    She raised her eyebrows.
    “That maybe he was expecting this to happen. And the question is why.”
    Quietly, a tremor in her voice, she said: “Expecting it? Expecting what ?”
    “Maybe he’d been warned. Maybe it was an attempt to scare him.”
    “For what? That’s—that’s too bizarre, Nick.”
    “You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff that goes on.”
    “Try me.”
    “Someday I’ll tell you the real reason I got booted out of the Pentagon. Things aren’t always the way they appear from the outside. There’s usually more to the story.”
    She shook her head, as if to dismiss the wild speculation. Then she fell silent for ten or fifteen seconds. “You don’t think he’s alive, do you?”
    “I’m sure he’s fine.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    I didn’t believe it either. “Don’t worry,” I said.
    “I’m losing respect for you again.”
    “Whatever happened to him, I’m sure he’s okay. Keep the faith. I’m here for you guys, you know that.”
    “I know. That means a lot. But Nick, I didn’t want to involve you in this. That was Gabe’s idea, not mine.”
    “Involve me?”
    “You know what I mean. Professionally, or whatever. I told Gabe I doubt you can find out anything the cops can’t.”
    “Well,” I said, “truth is, my firm has resources law enforcement doesn’t.”
    “You’re not suggesting I hire Stoddard Associates, are you?”
    “Jay Stoddard wouldn’t take the case. I’d have to do it on my own. Off the books.”
    “That wouldn’t be—I don’t know, complicated?”
    I hesitated, but only for an instant. “No,” I said. “I don’t think it would be complicated.”
    “I mean, given, you know, the way you and Roger . . .”
    “He’s my brother. And your husband. And Gabe’s dad. That’s not complicated.”
    “So maybe it would be . . . you know, cleaner . . . if I hired you directly, paid you off the books. If you’re willing to help out, I mean.”
    “I won’t take money from you.”
    She hesitated. I could see she was struggling. “Roger’s done really well,” she said with a nervous smile. “You were in the army, and then you worked for the government . . .”
    Yeah, yeah, I thought. I served my country, while my brother served himself. That was what she meant but would never say out loud. The fact was, I did what I did, chose what I did, in order to escape. In other words, for wholly selfish reasons.
    But I’d never say that out loud either.
    “Give me the names of the cops who interviewed you,” I said. “I’ll talk to them. Why don’t we start there?”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Not a problem, Lauren. And maybe you could also give me the names of Roger’s close friends. You know, anyone he might have confided