Ted cleared his throat. “Yes, of course.”

“So what is it that you want?”

“Information, Jade. You and those Steel punks—”

“Excuse me?”

He cleared his throat again. “The Steel brothers. You and the Steel brothers were the last to see my son.”

My nerves jumped. Where could Colin be? “That doesn’t mean any of us know anything about where he is.”

Silence for a moment. Then, “I understand you are now dating Talon Steel, the one who attacked my son.”

Good news traveled fast. I was the one who’d wanted to make the relationship public. I guess I’d asked for this. Ted Morse, with his blue-blooded money, could’ve hired a PI to find out anyway. “Yes, Talon and I are involved.”

“Interesting…”

“I don’t see why it would be of any interest to you.”

“Just a little bit interesting to me that my son’s former fiancée and the man who attacked him, who is now dating said former fiancée, were the last two people to see him alive.”

“There’s no reason to believe he’s not still alive, Ted.”

“Still, coincidental, isn’t it?”

This man had known me for seven years. The nerve! I knew better than to say anything else. “This conversation is over.” I ended the call. Chills raked over my body. I had no idea where Colin was, and though I didn’t particularly care where he was, I did want him to be okay. But the nerve of that man, to accuse Talon and me.

The attorney in me advised caution. I would not speak again to Ted Morse. Would not take any of his calls. He wanted to talk to me? He’d have to have the police arrest me and question me. And I wouldn’t be saying a word without an attorney present. That O’Keefe guy had done pretty well for Talon. Of course, I’d been the one to bring the deal to him, but he was the best in Snow Creek as far as I knew. I’d give him a call on Monday and tell him about the situation. And just in case, I’d call Sherry Malone in Denver. I’d been her law clerk, and she was the best of the best.

Just what I didn’t need.

Where the hell was Colin? None of this made any sense. Then again, I wouldn’t put it past him to just disappear for the hell of it. He’d probably flown off to Cancun to spend some of Daddy’s money on booze and hookers.

Thank God he had walked out on me on our wedding day. What would my life have been like if I had married him? I shuddered just thinking about it.

“Everything okay, sweetie?” my dad asked.

I nodded. I wasn’t going to burden him with this crap, not while he was still worried about my mother. “Just Colin’s dad again, still looking for him.”

“That is weird that he just disappeared.”

“You’re telling me.” I wished like anything that Talon and I had not been two of the last people to see him. This wasn’t going to lead to anything good.

I needed to change the subject. I’d had enough of Colin to last a lifetime. I looked at my watch. “It’s seven thirty. Are you hungry?”

My father smiled. “I am. Seems like I couldn’t eat at all while it was touch and go with your mother. But now that we know she’s going to be okay, I’m famished.”

“I’m sure you’re sick to death of hospital food by now. Let’s go somewhere. I don’t know Grand Junction very well, but there’s got to be a decent restaurant around here. And I just got paid.”

“Aren’t you saving up for a down payment on a car?”

“Yes, but now I’m acting city attorney. I got a little raise. I think it’s enough to treat my dad to a nice meal.”

“Sweetie, I’m happy to pick up the tab.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting for the day when I can treat you. I’m happy to do it. What are you in the mood for? I’ll Google the area and see what I come up with.”

“Heck, you know me. I’m happy with a burger and fries.”

“Yeah, I am too. I guess my mother’s champagne taste didn’t pass to me.”

“Or your father’s beer budget had a lot to do with how your tastes were formed.”

I laughed and looked down at my phone. “There’s an Italian place not too far away. Of course I’m sure they’re not nearly as good as anything Marj or Felicia can make.”

“Felicia?”

“She’s the Steels’ cook and housekeeper. Man, that woman can cook.”

“Italian sounds good, sweetie. Let’s go there.”

 

I was halfway through my veal piccata when my phone buzzed on the table. I took a sip of my Chianti—which wasn’t nearly as good as Ryan’s Italian blend—and said to my father, “Mind if I take this?”

“Of course not.” He shoveled another forkful of spaghetti and meatballs into his mouth. That was my dad—a full array of Italian haute cuisine, and he chose spaghetti and meatballs. And I loved him for it. I smiled as I picked up my phone—

My heart nearly stopped. Colin’s number. “Hello? Colin?”

Silence.

“Colin? Talk to me. Everyone’s worried about you. Where are you?”

Still nothing, until the line went dead.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Talon

I texted Jade to let her know I was still in the city. Told her I had some business keeping me here. It wasn’t a lie. I’d had a therapy session and then met with the guys about Kostas’s car. She texted me back that she and her father were at an Italian restaurant near the hospital and invited me to meet them there. So here I was, walking into Milano’s.

I found Jade and her dad and sat down between them at their four-top. Her father was looking at her, his eyebrows arched.

“That was Colin,” she said.

My nerves prickled. “What?”

“She just got a call,” Brian said. “Are you sure it was his number?” he asked her.

“Yeah. Unless he changed it. But then, who else would be calling me from his old number? This is great. It means he’s most likely alive.” She shook her head. “Thank God. If only he’d talked to me.

“He didn’t say anything?” I asked.