Page 29 of The Deadly Shallows

“Eager to get out of here.”

“I bet.”

“How quickly can you meet Chief Greer outside the Kellen building?”

“Austin and I are on the way to base now. ETA ten minutes.”

“Great. And call Finn. He needs you both.”

“Any idea what’s going on?”

“He couldn’t give details over the phone, which means you won’t be able to either.”

“Understood. I’ll head over to the hospital as soon as I can to catch you up to speed.”

After hanging up, Noah pulled out a piece of paper to scribble some notes. The tentacles of this case seemed to be ever expanding.

“Knock, knock,” Gabby said as the door cracked open. “Brooke’s morning coffee delivery.”

“Come on in.”

Gabby rounded the corner with two coffee tumblers with the Raul’s Roast Coffee logo. She took a quick sweep of the room and frowned. “Where’s Brooke?”

“You just missed her. She left for duty maybe twenty-five minutes ago,” Noah said, still wishing she’d stayed. She was pushing herself to keep going. He’d done the same numerous times.

Gabby took a seat. “Who picked her up?”

He furrowed his brow. “She drove herself. She said you brought her car by.”

“I did,” Gabby said, kicking her feet up on the recliner portion of the chair. “But she didn’t take it.”

Noah tensed. “Her car is still in the parking lot?”

Gabby’s smile disappeared, and she sat up, planting her feet on the floor.

Noah picked up his cell and called Brooke. It went straight to voicemail.

He called Jason, Brooke’s rescue-swimmer coworker.

“Hey, man,” Jason said. “How you doing?”

“Has Brooke arrived yet?” Panic sifted through him.

“Nah, man. I’m sure Oscar told her to take leave after . . .” He cleared his throat. “After yesterday.”

Noah released a heavy exhale.

“Everything all right?” Jason asked.

“She said she refused Oscar’s order to take the shift off. She left the hospital for the base a half hour ago.”

“She’s not here. Have you called her?”

“It’s just going to voicemail, and her car is still in the parking lot.”

“Do you think she’s okay?”

Every warning signal in his body said otherwise. “Call me if she gets there.”