Stryker

“Well, I can’t even make toast.” Millie fluttered her lashes at Carter. “But, if you’re going to be staying with us then I guess we could live on your omelets and other things.”

Shaking his head, Carter laughed. “You’d soon get sick of eating omelet.”

“I’d rather live on that than burnt pasta and toast,” Millie grumbled.

About to add more to the conversation, I had a sudden thought and shot up in my seat. Quickly scrabbling for my purse, I pulled out my laptop.

“What are you doing?” Millie turned in her seat to watch me.

“Peter Rivers is Stryker’s father. What if we managed to find him? I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do or even if he could do anything to help us. I’m clutching at straws but it has to be worth a try.”

I looked between them and sighed in relief that they were both on board with my idea.

“I have a wireless card in my computer so I can at least try to find something on Google.”

“Wait.” Carter pulled to the side of the road and left the engine idling. “Pass me your computer. I can get the information you want a lot quicker than you.”

He didn’t give me chance to pass it over as he took it.

“Right then.”

“Evie, I have access to places you don’t.” Carter turned the computer on his lap so neither Millie or me could see what he was doing. “Anyone have an idea as to how old his father is?”

“No. But Stryker’s twenty-four, so if he was born when his father was, I don’t know, around twenty maybe, then he’d be at least forty-four.”

“Okay. I have eight under fifty in the New York area. He could have moved, let his driving license laps or completely dropped off grid.” Carter watched me over the top of the computer screen.

“I know. Don’t get my hopes up. I don’t even know what to say or how he can help if we do find the right Peter.” I sat back and saw nothing but Stryker as I looked through the window.

“I think he’d help.” Carter focused on me. “At the last fight, he thought he saw his father in the crowd. It shook him up.”

“He didn’t say anything.” I bit my lip wondering why he hadn’t mentioned anything to me.

“A lot’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, Evie. Don’t think things that aren’t there please.”

“I won’t.”

He looked like he didn’t believe me.

“I promise, Carter. I love him.”

“I know.” He looked back to the computer. “I’ve narrowed it down to three. Let me cross check them

with something else.”

I stayed silent and stared at Millie who watched me closely.

She grabbed my knee. “Are you really okay?”

Tears gathered on my lashes, but I was determined to keep them from falling. “I will be.” I covered her hand with mine.

“Well, one has been in prison for four years so it can’t be him if he was at the fight. Another one lives miles outside of town, but the one remaining lives in a nice neighborhood, about fifteen minutes from here and he’s forty-seven. Let me check if anything was ever filed for Jake Rivers, and we have…a missing person report.” Carter read and did a few more clicks, and then, “Bingo,” burst from his lips. “The date of birth that Peter Rivers gave as his when he filled the missing person report for Jake matches the guy who lives close…in the end Jake was filed as a runaway.”

“Wow. That’s sad.” I sat back stunned. “How’d you find all that out?”

“I’m not just a pretty face.” Carter gave us both a smug look, and laughed before he pulled out into traffic. “Let’s go and visit Peter Rivers and find out how he can help his son.” He clenched his teeth in anger.

Millie glanced at me before concentrating on her man. She rested her hand on his thigh, and I smiled when he intertwined his fingers through hers.