Page 3 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)

“Come on, man. I’m not a babysitter. Tracking a runaway feels like a punishment, not an assignment.”

“Hey, remember where we came from? This girl needs help, just like we did.”

Blade was right, but it didn’t make the assignment any less frustrating. “I just don’t see why he stuck me in charge when the local PD can handle it. I’m overloaded as it is. Was overloaded. This morning, Tinch pulled me off every other case and said this was priority.”

“Maybe he wants the best.” Blade jingled the coins in his pocket. “Think about it. You find Carlie, get her into the program ... you could change her life. Just like Stryker changed ours. Who’s going to be better than you?”

“You.”

“True.” Blade flattened his lips and nodded. “I am a better detec tive.” Then he smiled. “But he didn’t ask me. He asked you. He’s got his reasons.”

“Well, I’m worried. Six weeks and not a trace.”

“You think she’s...”

“I don’t know. I just know I have to find this kid.

Alive.” To tell the head of the FDLE that the top law enforcement agency couldn’t find his daughter was one thing.

To tell a father his child was hurt or dead .

.. the thought stuck in his throat. “Anyway, I’m working on it.

My guess is she’s holed up with a friend, avoiding the cops.

I’m on it, but we have an active crime scene here.

We need to find out who took Stryker and why. ”

“Got it. Let’s keep the lunch crowd out.” Blade stuck his head outside and ordered an officer to guard the door. He flipped the sign over to closed and gestured. “Lead the way.”

As they made their way to Marge and Angie, Corbin righted the chair he’d knocked over and pocketed the sunglasses he’d left on the table. Angie’s tears had dried up, and she scrubbed at the mascara trail with a napkin.

“I believe you ladies know Detective St. James.”

“Yeah,” Marge said. “You’re ’nother one of them Warrior kids, ain’t you?”

“Oh, right.” Angie pointed the wadded napkin at Blade. “Now I remember. Y’all were Stryker’s first students in the, uh, what’s it called? Intervention program. Six of you, right?”

There used to be six. Then things with Luna exploded. And she’d left. Because of him.

Corbin deflected the question and told Blade, “There’s a camera over the register and another out back. Nothing that can see the street.”

“That’s a good start.” Blade withdrew his notebook and scratched a few words.

Old school. Always with the notebook and pencil.

He claimed the act of writing helped him think.

“You two able to come down to the station and look at a few photos? See if you recognize anyone who’s been hanging around here lately?

” He spoke in that deep, smooth way that reminded Corbin of a radio psychologist.

“I tol’ Agent King here, I was in the kitchen. Didn’t see nothin’.” Marge squeezed Angie’s shoulders. “But sure, darlin’. Ang and I’ll give a look.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Blade flashed a high-wattage smile. “That’d be helpful.”

Angie’s seat creaked. She flashed a look at Marge.

“I don’t know if I wanna go down and waste hours lookin’ at books.

Them guys had masks. And besides, the two of them saw more than me.

” Angie flicked her hand in Corbin’s direction.

“They ran out in the street and everything. Maybe they ought to be the ones going.”

Blade’s eyebrows shot up. The pencil pointed at Corbin. “You ... and ...?”

“Luna. Luna was here.”

“Luna? Like, Luna-Luna? Our Luna?”

“Yes.” Why did he have to keep saying her name? “Said she was waiting to talk to Stryker.”

“’Scuse us a moment, ladies.” Blade caught Corbin by the elbow and steered him to a table by the front door. “You’re saying Luna Rosati was here. Today. In this diner?”

“For the last time, yes.”

Blade tucked his pencil and notebook into his breast pocket. “Did you know—”

“I had no idea.”

“Wow, I can’t believe Stryker didn’t say anything. I haven’t seen her in forever.” Blade cut his eyes to Corbin’s. “I know you’ve missed her, but so have we.”

“I know. Stryker should’ve told us.” At least him. But no. He had to stumble into this ... this hornet’s nest of his past by accident.

“So...” Blade folded his arms over his chest. “How’d she look?”

An image of Luna flashed unbidden in his mind.

The first time he saw her at the Kingdom Gym, small and fierce, knuckles raw from hitting the heavy bag and eyes mirroring the same defiance he felt inside.

A lost girl finding her fight. The woman he saw today had grown.

Changed. But the same fire still flickered in her depths.

He could see it smoldering beneath a polished surface.

All her teenage sharpness was gone, replaced by soft curves and full lips.

Lips he used to savor. He felt a smile creep up. “Amazing,” was all he could manage.

“Where is she now?”

“No idea. After they took Stryker, she left so fast there was practically a Luna-shaped hole in the door.” It certainly wasn’t how he’d wanted their reunion to go. Not that he thought they’d ever have one after all this time.

Blade tucked his hands into his pockets. The change rattled around. “I can’t believe she’d just show up and not tell us.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I tried to detain her for questioning, but ... well, I couldn’t force her.” His wrist still throbbed from her grip. And she’d called him old.

“So Luna shows up after I don’t know how many years, and that’s the day a bunch of thugs kidnapped Stryker.” Blade shook his head. “You know I don’t like coincidences.”

“You think it’s connected?”

Blade pulled his hands from his pockets. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out. I won’t stop until we find Stryker.”

“And neither will I, but you take over here. I have to find Luna. Talk to her.” He turned to leave.

Blade caught him by the bicep. “Hold up. You came here to do a job.” He jutted his chin at Marge and Angie.

Corbin pulled his arm back. “Look. The only woman I’ve ever truly loved showed up today. I pushed her away once, and it broke me. I’m not letting her go again. Not this time.”

“I get it, but Stryker needs you.” Blade’s expression softened. “Carlie needs you more.”

Carlie had vanished seemingly into thin air. Every day that passed was a day her parents went out of their minds with worry, torturing themselves with the what-ifs.

Boy, did he know that feeling. The gut-wrenching angst of not knowing what’d happened to Luna all these years. And he’d searched too. Used all his authority. But after she joined the Marines, it was as if she ceased to exist.

Blade left him standing there but stopped halfway and turned. “Hey, God brought her back for a purpose...”

He didn’t finish the sentence. Didn’t have to. Stryker had etched those words into his heart over a lifetime. Stryker always said God revealed his purpose in his own timing. It was up to each person to remain obedient, so he was standing right where he was supposed to be when God’s timing lined up.

Blade took the seat across the table from the women. Their worried faces brightened into small, tentative smiles. Blade was doing his thing. Working his magic. Setting them at ease with that tender heart of his.

One thing was certain, time was running out. For Carlie, for Stryker, and maybe even for his chance to make things right with Luna.

But, yeah. Okay. He’d do what he came here to do. He’d find the answers.

Even if it meant Luna might slip out of his life and disappear again forever.