Page 13 of Girl Between

A bit further down the road, Dana saw it.

Bingo!

Railroad tracks running along the levee, told her where she was. She knew she could follow the Mississippi back to the Quarter, but her feet ached already. She hadn’t been walking all that long, but if her bleary memory was correct, last night’s dancing was to blame.

Flashes of moments appeared. The Apple Barrel Bar, Spotted Cat, Bar Redux, Bacchanal … She couldn’t pick any of them out of a lineup, but she remembered enjoying a drink or two at each.

Letting the smell of fried food guide her, Dana neared Chartres Street. A coffee au lait and some greasy beignets was her preferred hangover cure these days. But as her stomach growled, she realized she’d take anything right about now.

The intoxicating smell of boudin and chicory came wafting from the two-story white house on the corner. The hand-painted sign out front read,Elizabeth’s Restaurant. But Dana’s hopes were dashed when she saw the long line of people at the door. It wrapped around the corner, where guests waited in the shade of the building, already fanning themselves in the early morning humidity.

Giving up hope of a real meal, Dana opened her ride share app and requested a car. A few merciful minutes later her driver arrived. She climbed inside and laid her head back, drinking in the air conditioning. Her dewy skin stuck to the leather as she watched the Bywater rush past until finally, she arrived back at Hotel Monteleone.

16

Jake pulledan old Army bandana from his back pocket and wiped his forehead. Hiking Red Rocks Canyon always got the best of him, but he loved it. The national conservatory spanned 197,349 acres. As a boy, he’d made it his mission to explore all of them. But today, doing the scenic loop with his mother, Wade and Jenkins had moved it up the ranks to claim a coveted spot among his all-time favorite hikes.

A cold, wet sensation pressed against the back of Jake’s calf, making him grin. He turned around and grabbed the soggy dog toy from the mouth of the mutt Jenkins had convinced Wade to foster. One look at the Catahoula-Dingo mix and Jake knew this was a foster-fail situation. The dog had found his forever home. Wade and Jenkins just didn’t know it yet.

He couldn’t blame them. The dog was all dopey smiles and joy. His entire body wagged when the smallest shred of attention was turned his way. Jake lost count of how many times he’d thrown the poor excuse for a stuffed turkey for the mutt. Jenkins named the dog Sam.For Uncle Sam, of course,according to her. One thing was for sure, the friendly mutt added a lightness to his family dynamic that Jake desperately needed.

He'd always wanted a dog, but his nomadic lifestyle never suitedthe desire. But the past few days in Nevada had reignited the longing. He foolishly found himself wondering what Dana thought of dogs. But that was definitely a case of putting the cart before the horse.

Refocusing, Jake turned his attention to his mother. He’d seen what Jenkins meant when she’d said his mother was doing better. Jake couldn’t deny the progress she’d made from the last time he’d been home. The dog’s presence deserved some of the credit as well.

Jake wasn’t used to seeing his mother smile so much. But each time the dog rested his speckled head in Helen’s lap, she glowed with joy. He’d also witnessed the calming presence the dog had on her when it curled up next to her in bed. Between Sam the dog and the new regimen of holistic medicine that Jenkins had convinced Wade to start Helen on, things were looking up.

But it did little to calm Jake’s worries about Dana. He was continually torn between being here for his family and rushing to New Orleans to let Dana know he was there for her, too.

That is, if she wants me to be.

Knowing Dana hated the idea of being coddled was the only thing that kept Jake from booking a flight. Well, that and he’d agreed to give her space even if he disagreed it was the best way of handling the devastating fallout of their last case.

He’d come up with what he hoped was the perfect solution. Unable to leave Nevada until he and Wade came to a decision on what to tell his mother, Jake turned to an old Army friend.

Flynn was one of the few Jake considered a brother, in more than just arms. The man was loyal to a fault. The fact that he owed a life debt to Jake made the call he was about to make that much easier.

“Great hike,” Wade said, slapping Jake’s shoulder as they all congregated in the dust bowl of a parking lot. “You want to drive home?” Wade asked, dangling the keys to his old powder blue Bronco.

Jake snatched them out of the air before Wade could do his token, drop and hide. “You know it.”

Jake grabbed a water bottle from the cooler in the back, took along pull, then held his cell phone up, signaling to Wade he needed to make a quick call before climbing behind the wheel.

Flynn had told Jake if he ever needed anything, not to hesitate. Now seemed like as good a time as any to cash in that chip. Jake hit the call symbol next to his old Army buddy’s name as Wade helped Jenkins, his mother, and the dog into the Bronco.

Flynn’s deep voice pulled Jake back to the task at hand. “You’ve got me. Leave a message and I’ll hit ya back.”

Jake grinned at his good fortune. This would be easier to say to Flynn’s voicemail rather than the man himself. Especially since Flynn was the type to ask questions. After the beep, Jake spoke. “Flynn, it’s Shep. I need a favor. I know it’s been a while, but my partner is in your town. I need you to check in. Standard POL.”

Suddenly the rest of the words Jake had rehearsed were swallowed by the telltale sound of someone interrupting his message. “Jake Shepard?”

Jake couldn’t fight his grin. “Who screens their answering machine? Better yet, who still has an answering machine?”

“I do, and proud of it,” replied Flynn. “My trusty landline and machine haven’t failed me yet. Plus, they’re harder to hack.”

Jake laughed. “Same old Flynn.”

“You know it.” Flynn gave one of his famous howls. “I’ve got chills! Is this what it feels like to get a call from the FBI?”