Page 76 of Keeping Collette

“Yeah, she’ll ream me out for not asking for her help and for treating her like she’s an invalid because she’s pregnant.” Deal sighed. “Okay, I’ll do it, but I’ll call Irish, and then he can tell Cass.”

Hound chuckled. “Fair enough. Hang in there. We’ll be there soon and we’ll get to the bottom of what’s happened to Collette.”

“Thanks, man.” Deal ended the call and then quickly phoned Irish, relaying to him what he’d told Hound. Before he’d even finished explaining it all, Irish was talking to Cass. No doubt by the time the rest of the team rocked up to Collette’s place, the computer whiz might have some information for them. At least he hoped so.

He was grateful that everyone was willing to sacrifice their sleep to help him, especially after the night they’d already had, because none of this made sense. There had been no threats against Collette like there’d been against Steff or Marie, or any of the other women who’d been taken.

So, what had happened to cause her to leave her apartment, without her purse and phone and without leaving him a note?

Could it have to do with what they’d done tonight? Had someone found out that they were doing the raid and decided to pay them back? But why Collette?

Or had she been a victim of a random crime? Someone knocked on her door, and she answered it and then got taken. That idea didn’t seem feasible either.

He was missing something, but he didn’t know what. Maybe when the others arrived, they’d be able to help shed some light on why Collette seemed to have disappeared into thin air. He paced in small circles hoping something came to him.

“Deal?”

He looked up to find Hound standing in the doorway; he hadn’t even closed the front door, he’d been so lost in his thoughts and worrying about Collette. Anyone could’ve come in, and he wouldn’t have known it.

“Hey, thanks for coming.”

Hound came up and put a hand on his shoulder. “As if we wouldn’t.” No sooner had he finished speaking than Jag and Fox entered the apartment. This time, Fox closed the door.

“Okay, what’s the situation?” their team leader asked. Even though Deal’s mind was full of all the possible things that could be happening to Collette right now, he was glad to see Fox stepping back into a leadership role.

Deal relayed what he’d already told Hound. Hearing it a second time didn’t make it any easier to swallow. “I need to get out there,” he muttered.

“Not until we have more to go on,” Fox directed. “I understand the urge to go off, but you’re not going to help her by not having a plan. You need to have as much information as you can.”

Deal conceded Fox was right, but it didn’t make it any easier to just sit back.

Another knock sounded, and every one of them went still. “Are you expecting anyone else?” Jag asked.

“Nope. Everyone is here.” Deal glanced around, and silent messages passed between them all. With a nod, he headed for the front door, his gun by his side. He looked through the peephole, immediately relaxing, but surprised at who stood there. “It’s Irish and Cass.” He opened the door. “I didn’t expect to see you guys.”

“You didn’t think my wife would be able to sleep once she found out about Collette, did you?” Irish steered his wife to the table and placed the laptop bag next to her.

Deal felt a little guilty about dragging them away from their bed. “I did, but I appreciate you being here.”

“Give me a rundown of everything you know so far.” Cass lifted the lid of her computer and began to type. Deal repeated the details again. With each retelling, it didn’t sound any better.

“Do you have any idea what her movements were this evening?” Cass asked.

“She mentioned she was thinking about going to the coffee shop down the road to do some work. I don’t know if she did that. She didn’t answer the text I sent her.”

“What time did you send that?” Cass pushed her glasses up her nose.

He handed her his phone after he pulled up his message app. He didn’t know if Cass needed it or not.

She tapped away at the keyboard, and Deal moved behind her to watch what she was doing. A second later, a grainy image popped up on the screen—it was of Collette. “Okay, so she left the coffee shop around nine. Does this building have any cameras?”

“I think they do out the front and in the foyer.” Deal hadn’t given the lack of cameras a thought, which he should have. He never considered Collette to be in danger. There hadn’t been any threats against her. If he thought for one minute that someone was after her, he’d have insisted on having a camera over her door. He doubted she would’ve objected, but now he’d never know.

“Okay, give me a few minutes,” Cass murmured, and Irish stood behind her, rubbing her back in slow circles, something Deal had seen him do on many occasions.

“Don’t beat yourself up about not thinking about installing cameras around here.” Hound came up to him. “You had no reason to think anything was going to happen to Collette.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier to swallow. If I had, we’d be able to know who took her.”