Page 123 of Secrets in the Deep

Ryan watched as Emily stepped into her trailer. “So either he was picked up or?—”

“He was never here.”

Ryan switched his attention to Faye as she spoke to a couple of crew members, eyes red-rimmed, a thick jacket wrapped around her shoulders. “Go home, Ethan. Get some rest. I’ll talk to Faye again.”

“Copy that.”

Ryan had just hung up when a scream cut through the air.

Emily.

He sprinted to her trailer, pulling out his Glock as he ran up the steps and crashed inside, clocking the entire trailer in one glance.

He expected to see an intruder. Someone with a weapon. A masked man with a knife.

It was just Emily.

Her back was toward him, head down.

“Emi?”

She didn’t move. Not a single muscle.

In three strides, he closed the distance between them, ignoring the noise from Ward barging into the trailer behind him.

Then he saw what she was looking at.

Preston. On the ground. Choking on his own blood as someone stabbed him from behind.

He pulled the phone from her hand and silenced the video before handing the device to Ward.

Ryan would watch it himself. But not this second. Right now, Emily was his priority.

He cupped her cheeks. “Hey. Breathe.”

“He…someone…I can’t…” Her chest heaved, her eyes unfocused. “I’m going to be sick.”

“Look at me.”

It took her a second, but finally, she did.

“Deep breath.” He sucked in an exaggerated breath himself, and she did the same, her chest rising on a deep inhale before falling with his.

Three breaths later, and she whispered, “He’s dead.”

“We don’t know that.”

“They stabbed him. They just kept stabbing him!” Her voice cracked, and he pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, as if that could erase what she’d just watched.

This asshole. Thisfuckingasshole. Ryan was going to kill them.

He wanted to keep holding her, but he also needed to get them out of here. He led her outside and down the steps to see Ward, now with three deputies, watching the clip by the patrol cars.

He helped her sit on the bottom step before crouching in front of her. “Are you okay if I go talk to Ward?”

She nodded.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t move.” He kissed Emily on the head before heading toward them.