Page 46 of Strike Fast

“No.” He was barely containing the need to pace around the room as it was. Planting his ass in a chair would make him crack wide open.

“Okay, then how about—” He stopped when his cell rang. Pulling it from his belt, he checked the display, then answered. When he glanced at Reid with a somber expression a moment later, every muscle in Reid’s body tensed in denial.

No. Autumn had to be okay. They had to find her.

His heart thudded in his ears as the detective hung up. “What?” Reid demanded.

The detective’s expression didn’t change. “Citizen just reported finding Sarah’s car.”

Oh, God…“And?”

“Suspect ditched it in an alley a few miles from here. It was empty. Cop showed up on scene right after and looked around but there was no sign of your daughter.”

Reid’s shoulders sagged and he closed his eyes. So the bastard had dragged Autumn from the car and taken her somewhere. Bile burned the back of his throat.

“Forensics team is on their way there now. Someone might have seen where they went.”

The next few hours passed in a slow, life-sucking blur. Reid demanded to go to the scene with the lead detective. Forensics were dusting for prints when they arrived, and searching for any clues that might point them to where the suspect had gone with Autumn. None of the residents living along the alley had seen anything.

The investigation had hit a dead end.

Alternately panicked and numb, he waited hours more back at the station, briefly speaking to Commander Taggart, and waiting for news. None came.

By midnight, when it was clear they wouldn’t allow him to help with the investigation further, and there was nothing more he could do but wait, he reluctantly left. His phone had a dozen text messages on it. Every single one of his teammates had reached out, offering their support and urging him to call if he needed anything. Much as he appreciated the offers, he didn’t return any of the calls.

Climbing back into his car, he froze when he saw the German Shepherd pom-pom puppy sitting there on his dash, staring back at him with its plastic googly eyes.

Completely hollow inside, he shut the door and sat there staring at it while a razor-sharp blade slashed through his heart. Tears blurred his vision and he sucked in a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel so tight his bones hurt. His baby was missing, and he couldn’t bear the thought of what might have happened to her.

Tess. He needed to call Tess. He had to tell her, but dammit, he just needed to hear her voice.

His hand shook as he pulled out his phone. After three rings he was about to hang up, unwilling to leave a message right now. Then she picked up.

“Hey, I was just thinking about you.”

The sound of her chipper voice made the tears burn hotter. “Tess,” he croaked out, barely clinging to the last shred of his control.

“What’s the matter?” she blurted, voice tense. “Reid?” she prompted when he didn’t answer. “What’s wrong?”

He swallowed, struggled to breathe. “Someone broke into Sarah’s car a few hours ago and took off with Autumn.”

“What? Oh my God.”

His throat spasmed. “The cops can’t find her. It’s been hours and there’s no sign of her, and I…” His voice broke. He lowered the phone to his shoulder and bowed his head as a sob tried to rip free. The burn in his chest spread into his throat, agonizing, unbearable.

“Reid, oh, God, I’m so sorry,” she breathed, sounding as stricken as he felt. “Is there anything I can do?” With the phone resting on his shoulder her voice was faint, far away. Just like she was. And he was here alone, not knowing how he was supposed to cope with this.

He shook his head, battling his emotions even though she couldn’t see him. He dragged in a ragged breath and exhaled slowly, but it still felt as if his lungs might explode. “No. Just needed to hear your voice.” He wished she were here, needed to feel her arms around him so badly.

“Oh, baby…”

The endearment, the tormented note in her voice, undid him. “I gotta go,” he blurted, a second away from losing it and unmanning himself.

“Reid, wait—”

He ended the call, unable to continue. The phone fell from his numb fingers into his lap as the crushing weight of despair crashed down on him. Suffocating. Compressing his chest cavity until he couldn’t breathe, crushing his heart.

The phone rang almost immediately. Tess. But he couldn’t bring himself to answer.

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