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Colson was with him.
Another whine came from Henry.Eb crouched in front of him.Stared into those deep eyes.“Where is Naomi?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!”An explosion of frustration from Colson.“That freaking dog is not Lassie!He’s not about to tell you that some woman fell down a well.Can we all go back inside before Madeline finds us and chews my ass out?You’re both still supposed to be in interrogation, and I am trying really hard not to get on that woman’s bad side.Her bad side is scary as hell.”
Madeline.
He hadn’t seen Madeline when he’d been searching for Naomi.Madeline hadn’t been in any of the interrogation rooms.She hadn’t been outside with the local officers, either.
Henry whined.Turned his head to the left once more.The dog peered down the road and then…
Henry just flopped down.Fell against the sidewalk.Stared mournfully at the passing cars.
Fuck me.“Naomi is gone.”Guttural.
Henry had lost her.Eb was certain the dog had been following Naomi.But she’d been taken away.The dog couldn’t track her any longer.And Henry—the dog seemed to be grieving right there on the sidewalk.
We’re not grieving.We’re getting her back.
“Henry, come on.Now.”He tapped his leg and whirled away from the busy road.
Hunter was right in his path.“What do you mean, she’s gone?”
“She’s been taken.”
“Uh, excuse me.”Colson cleared his throat.His blue eyes showed both his confusion and his worry.“Did you just saytaken?How in the world did you reach that conclusion?”
He didn’t have time to waste.Eb shouldered past both men.Henry was in perfect step with him, but the dog’s head sagged forward.His tail was tucked between his legs.
We’re getting her back, Henry.Drop that dejected shit.We are not losing Naomi.
He’d driven to the police station.Hunter had been taken in the back of a patrol car—something the guy had bitched and moaned about—but he’d been given no other option by the responders on the scene.Eb and Naomi and Henry had all followed in the Impala, with an additional police cruiser right behind them.
So when Eb got back to the station, he didn’t go inside.He marched straight for his car.
Cops were still fanned out.Still searching and investigating the gunshot.
Eb stalked to the Impala.
Colson’s hand closed around his arm.“You don’t get to just drive away.I told you, Madeline will flip out.She gave orders that you and Hunter were to stay put at the station.”
He looked down at the hand, then back at Colson.“Where is your boss right now?”
“Inside the station.”
Eb didn’t think so.“Call her.”
“What?”
“Call.Her.Now.”
Colson let go.Hauled out his phone.Called Madeline.
“Eb.”Hunter’s low voice.“What is going on right now?”
Eb cut his gaze to his friend.“Naomi is gone.Someone took her.”
“Right.Yeah.I get that vibe.But you know who took her, don’t you?Gonna share or keep me in suspense for shits and giggles?”