Page 92 of Tide and Seek

There was a brief silence.“Is there something I can help you with, Dr.Thornton?”

I winced.“I… I know you’re probably very busy, but I… I can’t find Royce.”

“What do you mean you can’t find him?”

“I left him here at my beach house earlier today.He was feeling a little under the weather, but he was gone when I got back.His phone’s here, which makes no sense.”

“Well, he could have gone out to get something to eat.”

I gripped my phone.“I had the car.And he wouldn’t just leave like that.The neighbors haven’t seen him.He’s not out on the beach.He didn’t leave a note.He’s just… gone.That’s simply not like him.”

“I’m sure he’ll turn up.Sheriff Callum seemed like someone who can handle himself just fine.”

“Yes, I know.I agree.”I swallowed hard.“But I found something.A syringe cap on the floor under a chair.”

“Okay.”I heard the sound of shifting papers.“But you’re a doctor.”

I frowned.“Yes.What does that have to do with anything?”

“Maybe it fell out of your clothing.”

I blew out an impatient breath.“I don’t have syringe caps in my pockets.What are you talking about?There’s no reason a cap of that type should be on my dining room floor.”

The paper shuffling stopped.“So what are you saying, Dr.Thornton?”

“I think someone drugged Royce and forced him to leave with them.”

“Look, I understand you’re worried,” Gonzalez said, his tone patronizing.“But he’s an adult, and I’m not sure you finding a syringe cap on the floor adds up to foul play.”

“So the fact that he might be drugged and kidnapped is of no consequence to you?”My voice was harsher than intended, but my frustration was surging.I’d really hoped that Deputy Gonzalez would do something to help find Royce.If he wouldn’t help me, who the hell would?I wasn’t going to get far with just Luke.

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you’re not willing to help me.”

He let out a long, tired breath.“How about I send a unit out to look around?Will that help you feel better?”

“That would be great, but we need to search the area.”

“Dr.Thornton, I can’t just order a search because a grown man is missing for a few hours.”His voice was painted with irritation.“Surely you understand that?”

“No, of course I don’t understand.I’m telling you something bad has happened.”My voice shook.“I can’t possibly find him on my own.”

“Did you two maybe have a fight and he’s just cooling off?”

I held my phone away from my ear, scowling, then said, “No, we didn’t have a fight.In fact, we got engaged last night.”

“Oh.”He hesitated.“Well, he wouldn’t be the first guy to have second thoughts.”

“He didn’t have second thoughts,” I growled.“And if he had, Royce would have talked to me about it.He’s not the sort of person to just ghost me.Something is wrong.You have to help me.”

“Look, I’ll send an officer over to take your missing person’s statement.Now, I’m doing that as a courtesy, Dr.Thornton.Most people have to come into the station.Then I say you give it till tomorrow morning.If you still haven’t heard from Royce by then, you go ahead and give me another call, okay?”He disconnected the call.

Swearing under my breath, I set my phone down, feeling lost.

A half hour later, the deputy Gonzalez sent showed up.He was young, maybe in his late twenties, with the kind of earnest expression that suggested he took his job seriously.His nameplate read Johnson.

“Dr.Thornton, I’m going to take a look around if that’s all right with you,” he said.