Page 132 of The Night Before (Savannah 1)

Three detectives clambered out of their cruiser, their faces obscured in the night.

He couldn’t stand it. Adam began kicking at the windows all over again, making as much noise as he could with his heels.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open and the cop who had cuffed him stuck his head inside. “Do that again and I’ll have you in shackles so fast your head will swim.”

“Let me talk to Reed.”

“I said—”

“Let’s hear what he has to say.” Another male voice. “I’m Reed. Step out of the vehicle. And don’t do anything stupid.”

Adam half rolled out of the back seat and straightened as his feet hit the gravel. He found himself standing eye to eye with a no-nonsense cop.

“Okay, Hunt. What’s your story?”

A woman in uniform stood next to Reed, one hip thrust out as she lit a cigarette and glared at him over the flame of a match. She passed the lit cigarette to a tall man with a dark goatee, black pants and leather jacket, then lit another.

“Caitlyn Bandeaux is Kelly Montgomery or at least she thinks she is, ” he said, frantic. “She’s suffering from DID and possibly schizophrenia.”

“DID? What the hell’s that?” the woman asked.

“Dissociative Identity Disorder.” The younger cop with the goatee narrowed his eyes and drew hard on his cigarette.

“Bullshit,” Reed said.

The young cop asked, “What the hell does DID have to do with anything?” He blew out a cloud of smoke.

“It could mean she’s in danger. Or that she’s dangerous. Either way, she’s here. And I think the killer’s here. We have to find her. Now!”

“This is all blue smoke and mirrors,” Reed said.

“I don’t think so,” Adam insisted. “My ex-wife . . . is the one who diagnosed her.”

“Your wife?” Reed’s eyes narrowed and Adam’s panic rose. They were losing time. Precious seconds were ticking away.

“Rebecca Wade. I came down here to find her. It’s a long story. We don’t have time for it now, but she’d run off before, I wasn’t sure she was missing as we’ve been divorced for years but—” He caught the glances sent between the cops. “What? Oh, God.”

“I’m afraid I have some bad news for you,” Reed said, and the night seemed to thrum with malice.

Adam braced himself. Knew what was coming. Still, he couldn’t prepare himself for the finality of Reed’s words. “Your ex-wife’s body has been found. Positively identified as Rebecca Wade.”

“Where? How . . .” He couldn’t breathe for a moment. Couldn’t think. Rebecca? Dead? Lively, live by the minute Rebecca? No . . . Oh, God . . . He thought he might be sick.

“We pulled her out of the water off St. Simons Island. Been there a few weeks.e” Reed was solemn.

“She . . .” He shook his head to clear it. “Was she . . .?”

“Murdered?” Reed asked and nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said and Adam felt a hand upon his shoulder.

The thought of Rebecca being killed made his skin crawl. They’d had their differences, and many a fight, but Rebecca had been passionate and vital. Adam squeezed his eyes shut, silently grieved, but knew that if he didn’t move fast, the same fate could await Caitlyn.

“We . . . we have to find her,” he said. “Caitlyn . . . we have to find her before it’s too late.”

“Agreed.” Reed scanned the eyes of the small group of cops. “Let’s get to it. Before we have another homicide on our hands. You get back in the car.”

“But—”

“Don’t argue. We’re wasting time.” He glanced at the bully of a cop who had cuffed Adam. “Stay with him and call for backup.”

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