Page 76 of Shea's Hero

Shea walks towards me, concern etched across her features.

But when I see the name calling, my heart leaps to my throat.Cole.

Relax. It could be an update on the case. It might not be bad news.

Forcing my voice to stay steady, I answer the phone. “Cole. Is Maya okay? Clara?”

There’s a pause, and my heart stops.

“Maya’s fine. So is Clara.” Cole pauses. “Sorry, I didn’t think. Next time I’ll text first.”

“No, it’s okay.” Sagging onto the mattress, I put my arm around Shea as she sits beside me. “What’s up?”

“Leo found something. I know you and Shea have work, but do you think you can make time to come in this morning?”

I answer without thinking. “Of course. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Did Cole mention what they found?”

As we walk towards the Blade and Arrow building, Kane glances over at me as he adds with a frown, “Hopefully something more than what the department has come up with.”

“He didn’t say,” I reply. “Just that he wanted us to come in as soon as possible.”

Which is more than a little frustrating, if I’m honest. Not that I don’t understand why Cole would want to discuss this in person, but I would much rather have been able to share the news with Shea at home, where I can comfort her in privacy if the information isn’t as promising as we hope.

Instead, we rushed through a decidedly un-fun shower and a hurried breakfast that Shea barely touched while I watched her get progressively more stressed and worried. By the time we got into the car, she was a bundle of nerves, her foot tapping in an uneven rhythm and her face pale and drawn.

I would prefer for her not to sit in on the meeting at all, but of course, Shea insisted. When I suggested that she could visit with Maya and Clara while I meet with Cole, she immediately rejected it, saying, “It’s aboutme, Oll. I need to be there. If the positions were reversed, there’s no way you wouldn’t be there.”

Which is true. And I understand why she wants to go. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

As soon as I heard from Cole, I called Kane and asked him to come along. Normally I’m the liaison whenever the department works with Blade and Arrow—since it’s in an unofficial capacity, the consensus is the fewer people involved, the better. But in this situation, with Shea’s safety on the line, I want my partner there, too.

“Maybe it’s good news,” Shea quietly suggests, a note of cautious hope in her voice. “Maybe they found the guys from the van. Or the man who came to my house.”

I give her hand a little squeeze. “Hopefully.”

Just as I press the intercom button at the back door, she adds more gloomily, “Or something else happened. Something bad.” Her worried gaze moves to mine. “You don’t think any of the women here were hurt, do you? Or someone local? Another attempted abduction?”

As she continues, her voice pitches up. “What if someone was taken? Attacked? What if they went after another woman because they couldn’t get to me?”

Hugging Shea to my side, I press a quick kiss to the top of her head. “I’m sure that’s not the case. Cole said Maya’s fine. And if any of the other women were hurt, I’m sure he would have mentioned that on the phone.”

At least, I’m pretty sure he would have.

She leans against me, giving me most of her weight. In a small voice, she says, “I hope you’re right.”

My heart squeezes. Twists.

I hate that she’s going through this. Not just afraid for her own safety, but taking on the misplaced idea that somehow she’s responsible for everyone else’s, as well.

Kane looks at Shea. His tone is kind but firm. “If those assholes did something, which I am not saying they did, it’s not your fault. At all. You know that, right?”

She meets his gaze. Sighs. “I know. It’s just… I’m so worried.”

“It’s going to be okay,” I reassure her. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it. Think about how many people we have working on this. Me. Kane. Cole and his team. The entire police department.”

After a pause, she says, “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m freaking out like this. Or why I’m automatically assuming the worst. It could be good news.”

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