Page 105 of Playing With Danger

Something I didn’t like raced up my back, making the hair on the back of my neck prickle.

“I just got home from work. Last I spoke to Soph she was going back to the apartment to talk to you. That was nearly nine hours ago.”

“Well fuck, I’ve been out all day. Came home, door was open. Her car’s here. Purse and phone on her bed. I assumed she was somewhere with you. Maybe she went down to get a package.”

“On a Sunday?” I reminded him as I walked back out to the garage.

“Yeah. If something’s delivered and it’s too big for the mailboxes the guy who runs the club house stores them. I’ll run down and see if she’s there. Sorry to?—”

“I’m on my way over to your place.”

“I’ll just take me a minute to run down there. I’ll save you a trip and have her call you when we get back upstairs.”

He wasn’t getting it.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

There was a beat of silence.

“The door was open but not damaged.”

I got what he was saying but it did nothing to loosen the knot in my gut.

“See you in ten.”

I hung up, scrolled through my contacts, found Brady’s number, and hit go.

He answered on the third ring.

“You’re already calling for a rematch? I figured after the last time I smoked?—”

“I’m calling in a marker.”

“What do you need?” he asked, all traces of humor gone.

“I need you on standby. I’m headed to Sophie’s place right now. Shady Brook Apartments off 15th and Marne. Her roommate got home, front door open. Car in the lot. Purse and phone on the bed. He’s checking the club house to see if she’s there.”

“Fuck. That means her tracker is likely on her bed unless she carries it in her pocket.”

“Correct.”

“And you got a bad feeling.”

“Every time we’ve left that apartment, she double-checks the door is closed. Even when her roommate is in the apartment. She still pulls on the handle. There’s no way she walked out and forgot to shut the door. Either she didn’t lock the door when she went down to the club house and someone let themselves in, but I reckon Hayden would’ve noticed if something was missing and her purse is on her bed, or something else went down.”

It was the ‘something else’ I was trying to keep locked down.

“Copy that. I’m at home. I’ll boot up now and be ready if you need me.”

“Sorry about taking your Sunday.”

“Fuck off with that. Out.”

Brady disconnected and I drove.

I was parking when Hayden finally called back.

“I’m in?—”

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