Page 94 of Girl Between

“What about your mom, or the search for your father?”

He shook his head, not sure how to even start that conversation. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes. Dana slipped her hand over the one he’d left on the bar. “Jake, it’s okay to want something for yourself.”

He opened his eyes and stared at Dana’s beautiful face, wishing he had the words to tell her thatshewas the something he wanted. He swallowed thickly, trying to figure out where to begin. He gripped the back of her barstool, which was inconveniently bolted to the rotating floor. He needed her closer. Needed to feel her next to him if there was any chance of making her understand. Jake squeezed her hand, about to ask if she wanted to go upstairs, when Dana’s phone rang.

Det. Vincent Georgeflashed across her screen.

“I need to get this,” she said.

Jake nodded, clenching his teeth.

Dana picked up the call. “Hello?”

Jake could hear both sides of the conversation thanks to his close proximity.

“Where are you?” asked George.

“My hotel.”

“Good, I’m cashing in my raincheck. Meet me across the street. There’s a restaurant called Mr. B’s. Give the Matre’d my name. I’ve got news.”

“What kind of news?”

“The kind better not exchanged over the phone.”

83

George sat next to Dana,in his usual booth, trying not to glare at the interloper who’d invaded their date.Is a threesome a date? Or was it a throuple nowadays?

He couldn’t keep up. He didn’t want to. But he could at least admit he was out of practice in the dating scene.

When he’d invited Dana to one of his favorite dinner spots in the French Quarter, he’d been hoping to impress her, not have to share her attention with his ex-brother in arms.

George’s only consolation was that Shepard looked even more uncomfortable than he was stuffed in the cozy corner booth.

Dana seemed oblivious as she ordered an apple salad and vegetarian spring rolls. George stuck with his favorites. Gumbo Ya-Ya and barbequed shrimp. Shepard saidditto, so George added a round of Mr. B’s famous Creole bread pudding with Irish Whiskey sauce.

When the waiter left, Dana was the first to break the awkward silence. “So, what couldn’t you say over the phone?”

George gave a nod in Shepard’s direction. “You were right to put LaSalle on point. She doesn’t miss a thing.”

“What’d she find?” he asked.

“She ran every case Lena flagged as a match in the last twenty-four months to your parameters.”

“Missing organs and/or TNCs, sorry, trans-nasal craniotomies,” Dana clarified for Shepard’s benefit.

George nodded. “Two of the Jane Does share DNA markers with one of the Harvest Girls.”

Dana’s pretty brown eyes widened. “Is that enough to get the Harvest Girls case attached to the BAU’s Casquette Girl case?”

“At my recommendation it is,” George said with a grin.

“Oh my God!” Dana flung her arms around him. “That’s the best news!” She pulled away much too quickly for George’s liking. “Wait, does that mean you identified two of the Jane Does in the Casquette Girls case?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes. Chloe St. James and Veronica Richards. Second cousins of Elizabeth Barton.”

“What are the odds?” Jake asked.