Gone Unnoticed: A Kate Reid Novel (The Kate Reid Series Book 3) by Robin Mahle

and we’re going through it now.” Nick was quiet for a moment. “Kate.” He glanced at her and winked. “Okay, sounds good, babe. I’ll see you then, bye.” Nick ended the call. “Sorry about that.”
    “Don’t be. It’s nice to have someone who wants to know what you’re up to.”
    Nick stopped to look at Kate for a moment and pursed his lips. “You know what? I probably didn’t need to make you drive down here. I can handle this tonight and I’ll brief you in the morning on the drive down. Why don’t you go on home?”
    It seemed he was feeling guilty about his personal life; the fact that he had one. Why else the reason for the change of heart only moments after Kate’s arrival? Had she appeared that desperate and alone that she couldn’t handle him talking to Georgia? If she hadn’t known him well enough, she might have taken offense. “No. I want to stay. Please.”
    “Okay.” Nick rubbed his slightly rounded bristled chin, which was in need of a shave. “Then I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we pack this stuff up and we can head on over to my place? At least we can grab some Chinese and have a beer or two. Can’t get away with that here.” Nick cast a suspicious glance as if to imply Big Brother was watching. “Georgia will be there later anyway. This way, I won’t still be here when she arrives.”
    “Yeah. Okay. That sounds good. I could use a beer.”
    They both lived in Woodbridge, but he had a condo overlooking Belmont Bay, a slightly more exclusive area. She pulled up behind him to the expansive building that reminded Kate of row houses. It ran along a curved road across from the bay. She’d been here before and felt grateful to have found a parking spot while Nick continued on to the underground parking structure for the tenants of the building.
    Kate stepped out of her car and grabbed her things, locking it up behind her. The air had a familiar scent and although cooler than when she arrived at the WFO, a slight breeze carried the scent of the bay with it and put Kate at ease. She continued along the concrete path to the building’s main entrance, where Nick would have to buzz her inside. The door clicked open after announcing her arrival and Kate walked towards the elevator to the fourth floor, where his unit was located.
    Nick opened the door and she stepped inside his well-appointed home. He must’ve had a cleaner because no man she’d ever known would keep house so well. It was either that or the fact that it never got dirty because he was rarely home in the first place.
    “Go ahead and put your things on the dining table. There’s a Chinese restaurant nearby that delivers. Pick what you want off the menu and I’ll call it in. Can I get you a beer?” Nick asked as he moved towards the kitchen.
    “Thanks. That’d be great.” Kate was drawn towards the sliding glass door in the living room and she peered outside to the deck, casting her gaze onward towards the bay. The night was clear and the moon shone brightly, reflecting off the water and the boats that were docked. “You know, you really should get yourself a boat. I mean, what’s the point in living here if you can’t enjoy the bay?”
    Nick held two opened beers in his hand and strolled up next to her, glancing through the same glass door. “What? With all my spare time?”
    Kate took hold of one of the beers. “You have a valid point.”
    They both looked out over the water in a long stretch of silence, as if each yearned to be out there, enjoying the evening on the bay. Instead, they had to find some connection between the drop house locations where it was suspected that a human trafficking operation was being conducted. It was a surreal way of life.
    “Okay, let’s get to work.” Nick turned away from the calming view and booted up his laptop to retrieve the files.
    Kate shuffled towards the table, not really wanting to depart from the scene, and sat down next to him. He spread out the photos of Ruxandra