Page 56 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
“Yeah, of course I know Natalie. But I haven’t seen her today.”
“Could she have been here earlier?”
“I don’t know.” She straightened and tapped the person next to her. “Have you seen Natalie?”
He shook his head, and the first woman leaned down again. “I thought she was coming today, but I don’t think she’s been here yet.”
“Thank you.” I gave her a polite nod and raised the window.
Fuck. Again.
I kept going and headed back toward town. If I had to circle through every street, I was going to find her.
My sense of panic rising, I rang Maple.
“Go ahead,” she answered.
“I can’t find Natalie.”
“Your asset?”
I bit back a sharp reply. She wasn’t just a fucking asset. “I’m back in town, but I don’t know where she is.”
“Is there a reason to be concerned?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice vehement. “I left her a bloody note instead of saying goodbye. What if I hurt her feelings?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
I knew I wasn’t making sense, but it was too late for that. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost my damn mind. Recalibrating, I offered Maple something more relevant to her helping me find Natalie. “We encountered a possible suspect last night. He might have done something to her.”
“That makes more sense than hurt feelings. Who is he, and why do you think he took her?”
“Julian Myers. And fuck if I know. I don’t know what game he’s playing.”
“Jensen, I’m not hearing a lot of rationality in your voice at the moment. Are you ill?”
I growled in frustration. “No. I just need to find her.”
“All right. I assume you checked her house.”
“She wasn’t there. And it was a mess. Signs of struggle everywhere.”
“Okay. Is she at work?”
“She’s a nurse, and they’re on strike. I just checked the picket line.”
“Do you know anything else about her schedule or routine?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Not really.”
“Did you call the hospital?”
“I told you, she’s on strike.”
“No. To see if she’s a patient. If something happened to her, she could be there.”
“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I glanced around. I was the only vehicle in sight, so I did a U-turn in the middle ofthe street. My tires slid as I went around, but I managed to straighten out. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
