He sniffles. “She asked Dad for a divorce right before we flew up here. He was livid. I was downstairs, but I could hear him yelling upstairs. He told her he would never agree to a divorce because it would ruin his career. His entire image is based on being a family man.”
“You think your dad is behind this?” Lightning asks.
JB laughs. “You don’t know my dad. His reputation is more important to him than she is or I am.”
I glance at Lightning. “Are you really thinking your dad had your mom kidnapped?” he asks.
“I’d bet money on it. He knows she doesn’t feel safe as it is, and now she’ll never want to be without the Secret Service.”
I process what he’s said. If the senator really is behind this, he’s one sick man. But it makes more sense that the men who wanted to take JB saw an opportunity and took his mother instead.
“I don’t think it was your dad,” I say.
“Then who was it?” he asks.
“The men who were behind your kidnapping in Istanbul.”
He’s silent for a moment. “You think they took my mom from a crowded event in New York City?”
“Possibly,” I say. “Your dad was convinced you were in danger. That’s why we’re here.”
JB sighs. “Everyone always believes him. Newsflash. That asshole didn’t hire you to protect me. He hired you to protect him. Well, his name and reputation because that’s all he cares about. He never once cared about where I went or who I spent time with. Until now.”
It sounds like JB had a fight with his dad, because he sure didn’t seem to mind possibly using his dad’s help when we were being chased in a snowstorm.
“Yeah, well, you weren’t kidnapped by international terrorists before so that can bring out the love and concern of a parent.” I’m trying to be sympathetic, but I really don’t think this kid gets it.
“Trust me, the last thing he feels for me—or my mom—is love and concern. I’ll bet you right now if you call him and tell him my mom was kidnapped, he won’t ask you to help.”
Well, now I want to prove this kid wrong. “Okay, I’ll call him now, and we’ll see.”
I call the senator on speakerphone. He answers right away, and we explain the situation to him.
“I can go search for your wife, and my partner, Lightning, can stay with your son,” I say.
“No, that won’t be necessary. You two stay with my son. I’ll talk with the police and make sure they are handling things properly in their search.”
Lightning arches a brow.
“All right,” I say.
He ends the call.
“Well, so much for them being the happy couple.” Lightning shakes his head.
“If he intended to kidnap his wife, why the hell did he hire us? What are we missing?” I ask.
“Either he really is worried about the terrorist and that is possibly who is behind taking Mrs. Walton, or he hired us to be witnesses to his wife’s disappearance, knowing we would assume and likely state she was taken by the terrorist.”
“It’s time to go,” an agent says to JB.
“No, I want to talk to the police.”
“Sir, you can’t be here when the media arrives. An officer will come to you to get your statement.”
JB turns to me. “Please find her,” he says as he’s escorted out of the building.
Lightning holds up his phone. The tracking app is open. “I’ll make sure they take him to his hotel.”
