Page 123 of Deep Tide

“Hi,” he said.

“Sean?”

The call cut out as the elevator started moving.

“Hello?” He looked at the phone.

“Sean—” The voice cut out again. “—to her?”

“Hello?” The door whisked open, and Sean stepped into the lobby.

“Sean, are you there?”

He halted in his tracks. “Who is this?”

“It’s Siena at the Beanery. I’m calling on Leyla’s phone.”

Dread filled his stomach. “Where’s Leyla?”

“That’s why I’m calling. We can’t find her anywhere. I thought maybe she was with you.”

•••

The air smelled of sunbaked garbage as Nicole stood beside the alley interviewing the young barista.

“Here. Right next to the door.” The woman pointed to the concrete step where she said she had found Leyla Breda’s cell phone twenty minutes ago.

“So, outside the door, just lying here on the sidewalk?” Nicole asked.

“Yes, that’s right.” She fidgeted with the ties of her black apron. “I came out here to look for her, and I almost walked right past it.”

An SUV whipped into the parking lot, and Nicole muttered a curse as Sean Moran jumped out. He wore street clothes but had his badge and gun in plain view today.

The barista’s eyes widened as he charged up to them.

“What happened?” he demanded, whipping off his sunglasses.

“I’m trying to find out,” Nicole said.

“Where’s her phone?”

“In the office.” Nicole turned to the barista. “Could you excuse us, Katie? I’ll come find you inside if I have any more questions.”

The barista walked inside, and Nicole jerked her head, motioning for Sean to follow her to her unmarked police unit. It was parked almost exactly where Amelia’s car had been parked the day her body was discovered in the nearby alley.

“What the fuck happened?” Sean asked, darting his gaze around the tiny parking lot. “Leyla’s car is out front.”

“I know. That’s why Siena called me. Her purse and keys are here, too, but she isn’t.” Nicole looked Sean over, noting his wild eyes and the beads of sweat on his brow. Every other time she had seen him he’d been calm and in control.

“Siena says Leyla was in the middle of prepping a big catering order in the kitchen,” Nicole said, “and then she suddenly disappeared.”

“What time was this?”

“About thirty minutes ago.” Nicole checked her watch. “It was four twenty when they found the phone out here on the step, just outside the door. About five minutes after that, Siena called me.”

Sean whipped around to look at the concrete step just as Siena walked outside.

She looked relieved to see Sean. But her relief quickly turned to worry as she got a look at the distress on the man’s face.

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