Page 30 of The Deadly Shallows

“Will do, and let me know if we can help search if . . .”

Noah swallowed, not wanting to even consider the if he was referring to. “I will.” Hanging up, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, hot pain searing his thigh.

“How can I help?” Gabby said, standing.

“I’m going to the security office to watch the video footage from when she left. You go outside and check around her car, see if you can find anything that might indicate a struggle.” He had zero clue why she’d be taken, but his expertise was saying that’s exactly what’d happened.

“Please, Lord,” Gabby uttered to God as Noah said a prayer in his heart.

Please don’t let this be what I think it is. Noah hobbled as fast as he could for the door.

“Here,” Gabby said, shoving the crutch the nurse had set in the room for when he had to use the restroom.

He shoved it under his arm. “Thanks.”

“Do you think it’s because of what the shooter told her before surgery?”

Noah stopped dead in his tracks. “What?”

“Yesterday, Dr. Blotny mentioned the shooter whispered something to Brooke before they rolled him into surgery.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“I guess . . . with everything going on . . . it didn’t seem important.” Regret hung heavy in her voice.

He took a stiff inhale. “Unfortunately, the circumstances indicate otherwise. I’ll call in the rest of the team. We need Finn out here ASAP.” Finn and Caleb would have to give up their cells to enter the high-security labs. He had to reach them another way. He’d start with Emmy. She coordinated like none other.

Brooke blinked. Darkness engulfed her. Fabric scratched her eyelids and the bridge of her nose. A solid surface was beneath and behind her. A chair?

She tried to move her arms, but they were bound. She yanked them, only to have abrasive material cut into her flesh.

The odor of fish swirled in the air. The lap of water mixed with muted conversation trailed around her.

“Well, look who’s awake?” a man said, his deep baritone voice reverberating in her chest.

His breath smelled like raw tobacco, and she turned her face away. He clutched her jaw, his fingers biting into her flesh, and turned her back. “You are going to tell me what he said.” His hot breath was mere inches from her face. He didn’t release her jaw. Instead, his grip bit into her bone.

“What who said?”

“Can you believe this?” He exhaled a cold chuckle. “She thinks she’s dealing with fools.”

He released her jaw, but what felt like his knee bore into her thigh. He leaned in, his breath stroking her lips when he spoke. “Because I’m a generous guy, I’m going to give you one last chance to tell me before we slowly and painfully pry it from you. What did that betraying fool tell you?”

The shooter who’d whispered to her. How did this man know?

Regardless, whoever this man was, he was not bluffing, but the minute she gave them what they wanted, she was dead.

“Okay,” he said, stepping away. “The painful way it is.” A sharp blade grazed her neck.

Terror shook her limbs.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” he said hot against her ear.

SEVENTEEN

“Chief Greer,” Caleb said, extending his hand. “I’m Agent Eason, and this is Agent Walker.”

“Eason.” He shook Caleb’s hand and then Finn’s. “Thank you for leaving your cell phones and service weapons with security,” he said, opening the first set of doors after security.