Page 41 of The Deadly Shallows

He so didn’t want to do this now, but she was right. “I’ve asked Caleb to do the questioning.”

She frowned. “You’re not staying?”

“I’ll stay right here, but I think Caleb can be more impartial as someone . . .” he hesitated. “Someone without deep feelings involved.”

“Deep feelings?”

He nodded. “I—”

“Knock, knock,” Caleb said at the door.

Noah inhaled. That conversation would have to wait. “Come in.”

Caleb entered the room.

“That was fast,” Noah said, having only texted him minutes ago.

“Finn texted me a few minutes before you. How can I help?”

“I’d like you to question Brooke,” he said, hoping Caleb would understand why without him having to go into detail.

“Of course,” Caleb said. He gestured to the empty chair at the edge of the room. “May I?” he asked Brooke.

She nodded.

Caleb scooted the chair closer and sat. His six-four frame was less intimidating when seated. Not hovering over the victim while questioning showed respect and empathy. Noah thanked God for blessing him with such a stellar team.

Caleb lifted his chin at Brooke. “Would you like to begin?”

“Yes. I’m ready.”

Caleb pulled out his notepad and pen.

“Start from the beginning.”

She ran them through being abducted and knocked out in the parking lot, waking up blindfolded, being threatened with harm if she didn’t share what Connor told her, and then came the part that squeezed Noah’s chest to the point of breathlessness.

“The man who . . .” Brooke took a deep breath. Her swollen cheeks were raw and bruised, but the skin around them grew pale. “His name started with Dw.”

Caleb straightened. “You heard his name?”

“The man named Saul almost said his name but stopped himself after the Dw.”

“That’s a great start to go on. All these pieces just need to be put in the right order until the full picture develops.” He leaned forward, a kind expression on his face. “We’re going to get these men.”

She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Noah still held Brooke’s hand as he sat in the chair on the opposite side of the bed from Caleb. Holding her hand wasn’t exactly professional, but they’d already crossed that line. Hence Caleb’s questioning.

A thorough forty-five minutes later, Caleb wrapped up the interview and gave them privacy once more.

Noah prayed they’d catch the men responsible. Every case was important, but this one hit on a profoundly personal and painful level.

TWENTY-TWO

Brooke’s phone had rung practically nonstop for hours—her family in Colorado calling to make sure she was okay for the second time in forty-eight hours, her Coast Guard coworkers, the pastor at her church. . . . While she clearly appreciated the calls, Noah could see she was ready for a break. Thankfully, the rush had ceased a while ago. The one phone call he waited for hadn’t come. Yet.

Finn had been working at the lab on the evidence taken from Brooke’s exam as well as the boat she’d been held in, but so far there was no update.