Jake watched Delilah closely for the rest of the night. By the time they left Mack’s, he was second-guessing whether she really was the girl from Nash’s vision or not. Nash didn’t seem to recognize her which made him feel better until he remembered Nash hadn’t ever seen a face. Fucking inconvenient, that. If he’d had second alone with his friend, he would have asked Nash about it, but there hadn’t been time. The only five minutes she’d been out of his sight, she’d almost gotten herself tangled up in a bar fight with the only guy in town he’d ever considered actually eating for breakfast. Lyle Jones was a piece of shit and not just according to Jake. Lyle’s last two wives, if they hadn’t left without a trace, could attest to that fact. Lyle wasn’t a nice guy.
Hell, maybe Jake wouldn’t be the one to kill her after all. It was a wonder she hadn’t done it to herself already.
He was both relieved and disappointed when the night came to an end and he led her to his truck to drive her back to the motel. Delilah had gotten high-fives from Nash and Harley. Even Lucas had offered her a small smile and a “nice job” when they’d returned to their table and ordered dinner. But Jake couldn’t bring himself to congratulate her on worrying him sick.
“Is this job anything like your others back in the city?” he asked as he drove through the quiet streets of downtown. Mostly to fill the silence. He was sick of replaying the memory of Lyle grabbing her like that.
“Are you asking hypothetically or about a specific case?” she asked and even though he couldn’t see her expression, he knew from her tone she was making a point.
“Privacy, got it,” he grumbled. “Never mind.”
His phone rang and he yanked it to his ear. “What?”
“Jake,” Xavier said on the other end, “Sherriff Williams got a call. Someone ran off the road out by route six turnoff. Car’s halfway down the ravine, no word on the driver. You mind handling it after you drop Delilah off?”
“Yeah, I got it,” he said on a sigh. He hung up with Xavier knowing full well there would be a third degree later for his mood today. He was usually such a laid back guy but today had run his nerves raw.
He really hoped Delilah wrapped up her job here soon. But even as he thought it, his bear growled at the idea of her leaving town.
“You’re going to rescue someone?” Delilah’s question caught him off guard. “Your phone’s volume is pretty loud,” she admitted.
“I’ll drop you first,” he said.
“Can I come with you?” she asked and he frowned, wanting only to drop her somewhere he knew she’d be safe for a while. But it would help her to see them in action. See those claims in the reports from DOT were full of shit.
“All right,” he said and made the turn off the main highway that would take them out to route six.