Page 64 of The Lost Bones

“Relax, Nick. I’m fine.” She turned to the deputy. “We need all surveillance footage from this building for this morning, especially the cameras covering the docking area. And get the CSU here. This area might be a crime scene.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded and left.

“You’re taking this pretty well,” Nick commented once they were alone.

“Which part?” She leaned against the wall. “That my ex-husband has gone missing or that he’s in a relationship just a year after our breakup while I haven’t even come close to getting laid.” She clasped her hand over her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

Nick’s grin was wide. “One of those problems can be solved. I can help you.”

“Excuse me?” she shrieked, his words making butterflies take flight in her stomach.

“I can set you up with someone.”

“Oh!” She patted her cheeks, trying to stop herself blushing.

“Why? What did you think I meant?” His voice was innocent, but mischief danced in his eyes.

“Nothing.” She tried playing it cool and failed miserably.

“Oh! You thought I—”

“Shut up.”

“That’s very flattering.” He grinned.

“Please stop talking.”

“I’ll have to think about it.”

She stomped her boot on his shoe and he cried out in pain. “Now that we’re over this, I’m thinking that we shouldn’t assume that Sterling’s disappearance is related to our case. He’s an ADA and has made enemies.”

“I’ll ask Jenna to inquire at his work. But I guess you can change your mind about Andrew now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you were underestimating him, but his prediction was right about this one.”

She spotted Ivy fretting about in the hallway as Peterson attempted to pacify her. “If only he’d thought of it sooner.”

THIRTY-FOUR

Sterling had been missing for less than twelve hours, but his disappearance had the full force of the Lakemore PD behind it.

“There is no obvious crime scene. No blood or even a sign of a struggle. He’s an adult male. Are we sure about declaring this a missing person yet?” Rivera had questioned.

“We need to move fast. We’ve lost three people already. Two on our watch. I don’t think this is the time to follow protocol,” Nick argued.

“I just don’t want anyone getting a whiff of this. They’ll say we’re showing favoritism to someone from the DA’s office.” Rivera sighed. “Apparently we can’t do anything right these days.”

“I think we need to stop giving a shit,”Sully recommended, munching on Doritos.

Mackenzie didn’t stop for breath. She pestered the sheriff to spread the word and recruit volunteers. She personally contacted the Washington State Patrol to get the missing persons posters out immediately. She made the calls to Riverview PD and Olympia PD, including the DA. Even the mundane things that she would normally assign to Peterson or a junior detective, she took upon herself. Her brain had gone into overdrive.

“I’ll ask Clint to give us the last known location of Brooks’ phone,” Jenna pitched in.

Mackenzie looked up from crossing one more thing off her list. “Already did.”

Jenna scoffed. “Didn’t expect you to be this hands on when it came to your ex-husband.”