Intercepted by Love: Part Five: A Football Romance (The Quarterback's Heart Book 5) by Rachelle Ayala Page B

to bust the big guys. They took Cade’s mother and threatened Bret. How do you know they won’t go after your mother or father?”
    “You really think so?” Andie fanned her face and stopped in her tracks. “How would they connect my parents?”
    “Your mother stayed with you a few weeks, right? I’m sure they might have seen her around.” Owen led her to the valet car park pavilion. He handed the valet his ticket. “Anyway, you think about it. We’re so close, I can feel it. Besides, we need to clear Cade’s name once and for all.”
    “True, and Cade’s not even playing this weekend, so if something goes down, it’ll prove he’s innocent.” Andie’s chest was tight with the pitter-patter of her heart threatening to escape.
    “You should see what Natasha has for you.” Owen helped Andie into the car and tipped the valet. He walked around the front and strapped himself in. “It’s in one of those super secret federal buildings, outside of the city, of course.”
    “Okay, sure, I’m game.” Andie shut her eyes. It would be over soon, and she didn’t come this far just to chicken out. Owen had her back. He’d take pictures of any people who spoke to her and also trail her when she was invited to the private roulette table. He was also good at causing distractions by dropping drinks or bumping into people or stepping on their feet in case she need to make a quick getaway.
    “Good, you get some rest while I drive.” Owen turned on the satellite radio and drove down the road to the jaunty down-home tunes of a Cajun zydeco station. “I’m looking for some crawdads and hushpuppies for dinner. You up for that?”
    “Yes, I’ll try anything once.” She couldn’t help smiling. The tunes were upbeat and bouncing, and the fiddle and accordion made her feel light and free. “We make a good team, don’t we?”
    “Oh, yeah, you ought to consider working for the FBI. You get all the perks of being an actress without the paparazzi.” He bobbed and swayed to the music as they exited the city proper and drove by rows and rows of warehouses.
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    C ade went home and dug through his kitchen, finding the phone number Andie’s mother had left for him.
    By his estimation, Andie should have arrived at Itasca’s tiny county airport already. For whatever reason, she must have listened to his voicemail and decided to ignore him.
    He deserved an explanation, especially having this mysterious George take her to the airport, and if Roxanne could be believed, kissing her. Andie must have known how worried he was about his mother and how much stress he was under. Just because she was mad at him for intruding into her family, didn’t mean she should blow him off with no news and the kissing display.
    He entered the phone number for her parents’ house and her mother picked it up.
    “Hi, Pam, this is Cade. I was wondering how Mr. Wales is doing.”
    “Oh, how thoughtful of you to call. James is doing better, driving me nuts with his speaking machine,” Pam said in a breezy tone. “By the way, we haven’t heard back on whether Andie was going to come home this week or postpone it again.”
    “Wait. What did you just say? Andie’s not with you?” Icicles penetrated his skin and chilled his heart.
    “I thought she was with you,” Pam said. “What’s happened? She hasn’t called, and all my calls go to voicemail.”
    “Same here. This is not good, not good,” he muttered. “When was the last time you heard from her?”
    “A few days ago. She was talking about postponing the trip home, since she thought she had a lead for a job.”
    “Then she had to be lying to me. She said she spoke to you and that James had a setback and she had to travel home immediately.”
    “Oh, my, no. We haven’t heard from her.” Pam’s voice took on a panicked tone. “Do you think she met with foul play?”
    “I hope not. Let’s calm down,” Cade said, even though his stomach roiled and sweat popped from his forehead.