Her Unlikely Family. Missy Tippens

had been the right thing to do. Instinct had told her the girl needed some time away from peer pressure family pressure, and the burden wealth could put on a person—just as Josie had needed at that age. Lisa needed time to figure out who she was and what she wanted out of life.

      But Josie had thought she was dealing with an unwanted eighteen-year-old. Now she had to find a way to prevent the girl from running away again while being responsible to the hunky uncle. Maybe she could hold him off until she talked to Lisa—providing Lisa showed up at home that night.

      Lord, I thought You sent Lisa to me like You sent the other runaways. I thought You wanted me to help her. But I don’t have any business keeping her from an uncle who seems to care about her.

      God had sent Lisa to her for a reason. She simply had to figure out what that reason could be.

      Michael hunkered down in his car. The late March temperature had dropped and couldn’t be over forty. Not exactly what he’d dressed for earlier in the day, back before he’d known he would have to hang around to deal with a frustrating waitress as the only link to his niece.

      He had a view of the front of the diner and of the alley leading from the back. So far, he’d only seen customers come and go. No sign of Lisa.

      He pushed the button to light his watch. Eight past ten and still no sign of Josie, either.

      The woman certainly worked hard. Unless, of course, she’d spent her time warning Lisa not to come back to the diner. The fact that Josie had misled him earlier didn’t bode well for how truthful she would be tonight.

      The fact that Lisa had told Josie she didn’t want to see him didn’t bode well either.

      A sigh escaped from some weary place deep inside. How was he supposed to deal with a teenager who was so rebellious she broke every school rule twice? Surely the school, with female role models like her teachers, was better than his bachelor home. Once again, he would have to find a way to get Lisa reinstated.

      He steeled himself for her objections. He would find her and take her back where she belonged. Maybe someday she would thank him for it.

      The door of the diner opened, and Josie, without any wasted movement, walked toward his car. Before he knew it, she had climbed in and shut the door.

      “Hi, Mike. Nice night.”

      “Would you care to join me?”

      “I thought you’d never ask.” Light from a streetlamp spilled into the car, illuminating her sassy smirk.

      He stopped himself from telling her she had a nice smile, even though she did have a very nice smile. Instead, he sat in silence, turning to the quiet neighborhood outside, remembering the more touristy area a few blocks away where shops sold handmade candles, homemade fudge and funnel cakes. Why would a teenager head to this town?

      When he recalled the many wedding chapels in the area, his gut clenched. “I’m not too late to keep her from trying to marry the punk, am I?”

      “No. The guy dumped her. But—”

      “So you do know about him.” Anger pushed away the chill in the air. “What else have you kept from me?”

      “It’s not like I—”

      His cell phone rang. He unclipped it from his belt. Caller ID showed it was the investigator. “Throckmorton.”

      “They traced your niece’s car to a town in North Georgia,” the man said. “A young couple was seen getting out. We’re not sure if it’s Lisa. The female’s hair is black.”

      “Did you call the police?”

      “A patrol car is on its way now.”

      “Georgia, huh? What about credit-card activity?”

      “None since the day she disappeared.”

      Michael drummed his thumb on the steering wheel. “Okay. Thanks.”

      “I’ll call as soon as we find her.”

      Snapping the phone closed, he watched Josie. She had her legs crossed, foot jiggling. She spun her bracelets around her wrist. Either the woman couldn’t sit still or she was nervous.

      None of this made sense. Was Josie lying? He had thought for sure he was on Lisa’s trail. He prayed he was right.

      “So that call was about Lisa?” Josie asked.

      “It was the P.I. I hired to locate her.”

      “What did you find out?”

      “He says Lisa may be in Georgia with a guy. Her car’s there, anyway.”

      Josie sat up at attention, then frowned. “The creep took her car. So I assume he’s with someone else.”

      “Took her car? Why didn’t she report the theft?”

      “Lisa wanted to wait. She thinks he’ll bring it back.”

      “Could he have come back for Lisa today?”

      “Well, she was here at dinnertime. But she lit out once she saw you.”

      He breathed in through his nose, trying to control the urge to yell. “You mean to tell me she was at the diner, and while you chatted and stalled, she snuck away again?”

      “No, I—Do you think she could have gotten to that town in Georgia in the three hours since you got here?”

      “I have no idea.”

      She clicked her fingernails on the leather interior, then opened her door. “Let me run and get a phone directory, then make some calls.”

      He reached over her to close the door. “Wait just a moment.”

      Josie, who’d been jerking him around all evening, was trying to make an awfully sudden exit. And now she acted as if she feared Lisa had run away again? Well, he would bet the last dollar in Throckmorton’s Bank that Lisa wasn’t in Georgia with her car.

      “I want you to tell me the truth, and tell me right now,” he said.

      “I have told you the truth. She’s most likely still here. Then again, I’m not positive.” She reached for the door handle. “Let me try to find her and talk her into meeting with you.”

      “No. You’ve had your chance. Tell me where to look.”

      “Come on, Mike, I promised her. You’re putting me in a tough position.”

      “If you think you’re in a tough position now, wait until I have you arrested for kidnapping.”

      Chapter Two

      Think, Josie, think.

      Mike looked so imposing in the dimly lit car. All angles and shadows. If she hadn’t heard from his niece that he was a law-abiding citizen, she would be pulling out her pepper spray right about now.

      She forced a carefree laugh. “Kidnapping? Now you’re being ridiculous.”

      “I’m dead serious. You’re keeping a minor away from her legal guardian.”

      “Okay, I admit I was uncooperative at first. But she’d told me she was eighteen. And, for the record, I didn’t have anything to do with her sneaking out of the diner this evening.”

      With his dark brows drawn together, he glared at her. “You could have told me as soon as you noticed her missing.”

      “She’s not necessarily missing. She said something about having plans tonight. I imagine she’ll show up later either here or at my house.”

      “She knows where you live? Let’s go check there.”

      Josie tentatively touched his forearm, surprised at the warmth against her cold fingers. “I can’t betray her. I promised I’d protect her from you.”

      “Protect?”