Free In the Enemy's Arms by Marilyn Pappano Page B

and the Wallaces would never know.”
    Justin stared at her a minute, his expression impossible to read, then turned back to the tablet. “They said no cops.”
    “But—”
    “We’ve got nothing to bargain with, doc. They’ve got the hostages.”
    “We’ve got—or will have—the files.”
    “We’ve got names, addresses and phone numbers, all of which can be changed in no time. We have no proof these people or addresses even exist. We have no proof the girls are with them. For all we know, these kids could have been sent straight from Cozumel to Thailand or the Middle East or wherever.”
    He was right. Even if the addresses were legitimate, there was no way of knowing whether the children were still with those particular people. The parents on that list could have accepted the girls from the adoption agency and shipped them out the next day to places unknown.
    “What if we find out that the adoptions are legit? That the church volunteer’s bid to adopt Luisa was rejected because there was another set of parents on the list ahead of her? Or someone wanted a child so much that they were willing to pay a higher fee? Adopting children to the people able to pay most is immoral and wrong, but as long as the child is in a loving home…”
    “If the adoptions are legit, why bother with kidnapping, attempted murder and threats?”
    Her brow furrowed as she dropped heavily onto the bed. She could learn to hate that even, reasonable tone of his as much as she hated the smug, patronizing one. But, damn it, he was right. No matter what mysteries remained, that was one thing they knew for a fact: the Wallaces had something to hide within their organization. Something worth killing for. And it involved those little girls.
    Her head throbbed, and the paravertebral muscles that ran along her spine were knotted. Back home she worked with an osteopathic doctor who could bring the most amazing relief with her hands—a few presses here, a few twists there, and Cate was ready for another twelve hours. She suspected Justin might be capable of some pretty amazing things, but nothing that would ease her pain.
    Though he might make her forget it, a sly voice whispered, and wasn’t that the next best thing?
    “You look tired.” Justin didn’t sound sympathetic, exactly—more as if he were simply stating the obvious. “You might as well lie down. It’ll be a while before Mario gets off and brings your stuff.”
    Lie down. And do what? There was no television and nothing to read except the internet on the tablet he was using. There wasn’t even a radio to offer staticky music. The only option seemed to be sleep, and she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to do that with Justin sprawled on the other bed.
    She did lie down, though, settling on her back, knees bent, to flatten her spine. The muscles twinged, then slowly eased. “How did you meet Susanna?”
    Justin glanced her way, but she kept her gaze focused on the ceiling. She knew it was through him that Trent and Susanna had gotten together, and she really didn’t care. Susanna seemed to do things for her ex that Cate never could—like make him want to be a better person. She was just curious how good-time Justin had met do-gooder Susanna.
    “She lived in Mobile for a while.”
    She twisted her head to give him a chastening look, and the trapezius muscle in her neck tightened. “That’s information, not an answer.”
    His features settled into a scowl, but there was no heat in it. “She worked at some community center in town with at-risk kids. My family gives a lot of money to kid charities.”
    That wasn’t an answer, either. Since he was being evasive, he must have dated her for a while, though she wasn’t tall, willowy or blond. She was pretty enough: average height, too curvy to be willowy, her hair too blue-black to ever be believably blond.
    Apparently love, or serious lust, made physical appearance inconsequential.
    Except in her case.
    “Were you jealous when