Page 68 of Deathtoll

“Kate.”

His voice made her feel better, and she didn’t care what that said about her, not in that moment.

“I can’t reach Emma.” Panic pushed the words from her in a rush. “Asael is alive.”

“What?”

“Agent Cirelli called me this morning.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” The sound of shoes slapping on a hard floor came through the phone. He was running. His next question came on an angry snap. “Where are you?”

“In my office.”

“Do you have your gun?”

“No.” She never brought it in, not even after the incident with Ian. For one, they didn’t allow weapons on the premises. Two, she wouldn’t have risked it if they did. Locked doors could be pried open. Her patients’ safety took priority.

“Is Joe there?”

“No. Ian McCall showed up and agreed to go into a restricted treatment facility. After Joe took Ian to the station and Ian went off to get better, there was no reason for Joe to come back here.”

“Ian showed up.” Murph’s voice took on a pronounced chill. “And you didn’t feel the need to tell me about that either.”

“He cooperated fully. Joe and I handled him without any trouble. Maria helped.”

A hard silence on the other end. “Lock your door. No more patients today. I’m going to call Bing, bring him up-to-date, and ask him to send Joe back over. He’s closer. But I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The line went dead.

Kate tried Emma again. “Pick up, please. I love you. You’re the best sister ever.”

She locked her office door while she waited for a call back that never came. The phone didn’t ring.

Then she thought of Cirelli and called the agent next.

“Everything all right, Kate?”

“I haven’t been able to reach my sister since this morning. What if Asael got her?”

“Emma Bridges, right? Does she still live in California? She should be fine.”

“She’s spent the past week with me here in Broslin. She left my house this morning to drive back to LA.”

To her credit, the agent didn’t waste time on telling Kate not to worry. She snapped straight to the details. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“A little after eight a.m.”

“What is she driving?”

“White Honda Civic. I don’t know what year or the license plate number. It’s a rental. She was going to drive west on Route 76.”

“I’d like to have her cell phone number.”

Kate rattled it off. “You can track her location through the phone, right?”

“I’m going to do my best.”

“Do you think he has her?”