Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “But . . .” Gideon swallowed hard and met his sister’s gaze. “I guess she wasn’t dead, either.”

            “I guess not,” Mercy murmured.

            Rafe scowled. “Jeff should have told us.”

            “No,” Irina said, sitting down with her ever-present tea. “He did the right thing.”

            “Tell us about Marcia,” Gideon said quietly. “What did she tell you?”

            Tom glanced at Liza. “You can tell them. I need to eat and run.”

            Eating faster than his mother would have approved of, he listened as Liza shared what they’d learned. When she got to the part about the banker, he cleared his throat, and she glided past it so smoothly that he was certain she could read his mind.

            “It doesn’t sound like you cared for Pastor’s wife,” Daisy said to Liza.

            Liza made a face. “She seemed selfish. She did report Eden once she’d gotten her kids out, but the community had already moved on to a different location. At least that’s something.”

            “What’s the next step, Tom?” Karl asked. “Do you have any leads on Belmont?”

            “Nothing that you didn’t find out the hard way,” Tom said. “He stole a box of explosives from a business partner.”

            Irina abruptly set her cup on the table. “He has more?”

            “Yes.” Tom wasn’t sure if that was classified, but this family needed to be aware. “Be very careful about anything that’s delivered, even if it’s something you ordered. Raeburn said that he’d keep FBI presence here at your house. Not as many as yesterday, but you’ll still have protection.” He stood. “I need to go now. Liza, a word please?”

            She looked worried as she followed him into the laundry room. “What did I—”

            He didn’t let her finish, closing the door and then crushing her mouth with his. She hummed deep in her throat, her arms winding around his neck. As kisses went, it was pretty damn good.

            She was panting when he backed away, and he was hard. “Keep yourself safe,” he said roughly, as his phone began to buzz. “Hey, Croft. Did you find Daniel Park?”

            “Not yet,” Croft told him. “I’m texting you an address. Come there instead.”

            “What is it? Who lives there?”

            Liza’s eyes widened as she grew more alarmed. But she said nothing.

            “Stephanie Stack,” Croft answered. “She was Tony Ward’s first grade teacher. Now she’s dead. Two bullets to the head, like the nurse and the woman he killed Saturday night.”

            “Fuck. What was he looking for?” Then he knew. “Addresses. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Tom ended the call, then kissed Liza one more time. “Stay here. I need you to be safe.”

            He could see that she wanted to ask more questions, but she nodded. “I will. I promise.”

            “Thank you.” Tom waited until she was back in the kitchen before heading to the garage for his SUV. He’d left the Sokolovs’ block when his cell buzzed again. He answered with his handsfree. “Special Agent Hunter.”

            “It’s Raeburn. Where are you?”

            “Leaving the Sokolovs’ neighborhood.”

            “Good. Turn around.” He gave Tom a new address, literally around the corner from Karl and Irina. “Belongs to a Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smythe.”

            Tom instantly understood. “That’s where Belmont’s been hiding?”

            “It appears so. We’ve identified the woman whose car was stolen. Kathy McGrail. She was supposed to return home from a business trip this morning, but she wasn’t there when her husband woke up. He called her boss and learned that she’d come home early, wanting to surprise him.”

            “On Saturday night,” Tom murmured.

            “Exactly. That got him even more worried, of course, so he did a Find My Phone.”