Page 21 of Two Favors Repaid

Rob turned on his siren and pressed his foot on the accelerator, not caring that he was already going twenty miles over the speed limit.

He stopped the car outside Emma’s block, not taking the two seconds it would have taken to park properly, and jumped out, running hard towards her door.

The entrance was locked. His heart beating hard against his chest, he pressed the first-floor buzzer.

Please be okay, Emma. Please.

When nothing happened, he punched the buzzers on the remaining five apartments. “Sheriff’s Office, open the door!” His breath felt sour in his mouth.

“Where the hell are these people? Emma’s upstairs neighbor is seventy-five. She’s always home.”

“Let me—”

But Rob was beyond listening. His heart told him Emma might need him, and he wasn’t going to wait a moment longer.

“Step aside, Lorraine,” he said. He brought up his foot and brought his boot down hard on the door. The wood shook but the lock held strong.

Again.

Rob took a deep breath and aimed for the same spot again. Then again. At the fourth kick, the already weakened lock gave in and the door slammed open, hitting the wall behind it.

Rob took the stairs to the first floor four at a time. He banged his fist against the door to Emma’s apartment, realizing he was behaving like a madman but not caring in the least.

“Open up, Emma! It’s Rob!”

Where the hell is she?

Rob took a step back and prepared to give this door the same treatment he’d given the door downstairs. Instants before he launched himself against it, he heard soft steps on the other side of the door followed by the sound of the latch being opened.

The door cracked open slowly and the left side of Emma’s face peered out at them. Rob’s knees went weak with relief—so much so that he had to catch himself on the wall to steady himself.

“What’s … what’s going on, Rob?”

“Can we come in, Emma?” Rob asked, working to keep his voice steady. He didn’t want to scare Emma.

Not that I’m going to take no for an answer.

Suddenly there was a commotion on the stairway downstairs. It sounded like an old lady was shouting. Emma peeked out further. “What’s that?”

“One of your neighbors probably discovered what he did to your front door,” Lorraine said, speaking for the first time. “You should probably get a locksmith on that, big man.”

Emma’s blue eyes widened as she noticed Lorraine. “Special Agent Vasquez … what are you doing here?”

“Let us in, Emma. We’ll tell you everything inside.”

Emma opened the door and moved aside to let them in. Rob’s mouth went dry when he saw what she was wearing. Emma wrapped the bright green terry robe tighter around her body. Her legs were bare, and there were wet marks on the wooden floor all the way across the living room.

She was in the shower. That’s why she didn’t answer.

Rob tried hard not to think about what was—or wasn’t—under the robe.

“Thanks for letting us in, Emma. I’m sorry to barge in like this, but you didn’t pick up the phone.”

Emma looked around distractedly then pointed at her kitchen counter, where her phone and keys sat. “I was in the bath, I didn’t—never mind. Can you tell me what’s going on? She didn’t drive all the way to Sharp’s Cove on a Thursday night just to say hello.”

“No, I didn’t,” Lorraine agreed. “May I?” she said, pointing to the couch. Her technique for getting control of the situation was faultless.

“Of course,” Emma said automatically. “Let me just go get changed quickly.”