Page 74 of Solanum

Chapter Ten

My phone rang at two in the morning, jarring me from the half-sleep I managed to fall under after returning from days out in Washington D.C. with Jackson and his crew. They finally apprehended a suspect, and the satisfaction in the faces of my colleagues carried with me on my trek home.

I rolled over, expecting to see Wilkinson's name on the screen or even Samirah's. Instead, an unknown number popped up. I sat up, swiping the answer button before holding it to my ear.

"Donovan."

"It's Anita." Her panicked voice burst through my phone. "Caroline, you need to get there. You need to get there right now."

"Wait. Where? What's going on?" I grabbed a handful of my hair, propping my elbow on my knee.

"Wilkinson didn't want anyone to call you until we knew more, but I couldn't wait. Nora's missing."

"What?" I flew out of bed as if her words set my sheets on fire. "What-what do you mean missing?"

Anita's shaky breaths scared the shit out of me because in all our years of interactions, I'd never known her to be any kind of dysregulated. Ever.

"They're out looking for her. Your team, the Marshals, S.P.D. James is with them. Listen to me, Caroline." She sucked in her breath as if to steady herself. "Sali thinks Perkins is the unsub. That he orchestrated all of this. Killed one of the Canadian victims while in protective—"

"What the fuck is happening right now, Anita!" My heart never raced so badly when I threw on clothes, my phone held against my shoulder as I fought the tangle of rage and terror. "Perkins? That fucking rat bastard! I knew—I fucking knew he was dirty."

"More than that, Caroline. More than that. Just…you have to get here. They're searching that club downtown where Nora used to go—"

"Leather & Lace? Right now?" I tied my boots, grabbed my gear belt, and raced for the door. "Where's Perkins?"

"In plain sight. He's not even hiding, Caroline. He was helping to look for her. They've got someone following him though."

"How long has she been gone?"

"Almost two days—I think. They're not telling me much. Only Sali is. We just—I don't know." Anita began to crumble under the duress.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me sooner!" I shouted, losing my cool. "Why didn't Wilkinson?"

"I don't-I don't know. I wasn't sure. They kept me in the dark. Sali told. I'm on the unit here with Jenny, the first victim. You—you have to get there. Wilkinson and Walsh are at the club."

"I'm going." I slammed my apartment door and bolted down the hall. "And I'll fucking slaughter them all."

I didn't even think to get in my car. I ran. I just ran all the way to the club surrounded by cruisers with lights flashing, illuminating the streets like a disco set for death. I bullied my way inside, past the bouncers and the club-goers that funneled out. A uniformed officer attempted to stop me, but I smashed my I.D. badge against his face so hard that it left a welt.

The green-lit stairs became a beacon in the distance, and I charged my way down, shoving people left and right until I found Walsh and Wilkinson standing outside of room Perkins' reserved at the club. Raven and a few others spoke to a set of Marshals to our right.

Wilkinson's gaze met mine, his ashen face blanching further when I descended on him. I grabbed him by his jacket in double fists, giving him a shake. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Donovan, calm down—"

"What the fuck is happening here?" Walsh snatched my arm, followed by one of his grunts, which earned at least one of them an elbow to the face. "For fuck's sake!"

"Why!" I turned my rage back to Wilkinson. Tears burned in my eyes, foreign and razor sharp.

He gripped my arms, pulling me with him into the room where cameras flashed, and crime scene analysts scuttled about.

"Stop," Wilkinson commanded, pulling me toward him in a mutual stalemate as our power matched equally. "Donovan, stop."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I choked on a sob, unable to tether any part of my emotions or thoughts. I couldn't follow or articulate them by any means.

Wilkinson backed me up against the wall, pressing his hand firmly into my shoulder while he held me there. "Stop. Take a breath and stop."

"Don't tell me to—"

---