Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 74122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74122 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
But Dawg knew this cop. This Axel. An interesting name for a police officer who lived with one of the DAMC women. Bella. Yes, the dark-haired beauty who worked at the bakery in town. The one who was behind the bar last night at what Dawg called “church.”
Axel kept his face skillfully masked as he’d questioned her, but every once in a while, he’d shoot a curious glance over at Dawg, then return his attention quickly back to her. Maybe he couldn’t understand why or how Dawg was involved in all this.
Though, honestly, Emma wasn’t sure why, either. Why he cared so much whether she ever found her daughter. But he did, and his determination to get Lily back made all the questions Axel asked her easier to swallow.
After a while, Axel was quiet, typing information into the computer on his desk.
Emma held her breath, hoping he would find something that the other officers had missed.
When he sat back and scrubbed a hand over his short dark hair, her stomach sank. His blue eyes swung to Dawg. “Just how do you know each other?”
Dawg slowly leaned forward in his chair, thick, tattooed arms crossed over his broad chest. “Does it matter?”
“Well, she’s a kindergarten teacher, Dawg. She kind of doesn’t...” He drifted off and eyeballed Emma, who, unlike Dawg, was on the edge of her seat so she sat straighter in her chair.
“Don’t what?” Dawg growled.
Axel lifted a hand in a placating fashion. “Truth is, she doesn’t seem to fit... your lifestyle.”
Dawg grunted. “Your brother’s DAMC, Axel. Your woman is, too.”
His brother was part of the MC? That was odd.
She opened her mouth to ask questions in regard to that, but Axel continued with a nod. “I know that. That wasn’t what I meant.”
Dawg’s eyes narrowed. “Meant what? ‘Cause I run Heaven’s Angels?”
“Well, that, too. I didn’t expect you to—”
“To what?”
“End up with someone like Emma.”
Her head jerked up as her spine stiffened. She repeated, “Someone like me?”
“Not a stripper, I guess,” Axel clarified with a frown.
“Don’t do my girls,” Dawg grumbled.
“We’re not together,” Emma quickly added. Then she ignored the heated stare coming from the big man in what seemed like an extremely small seat next to her. “He’s being very kind by helping me.”
“Kind... So, you’re not together?” Axel asked her the question but stared at Dawg.
“We’re together,” Dawg answered.
Axel sat back and laughed. “Shiiit. Another one bites the dust.”
She didn’t like the sound of that, even though she wasn’t quite sure what the officer meant. “No...” Emma quickly said. Her head twisted toward Dawg. “No. That’s not what this is... I’m...” How the hell did she explain their situation?
Axel smiled. “Got it.” Then he sobered quickly. “Well, anyway, the bad news is I don’t have any info. Looks like it’s now considered a cold case for your local PD. It’s been over a year now?”
Emma nodded, gnawing on her bottom lip.
“A cold case?” Dawg asked.
“Yeah. It was passed on to the FBI, who passed it on to INTERPOL. But, unfortunately, nothing new has been added to the file in over eight months.” He turned to Emma. “Your daughter’s in NCIC. Her case is listed as a parental abduction.”
“What’s NCIC?” Emma asked.
“It’s the FBI’s database for crime information. She’s considered a missing person, but...”
“But?” Dawg barked.
Axel’s brows pinned together as he considered the man across the desk from him. “But...” He turned back to Emma again. “You weren’t divorced, right? You were living in the same household when he took her?”
“Yes, but I didn’t give permission for him to take her. Or take her out of the country, for Christ’s sake. I had no idea! He stole her.”
Axel lifted a hand again, this time trying to pacify her. “I know. I’m sorry. It must be extremely difficult. And I assume that once she’s found you’ll be able to get full custody of her and a restraining order against your husband.”
“He needs to be arrested,” she mumbled.
“Agreed,” Axel answered. He stared at Dawg for a long moment. “Guess you got Diesel on this, right?”
“Y—”
Dawg’s hand shot out and latched onto her arm to stop her from answering.
What was that about?
Dawg growled, “Gonna do what needs done to find the bastard.”
Axel sighed. “Which means you got D’s crew on this.”
“Just means we’re gonna do what needs done to find the bastard,” Dawg repeated.
“Then I’m surprised you even bothered coming in here today.”
“Figured I’d give you pigs a chance to do the right thing.”
Axel’s eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared. “Do you think a local PD is equipped to find a missing child in some foreign country?” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “That’s why the fucking FBI was notified. Her PD took the right steps, did all they could do. Someone who abducts a child and flees the States usually has some sort of financial backing.”