Page 55 of Beneath the Surface

Larson stepped to the passenger side, his expression grim. “So you’re heading back to Pierre to go at Rodriguez again?”

Brad slid into the driver’s seat, his grip firm on the wheel. “Yeah. And this time, he’s not walking out of the interrogation room without giving me something.”

Larson smirked faintly as he climbed in. “Good. Because this whole thing stinks, and I want answers.”

Isobel sat at her desk,her fingers trembling as she sifted through the papers. Her anxiety rose with every misplaced folder. She was certain she filed the supporting documentation on the Emma Coltrane case just days before, but now it was gone.

"Kathy!" Isobel’s voice was sharp, frustration cracking through her usual calm. The case was too important for mistakes.

Kathy rushed in, concern etched on her face. "What’s wrong, Dr. Everhart?"

"My documentation on the Coltrane case. The files are missing," Isobel replied, her breath catching. She could feel the tension coiling tighter in her chest.

Together, they combed through the office. After twenty minutes, Kathy finally found the folder misfiled under the letter H. Isobel stared at it, a chill creeping up her spine. She never made mistakes like this. Something was very wrong.

After a deep breath, Isobel tried to regain control. "Kathy, I need a clean copy of the report." But when she saw the printout, her stomach dropped. The report was riddled with errors, glaring mistakes she knew she hadn’t made.

"Kathy, what happened?" Isobel asked, disbelief thick in her voice. “This isn’t my report.”

"I don’t know," Kathy replied, equally shocked. "That’s not what you dictated. I’ll call the transcription service.”

Isobel’s head throbbed, her focus narrowing as she realized she couldn’t trust anyone else to fix this. She spent the next hour retyping the entire report herself, checking and rechecking everydetail. When she was finally finished, she looked at the time. It had to be on the judge’s desk by four. It was now three-thirty. She had to deliver it in person.No more mistakes.

She ignored Brad’s earlier command to stay at the office until he arrived, assuming she’d be back long before he arrived to pick her up. Isobel called the officers stationed outside. "I need to get to Family Court. Now."

The officers exchanged wary glances but complied, escorting her to the courthouse. She made it clear she was going one way or the other. The officers notified Communications and transported her. Once there, Isobel rushed to the judge’s chambers, her pulse pounding in her ears.

The judge’s clerk frowned. "We already have your report, Dr. Everhart."

Confusion seized her. "What do you mean? I just finished it."

The clerk’s expression deepened into concern. "It was delivered earlier this morning."

“By whom?” A wave of dread swept over Isobel. "I need to see the judge," she insisted. The clerk hesitated but allowed her in.

The judge compared the two reports, his brows knitting together. "This is the correct one, Dr. Everhart.” He held up the version she had just submitted. "Where did this other one come from?"

"Your Honor, I don’t know," Isobel replied, her voice tight. "I’ve never seen it before."

The judge’s expression turned stern. "I trust this is an isolated mistake, Dr. Everhart. I won’t tolerate another one."

Isobel left the judge’s office, her stomach in knots. The officers guided her through the building, the pain in her chest easing slightly until the fire alarm blared, sending the courthouse into bedlam.

As people began evacuating, one of the officers received a call. His face turned pale as he listened. "There’s been a situation, Dr. Everhart. We need to move."

Instead of moving, Isobel stood frozen in the courthouse hallway. The officers beside her moved with sudden urgency, their radios crackling with a call that made her stomach drop. She barely caught the other words, but three echoed in her mind, “body”and“men’s room.” A cold shiver ran through her, and the reality of the situation hit her with brutal force.

She had broken Brad’s direct order. She wasn’t supposed to leave her office, and now someone was dead. Her mind struggled to process the consequences as the officers closed space around her, quickly ushering her out of the courthouse, their movements sharp and tense.

Everything happened too fast. Isobel barely had time to react before they were guiding her outside, pushing her into a patrol car, and heading straight for the police station. Her heart pounded in her chest, panic and guilt warring inside her. She didn’t mean to disobey Brad, but she did, and now she blamed herself for someone else paying the price.

At the station, they escorted her into Detective Larson’s office. She sat stiffly in the chair, her hands shaking, her thoughts spiraling in a haze of fear, guilt, and confusion. She could barely focus as Officer Dillon entered, his expression soft and concerned as he handed her a cup of tea.

“Here, Dr. Everhart. This might help,” he said quietly.

Isobel took the cup with trembling hands, barely able to wrap her fingers around it. She wanted to call Brad, to hear his voice, but the guilt gnawed at her insides. She had defied him, ignored his warning. What would he say now? What would he think of her, after all this?

The door to the office clicked open, and Larson strode in with a force that made the air in the room dissipate. His frustrationwas palpable as he stood over her, his jaw tight, his hands clenched.

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