tumbled through her mind. What had brought Rafe back to Oklahoma City? Why had he left the Air Force?
The shock in his face upon seeing her had unnerved her, but not nearly as much as that instantaneous sultry heat in his eyes. Those black, smoldering eyes were now obsidian hard, remote.
Kit squared her shoulders, trying to push away everything except thoughts of her sister. She became aware that Rafe watched her impersonally, waiting for her to continue.
“Liz lives with me. She has for the last couple of years, since Tony went to prison.”
He nodded, making another note.
Her heart squeezed at his distance. What did she expect? That he would greet her as if she were an old friend? Kit had ruined that when she’d refused to marry him. Rafe’s matter-of-fact announcement that they would marry hadn’t been the first unilateral decision he’d made, but it had been the one to unleash a long-buried panic.
Since her mom’s death, Kit had made all the decisions in her family with the exception of a few financial ones. Her dad’s work schedule prohibited him from spending much time at home, and Kit had stepped into the void left after her mom’s death, taking care of the house and her sister. At first, she’d thrilled to Rafe’s take-charge attitude, to the fact that she’d found someone willing to shoulder her burden. But when he’d expected her to move east with him so he could attend Navy flight school, just up and leave her father and sister, she’d realized she couldn’t marry someone who made those decisions alone. She wanted to be his partner, not his insignificant other. So she’d said no to him.
The years had made a noticeable difference in him. He had always been lean, but now there was a whipcord strength in that leanness. A soberness in his eyes and face. A sense of…unpredictability that had Kit’s pulse kicking up a beat. She shoved an unsteady hand through her hair again.
His cool black gaze urged her on.
So Rafe was gorgeous. And as remote as a stranger. So what? He was going to help her find Liz. That was what mattered.
A memory clouded his eyes. For an instant, some of the tension in his face melted away. “You said you were a flight attendant for TransAmerica?”
“Yes.” On one of their first dates, they’d discussed the fact that Rafe wanted to be a pilot and Kit wanted to be a flight attendant. High with the exhilaration of new love, they’d declared it fate that they’d met and become involved.
Kit swallowed the sudden lump that rose in her throat.
His face closed again. “Where did Tony work?”
“For a major computer manufacturer.” She gave the name. “He developed software for them.”
“This was his most recent job? The one he started just out of prison?”
“Yes. I called there yesterday and left a message with the answering service for a friend of his, Mike.”
“I’ll check that out tomorrow.”
“I also went down to Davis and spoke with Tony’s parents. They haven’t heard from or seen him.”
“Could they be lying? Maybe hiding him?”
“Maybe, but I don’t think so.” Kit realized her hand was in her hair again and lowered her arm. Inhaling deeply, she took in the slight tang of Rafe’s scent. Though quiet and often reserved, there was a steadiness, an intensity about him that filled a room. “They were very upset when I told them what was going on. They haven’t seen Tony since he went to prison—they were too embarrassed and angered by what he did.”
His gaze narrowed on her long enough to make her skin prickle with an unwelcome heat. Apprehension and a hint of anticipation swirled inside her, emotions that had nothing to do with her sister and everything to do with the man across from her.
“What if they’re off in Las Vegas or some place like that?”
“I still need to find her.”
“Would Tony hurt her?”
“I don’t think so. I think he really did take Liz with him out of concern for her safety. I mean, we can’t discount that, right?”
“I won’t discount anything. I’ll look at every angle. I’ll start by going to his apartment, checking things out.”
“I went there and couldn’t find anything.”
“I might know other things to look for.”
“Of course.” Kit couldn’t help the stiffness of her tone.
His silent scrutiny, the stoic face all combined to make her want to squirm. Through the years, she’d learned to handle some fairly intimidating men, and she didn’t appreciate the way just one measuring look from Rafe could make her feel as if she were in his way.
“I’ll also check with his parole officer.”
“I didn’t think to do that.” She shook her head. “This whole thing has knocked me for a loop. I’m so upset I probably did miss something at Tony’s apartment.” She forced a smile, her chest tight and aching.
“That’s what I’m here for. I’ll look for anything that might give a hint to where Tony could’ve gone. Check with the airlines and the bus depot, see if he bought a ticket using a credit card, though I doubt it.”
“I can do that.” Kit pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from her purse.
“No.”
Hand poised over her purse, her gaze snapped to his. “What?”
“I’ll do all the checking and call you when I’ve found something.”
She stiffened, crumpling the paper in her fist. “I want to help.”
“I know what I’m looking for. You don’t.”
His voice was gentle, but steel rimmed the words and sent a shaft of irritation through her. She’d hoped the years might’ve mellowed his insistent control. “I’m coming with you.”
“None of my other clients—”
“I’m coming.” The old anger swept in along with a flash of panic. Telling herself Rafe simply didn’t understand how important this was to her, she took a deep breath. “I need to be there when you find her.”
“I don’t know anything about this Alexander character. If he actually is connected to the mob, he could be dangerous. Besides, you need to be safe and sound so Liz has someone to come home to when I do find her.”
“She’s supposed to call me. Wouldn’t you rather be around to hear it?”
“You’ll let me know.”
She hesitated, then blurted, “Do you not want me along because of the past? Because of what I…what happened?”
His lips flattened. “No.”
“I
