Hide and Seek Read Online Free PDF

the consolation that no one else had found her. But that left a set of different worries in his head.
    Was she hurt? Was she cold? Hungry? The frustration he felt at not being able to help her, protect her, was driving him nuts. He felt proud that she was so independent, and so frustrated at the same time he felt like roaring out his anger or at the very least kicking something inanimate. Hard.
    “Are you even listening to me, bro?”
    “Huh?” William turned back to where Samuel, two years his junior, was leaning back in his old-fashioned padded chair. “Of course I was listening. Sort of. Maybe want to repeat it?”
    Samuel sighed disgustedly, and put his fedora hat back on his head, his detective pose back in place.
    “I said your chick is obviously living on cash. Her bank accounts had a couple of hefty withdrawals on the night she ran, but since then no money has come in or out of them. She hasn’t re-registered with any of her Accountancy clubs, so it’s unlikely that she is working a proper full-time job. Unless your girl knew beforehand that she would be running and has set up a full and proper set of alternate credentials—”
    “No, no,” William interjected. “She didn’t have any details or accounts under Joey Lane, she often didn’t even respond to the name at the start of our relationship. I really think this was a spur of the moment thing that just stretched on and on since the warrant was released.”
    William ignored the slightly pitying glance Samuel gave him.
    “You’ve got it bad, bro. I want to find this chick even more than you do simply so I can see what kind of woman can have you tied up in knots like this. The only other interesting tidbit I’m inclined to share is that Petrelli, the guy in charge of the investigation, recently left Seattle. He was just promoted to Detective and got assigned to the case. Then he filed for a month’s leave a couple of days ago. I have no idea if it’s important, I’m just keeping you up to date. I do have a few other semi-leads, but I want to see how they pan out, and it’s getting late. What say we hit the bar, meet up with Dom and have a night out?”
    William wasn’t much in the mood for partying, especially the style of partying Samuel and Dominic would probably do in the bar. Dominic was the youngest and certainly wildest of the four brothers. William’s taste for casual flings and one-night stands had never been strong, and had become nonexistent since he met Josephine.
    Yet, neither did he really want to return to his large home where he lived with his three brothers and new sister-in-law. Artemais and Sophie had only just had baby Christiana, and while he loved his little niece, he felt restless.
    “I think I’ll pass tonight, bro. I might just pick up some takeout and it’s getting late. I’ll chase down a few leads of my own tomorrow before heading back to the house to help Sophie and Christiana settle in. They only came back from hospital the other day.”
    William smiled and waved at Samuel as he headed out the door, determined to get some more work done tonight.
    Collecting some Chinese from the store on the corner, he retrieved his car and drove back to his small but tidy apartment. As he walked down the corridor leading to his apartment, he heard an achingly familiar voice reply loudly, almost in a panic.
    “No really, Mrs. Peterson, I’ll be fine. I can come back later, really!”
    Quickening his pace, he rounded the corner, wishing like hell he hadn’t chosen the apartment in the furthest back corner of the floor. He was half-afraid he was imagining her voice, having hallucinations. He dimly heard Mrs. Peterson, bless her soul, insisting the “young lady and her friend” come inside her apartment for a pot of tea and a bit of a sit-down. That he, William, would be back soon undoubtedly, and she would hate for them to wait out in the drafty corridor.
    William came around the final corner to where his and Mrs. Peterson’s