Page 102 of Nate

Rafe shrugged casually. “I’ve got a knack for it.”

Checking his phone once again, Nate couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry as there was still no response from Markie.

“Shouldn’t she have answered by now?”

“You’d think so,” Rafe agreed, taking a swig of his beer. “She lives above the hospital; how long does it take to run down the stairs, check on the dog, and go back to her apartment?”

“Maybe she had to replace the bandage or something,” Nate suggested.

“Maybe,” Rafe nodded in agreement.

“But something just doesn’t feel right.”

“Should we go check? I’ll follow you.”

“Yeah, I want to make sure she’s alright. My gut is rarely wrong.”

“I know. Let me get the tab and we’ll head out.”

“I’ll meet you outside.” Nate removed a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet, handed it to Rafe, then moved away from the bar, through the crowd and outside. He strode toward his truck.

His gut was telling him something was wrong. Markie never took long to answer him, even if she was checking the dog, she kept her phone with her.

Nate leaned against his truck, waiting for Rafe. He saw him come out of the bar and head toward him. Nate couldn’t help but chuckle when another woman approached him, but Rafe shook his head.

“Make that, four women,” Nate called out and grinned when Rafe shook his head.

“Let’s go.” Rafe opened his truck door, and Nate got into his.

They drove out of the parking lot and up Main Street to Clifton Animal Hospital. They pulled into the alley and parked. Nate hopped out and saw Rafe doing the same. They met at the back of Nate’s truck, and he looked up the stairs.

“Let me go check. If she doesn’t answer, we’ll check the hospital.”

“Do you have a key to her apartment? Maybe she went to bed early.”

“Yeah, I have one.” Nate walked toward the stairs, then ran up them.

He knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so Nate used his key, opened the door, and quietly stepped inside. The TV and lights were on, but he didn’t see Markie anywhere. Her cat sat on the sofa and stood up when he walked toward her. She meowed at him. Call him crazy but it sounded like she was asking for help.

Nate absentmindedly rubbed her head, then walked to the bedroom. As he passed the bathroom, he reached inside, flipped on the light, but it was empty. The bedroom door was open. He turned the light on, but she wasn’t there, and the bed was made. He glanced around, knowing she had to be at the hospital.

He made his way back toward the living room and looked around. Her phone was nowhere around, so she had to have it. Why hadn’t she answered him? He didn’t like this one bit.

He walked out the door, locked it, then jogged down the stairs, and strode to where Rafe stood.

“She’s not up there. The TV and lights are on, but she’s not there.”

“Then she has to be working in the hospital, right?”

Nate looked at his friend. “I hope so.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t want to think it, but what if that prick is in town? If he is and hurts her…” Nate looked at Rafe. “I will fucking kill him.”

“I might just help you on that.”

As they made their way toward the door, Rafe suddenly stopped, and Nate turned to face him.

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