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He heardthe distinct blast of a gun exploding just as Eb prepared to force his way past the cops who needed to get out of his way because hewasseeing Naomi.
They heard the blast, too, because they both whirled.Ran toward the sound.Using their distraction to his advantage, Eb burst from the interrogation room after them.General chaos and confusion reigned in that station as everyone fought to get to the back of the building.
“Did a weapon discharge?”
“Who the hell fired?”
“Check holding!Make sure all the suspects are secure!”
He ignored the voices and the questions and, as the others flew toward the back doors at the station and snaked through the hallways, he stopped by the interrogation rooms.
Yeah, he knew where they were.Thanks to his last visit to the station.
Eb shoved open the door to the interrogation room on the left.It banged against the wall.
“What’s happening?”Hunter was already on his feet.Hunter wasn’t alone.Eb recognized Colson Reid.The CIA operative stood near Hunter.“This bozo…” Hunter jerked his thumb toward Colson.“Wasn’t letting me leave!And IknowI heard a gunshot!”
“Youshota detective!You killed him!”Colson huffed back.
“Because he was about to kill Eb!”
“I was making sure you didn’t rush out and get caught in any crossfire,” Colson snapped at him.“And—hey, hey, Eb!Where are you going?”
To the next interrogation room.Only when he shoved open that door, it was empty.He searched all the interrogation areas, but there was no sign of Naomi, and his heart just pounded faster and faster as cold, hard fear snaked through his veins.
Some of the cops had already filed back in the rear doors at the station.Others were still outside.They were talking and muttering and some were swearing, and he just pushed his way past them all as he headed out to fully survey the area behind the police station.
Naomi.Where the hell is Naomi?
“Could have been a car backfiring,” one of the cops guessed.“Video cameras are down back here.Been telling the chief we need to get them fixed for weeks.”
Uh, yeah, they did need to get them fixed.
Eb studied the scene.No blood.No sign of a struggle.No discarded weapons.
“Who’d be crazy enough to shoot behind a police station?”The question came from one of the female officers.“Probably was a backfire.”
Eb searched more behind the building.
Then he heard the sound of a dog barking.
His head jerked to the right, and he took off running.
“Eb!”A shout from behind him.Hunter’s shout.
Eb didn’t slow down.He kept following that familiar barking, hauling ass, and then he saw Henry.The dog was on the edge of the sidewalk, about to launch into the street up ahead.
“Henry, no!”Eb roared.If that dog got hit, Naomi would lose her mind.
Henry stilled.After a brief moment, the dog looked back at Eb.But Henry’s ears were flat, his tail thumped once against the sidewalk, and a whine broke from him.
Eb raced to him.“Henry, don’t you dare go into that road!”He grabbed Henry’s collar.
But Henry whined again and strained against his hold as his body turned and pointed to the left.
Cars whipped past them.
“What’s the dog doing?”Hunter had arrived, slightly out of breath.