style="font-size:15px;"> “Should we continue checking the lower level?” Red asked.
“No, meet me in the back parking lot. And bring the employee who spoke with her.”
“Copy that.”
Nate jogged outside, navigating the sea of staff members headed back into the hospital. What made Cassie pull the alarm?
He scanned the parking lot for her wavy blond hair. Had she changed into a hospital gown, or was she still wearing her electric blue jacket? That would make her easy to spot.
Out of the corner of his eye, a pop of blue caught his attention. He went to a nearby bench and picked up Cassie’s jacket.
“Chief?”
Nate glanced to his left. Red and an orderly approached.
“This is Kevin Wright, the man who spoke with the woman who pulled the alarm,” Red introduced.
Nate pulled out his phone and found a picture of Cassie and Aiden taken at the Christmas Lights Festival last year. He flashed the image at the orderly. “Is this the woman you spoke with?”
“Yes sir.”
“When did you see her?” Nate asked.
“About ten minutes ago.”
“What did she say to you, exactly?”
“That she pulled the alarm because someone was after her.”
Nate’s fingers dug into the down-filled jacket. “Who was after her?”
“She didn’t say.”
“Where was she going?”
“She took off into the parking lot.” He pointed. “That way.”
“Thank you.” Nate dismissed the orderly and pulled Red aside. “Put out a BOLO on Cassie McBride. See how fast a few of the guys can get here to help search the woods bordering the parking lot.”
“You think he dumped her body—”
“Call Spike and Harvey,” Nate cut him off.
“What about SAR?”
“Too many personal connections.”
“You mean Aiden and Bree?”
“Let’s leave them out of this for now.”
“I think it’s too late for that.” Red nodded at Aiden, who sprinted toward them.
“What happened?” Aiden demanded.
“Cassie is missing,” Nate said.
“Wait, what? How is that possible?”
“Officer Carrington, continue the search.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nate turned back to Aiden. “She hasn’t been gone that long. It appears that she felt threatened, pulled the fire alarm and ran.”
“She ran?” Aiden’s voice pitched.
With a firm hand on his friend’s shoulder, Nate said, “We’ll start by searching the woods bordering the hospital. Knowing Cassie, if she was in danger she would have taken off, but perhaps didn’t think it through to the end.”
“She never does. She’s so impulsive sometimes.” Aiden’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen. “It’s Mom.”
“We don’t need more frantic people down here, Aiden. Let’s focus on finding Cassie and then you’ll call her back with good news, okay?”
Aiden nodded and paced a few steps away. “Hey, Mom. I have to call you back...in the middle of something. Soon, love you, bye.” Aiden turned to Nate. “She knows something’s up.”
“Let’s get to work. I’ve got a flashlight in my truck.”
“Yeah, okay,” Aiden said, dazed with worry about his sister. “I’ll get mine, too.”
Nate walked away, proud of himself for holding it together in front of his friend. He had no choice. As police chief, folks depended on him to be the grounding force in a crisis, and usually he excelled in that role.
Today was different. Someone was after Cassie. He never should have let her go to the hospital alone. He should have stayed with her, protected her. Right, and how ridiculous was that considering he had a potential murder on his hands?
He struggled to bury his concern and not let anyone see the utter panic tearing at his insides. But as he approached his truck, the bottled-up frustration got the better of him. He slammed his palm against the quarter panel.
A woman’s cry echoed back at him.
Nate froze, his heart pounding.
Leaning forward, he peered into the flatbed. Cassie blinked her bloodshot, terrified eyes.
“You’re in my truck,” he said.
“D-d-disappointed?” She broke into a round of shivers.
He grabbed a blanket from the backseat and climbed into the flatbed beside her. As he gently covered her body, a wave of calm washed over him. She was okay. For now.
“Aiden!” He motioned to his friend who’d gone to get a flashlight. “Over here!”
“I knew you’d come.”
Nate snapped his attention to Cassie. “What happened? Why did you run?”
“A guy...in the hospital...the guy with the shovel...from the cabin.”
“Is it...?” Aiden stopped short and looked at her. “What are you doing in there?”
“Aiden,” Nate warned, wanting him to soften his tone. “She’s trembling.”
“Let’s take her inside,” Aiden said.
“Nooooo.” She clamped her hand around Nate’s forearm. “Not back in there.”
“Cassie, you need medical attention,” Aiden argued.
“That man got to me in there. I can’t go back.” Her pleading blue eyes tugged at Nate’s heart.
“She’s delirious. She doesn’t know what she’s saying,” Aiden said.
“I am n-n-not!” she protested.
“Come on, I’ll help you out.” Aiden reached for her.
“Wait,” Nate said. “I’ve got another idea.”
* * *
Cassie
