a negative.” The voice came back at him through the speaker. “He disappeared after officers chased him through the store. We’re still canvassing the area.”
“Ten-four.”
By the time Luke pulled into the parking lot at the auditorium, Sophie had filled him in on everything that had led to her kidnapping. And Luke was inclined to agree with her. This wasn’t just some random snatching. The man at the podium had had a goal—and Luke was itching to figure out what it was.
Another car pulled into the lot.
“Everyone is arriving,” she said. “We need to make this fast so we can stay on schedule.”
“Sophie—”
But she was already out of the car and hurrying—limping—toward the door she’d been forced from about thirty minutes ago.
“The ceremony can start late, you know,” he murmured to her back. With a sigh, he let Bruno out and they followed after Sophie. Inside, he found her surrounded by other officers concerned with her safety. She repeated all of her “I’m shaken up but fine” reassurances until they accepted the answer even if they didn’t fully believe it.
“Is she really okay?” Officer Zach Jameson asked. A fellow officer with the NYC K-9 Command Unit, Zach was also the youngest brother to Jordan Jameson, the chief. The family resemblance was startling with his brown hair and blue eyes. Luke noted Carter and Noah, the other two Jameson brothers, standing nearby with their K-9s seated at their sides.
“She says she is,” Luke said with a frown. “That’s all I have to go on.”
The Jamesons had made law enforcement their family business and all had arrived to attend the ceremony, then get back to work. Officer Finn Gallagher, another K-9 Command Unit member, stood nearby, green eyes watching. Usually the jovial, outgoing jokester of the group, he now sported tight features and a tense jaw.
Luke nodded to Chief Jameson’s wife, sitting in the front row and glancing at her watch. “Is Katie all right? She looks a little pale.”
Jordan’s wife had her blond hair in a French braid that fell over her right shoulder. Her blue eyes continued to bounce between her watch and the door her husband should have entered at least fifteen minutes ago.
“I noticed that, too, but when I asked, she said she was fine, just feeling a little under the weather and that she and Jordan had an errand to run after the ceremony so she thought she’d just come watch.”
“She’s always been crazy about the dogs,” Luke said. “And Jordan likes having her here.” He glanced around. “Speaking of Jordan, where is he?”
Zach shrugged, blue eyes narrowed as he watched his sister-in-law. “Katie’s wondering that, too. He’s usually here by now, going over his notes or shaking hands—and paws—with the soon-to-be new graduates.”
Sophie broke free of her concerned friends and headed for the stage. Luke and Bruno followed her up the steps and to the podium. “Where’s Jordan?” Luke asked. “Did he say anything about running late?”
“No. At least not before I was snatched.” Her hand shook slightly as she reached for the red folder. “Let’s see what my kidnapper found so fascinating about Jordan’s notes.” She flipped the folder open and an envelope fell to the floor. Frowning, she retrieved it, slipped a finger under the flap and pulled out the paper inside. Her eyes scanned it and she gasped, the color leeching from her cheeks.
“Sophie?” Luke hurried the last few steps to her side, thinking the knock on her head had finally caught up to her. “Are you okay? You need to sit down?”
“No.” She stared at the letter, and Luke frowned. No, she wasn’t okay, or no, she didn’t need to sit down? He stepped behind her to read over her shoulder.
I can’t go on anymore. Please make sure Katie is taken care of. Jordan Jameson.
Sophie fought to catch her breath. “This reads like a—a—” She couldn’t say it.
“Suicide note,” Luke finished for her, his brows drawn tightly over the bridge of his nose.
“No,” she whispered. “He wouldn’t.” Her eyes met Katie’s. Jordan’s wife frowned even though she was too far away to know what was going on.
But one thing was certain. Jordan had too much to live for to take his own life. Just last week Katie had walked into headquarters to meet Jordan for lunch and then suddenly made a mad dash past Sophie’s desk and into the restroom. Concerned, Sophie had followed only to hear Katie throwing up.
“Are you all right?” she’d asked when the woman had finally emerged from the stall and finished with the sink.
Katie had checked under each stall, then turned to Sophie and grinned. “We’re alone, so I can tell you that I’m absolutely perfect.”
At first, Sophie could only blink. Then gasp. “You’re pregnant!”
“Shh!” Katie had held a finger to her lips. “I haven’t told anyone yet.”
“What about Jordan?”
“He knows, but no one else. We’re kind of in shock, but it’s thrilling and we’re really just savoring the moment, you know? We plan to tell everyone soon. Probably after the first trimester.”
“Good for you.” Sophie had hugged her friend. “I won’t tell a soul. What did Jordan say when you told him?”
“He was over-the-moon excited.”
“Wouldn’t what? Sophie? Hello?” Noah Jameson’s voice brought Sophie back to the present.
She blinked away the memory and her gaze lifted to meet Luke’s, then slid around the others who’d gathered in front of her, their expressions confused and slightly wary. All except Noah’s. She never could read him.
Sophie passed him the note. Noah read it, his expression shutting down even more, then passed it to his brothers. “You’re right. He wouldn’t.”
“No, he definitely wouldn’t,” Zach said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call him, and he’ll straighten this out.” They waited in silence as Zach stood and punched in his brother’s number, blue eyes narrowed. He ran a hand through his hair and pressed the device to his ear, his rising tension adding to the thickness already surrounding them all.
Seconds ticked.
“Answer the phone, Jordan,” Sophie whispered.
But Zach was already lowering the device. “It went straight to voice mail.”
“No,” Sophie said. “That’s not possible. He never turns his phone off. Especially not on a day like this. Straight to voice mail? That scares me a little.” A lot.
“It’s scaring
