Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “Tell me about this contact of yours,” Croft said, increasing her pace to keep up with Tom’s long stride. The woman was only about five-two, but her bearing made her seem so much taller.

            “Jeff Bunker is a sixteen-year-old going to Sac State, majoring in journalism.”

            Croft made a face. “He wrote that awful article about Mercy Callahan, didn’t he?”

            “He did, but his version wasn’t the same as the one that was published. His boss added material Jeff had deleted.” Making Mercy look like a slut, when really she was a victim of sexual assault. It still made Tom furious. “Jeff issued a retraction and used his platform to give victims a chance to tell their stories. He wanted to make amends. Helping Cameron Cook is most likely part of his making amends. He set up an alert for articles about Eden.”

            Croft gave him a side-eye. “So did we. Why haven’t we seen this Cameron guy’s article?”

            “Good question. I already planned to ask Jeff.”

            Croft was quiet for a minute. “So Jeff Bunker knows about Eden?”

            She asked the question with care, like she’d been instructed to find out who else Tom had given information to. But like she wasn’t happy about it. Tom trusted her, to a point.

            “He does, but I didn’t tell him.”

            Croft visibly relaxed. “Who did?”

            “Probably Zoya, the Sokolovs’ youngest daughter. She and Jeff have been getting friendly. Zoya knew about Eden because she’s known Gideon nearly all her life, and she was in the room when Mercy told her story. Zoya’s a good kid. So is Jeff, actually. Even though his relationship with the Sokolovs started out on the wrong foot because of the story about Mercy, Jeff’s redeemed himself in the family’s eyes.”

            Croft nodded thoughtfully. “So you trust him.”

            “I don’t not trust him,” Tom replied truthfully.

            “All right, then.” Croft pointed as they approached the lobby where two young men sat waiting. Both looked ready to fall asleep in their chairs. “That them?”

            Jeff Bunker’s head jerked up, his body relaxing when he saw Tom. “You came.”

            “I said I would.” Tom shook Jeff’s hand, then extended his hand to the young man at Jeff’s side. He looked about the same age, but scared. “I’m Special Agent Hunter. You are?”

            Wiping his palms on his jeans nervously, the kid came to his feet, all gangly limbs. “Cameron Cook.” His handshake was as nervous as the rest of him. “Will you help me?”

            “I’ll do what I can,” Tom promised, then gestured to Croft. “This is Special Agent Croft. We’re going to an interview room so we can talk. Do you need anything? A soda, some food?”

            Cameron shook his head. “We ate on the way.”

            Jeff was texting rapidly, then looked up. “Needed to tell Zoya that we found you so she can get to school.”

            Tom blinked. “Zoya Sokolov drove you to San Francisco?”

            Jeff’s cheeks turned pink. “I don’t have my driver’s license yet.” He grimaced. “Or a car.”

            “I see,” Tom murmured. “Do her parents know?”

            “Maybe? I didn’t ask, she didn’t tell. She’s on her way to school now, so if they didn’t miss her yet, they won’t. And we didn’t get any phone calls on the road, so I think we’re clear.”

            Tom held Jeff’s gaze. “You and Zoya will tell her parents. Got it?”

            Jeff sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Or you will. Got it. I hate being sixteen.”

            “Seventeen isn’t much better,” Cameron muttered. “Nobody listens to you.”

            “Come with us,” Croft said. “We’ll listen.”

            The young men were quiet as they signed into the building and followed Tom and Croft to an interview room. Once they were seated at the table, Cameron looked at the two-way mirror. “Is anyone back there watching?”