Page 41 of Cop-Off

“He’s gone. Dad’s gone.”

And just like that, her world collapsed.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cody was freaking out. He’d been trying to get in touch with Cat since last night and nothing. At first, he thought she was just working. When she got into a book, she could go hours without coming up for air. But that wasn’t it. He knew because he’d driven out to her apartment this morning and there was no answer.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. He felt it in his bones. It was the reason he was on his way over to Libby’s right now and not the station reporting for his shift. Pushing down on the gas, his hands tightened on the wheel, a sinking feeling bottoming out his stomach.

Don’t panic. There could be a perfectly logical explanation.

His phone rang and for a moment he thought he’d managed to wish everything okay and that was Cat calling him back. But one glance confirmed that he was wrong. Libby.

Swiping to speakerphone, a second later, Libby’s shaky voice filled his charger pursuit. “Hi, Cody. Uh, where are you?”

“On my way over to your place. Is she there?”

Silence. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Come on, Libby, spit it out. Where is she?”

“She’s gone,” Libby whispered.

Just when he thought he couldn’t feel any sicker, he was proven wrong.

“Fuck!” he roared, his hand slamming down on his steering wheel. “When? What happened?”

“I think it’s better we talk in person. She left you something. A letter. I have it here.”

Trying to steady his breaths and get himself under control, he nodded to himself. “Okay. I’m just turning onto main. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Okay, Cody. Drive safe.”

He ended the call, returning to silence. Only there was nothing silent about his thoughts. They were going at a million miles an hour. There was only one reason she would go back.

Her dad.

When he eventually pulled into Libby’s drive, she was out front waiting for him, paper in hand.

Slamming his door shut, it only took three strides to get to her. As soon as he did, she passed him a letter with his name scribbled on the front.

He wasn’t ready to read it yet. He already knew what it was. A goodbye letter.

“She wrote me one, too. Did you know...about her dad?” He just nodded. “She never told me.” Libby’s head sagged, tears brimming in her eyes. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

His hand was scrubbing his face now, dragging all the way down to his beard. “You know Cat, she’d rather handle everything herself than burden other people.”

“But I’m her best friend.”

“Yeah, darlin’, you are. And she loves you to death. She’d die a thousand times over than have you worry over her. You know that.”

Libby fell into his arms. Letting his hands go to her back, he took as much comfort as he was giving her. This could not be happening. He hadn’t waited this long to find her only to lose her in the blink of an eye.

“Her dad died.” Libby sniffed into his shirt. Telling him something he’d already guessed. “She said she’s not coming back.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

His heart was beating so wildly, a normal person would be concerned. Now he had to read the goddamn letter. He neededto find out what happened. Where her head was at. And gather as much information as possible.

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