Page 28 of Deadly Lies

She nodded. At least we now agreed on some things.

“Yeah. We’ll be called back to work soon, anyway.”

“Yup.” I couldn’t wait to get started. I was sure I’d be assigned a new case, but I’d also focus on freeing Joaquín.

Mitch finally came outside.

“They want to take Sienna to the hospital. She says she wasn’t abused, but they want to give her a physical. I’m going with her.”

Grant stood next to Mitch. “I’ll go with you.”

Ashley shook her head. “No. I’ll go.”

Mitch shot Grant a look. “You stay with Mia, and Ash can come with me.”

Hmm. Again, I was baffled. Sure, Mitch was hot for Ashley, but Grant was his best friend in the world. They would die for each other. Literally. Why wouldn’t he rather have Grant go with him over Ashley? It was not like he and Ashley were going to fuck at the hospital.

But I assured myself that I was being way too suspicious. Ashley had found Sienna—Grant didn’t. Of course he wanted to take Ashley. I needed to stop my mind from second-guessing everything. My anxiety consumed me.

“Okay. We’re going to go back to their hotel.”

Grant and I said goodbye to Mitch and Ashley. I followed Grant out to his truck, even though I was still annoyed with him.

Once we were inside, I vowed to try to ease the tension. I placed my hand on his thigh. My husband may be an asshole, but at least he was hot. “What a night.”

“Yeah. No shit. I can’t believe Ashley found her.”

“Yup, that’s insane. But maybe there’s a perfectly good explanation for the kidnapping?”

“Oh, really? I didn’t know there were good explanations for kidnapping a little girl. What the fuck is wrong with you, Mia? Was there also a good explanation for our son being kidnapped?”

Breathe, Mia, breathe.

“No, of course not. That came out wrong.”

“Then what, pray tell, are you talking about?”

“That it’s divine. Look.”

I handed Grant the bible that Joaquín had given to me.

“What the fuck is this? You think she was taken for some religious reason?”

I pulled the bible away from him. “Stop yelling at me. I don’t have a clue what’s going on either. I’m grasping at straws.”

He exhaled. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just exhausted. This has been so stressful. Brought back everything that happened with Julián. I’m going to try to calm down. Forgive me.”

“You’re forgiven.”

“Now, what were you saying?”

“Joaquín gave this to me. Maybe this girl was protecting Sienna.”

“Protecting her? From what?”

“I don’t know. I’m just saying it’s a possibility.”

Grant looked out the window at the San Francisco lights. “Joaquín…gave you a bible. Man, he must really be losing it in there.”