Page 73 of Chilled

Brenna’s heart leaped into overdrive at the mention of Nick. She wasn’t ready to face him after last night. She’d opened up to him more than she’d ever done with any other man. It had left her feeling...exposed.

Her phone rang at her side, and she pulled it from its clip, breathing a sigh of relief that it was her sister’s number flashing across the screen and not Nick’s. “Hey, Alice. What’s up?”Besides the water, a killer and the fact I’m falling for an FBI agent.

“Have you heard?” Before Brenna could respond, she continued, her voice fast and high-pitched. “They’re evacuating Riverton.”

“The chief just informed us. Are you okay?”

“Yes, a little nuts, but okay.” Her usually calm and unflappable sister didn’t sound so okay.

Brenna gripped the phone tighter.

“I can’t get hold of Stan. He’s out on a call and not answering his cell phone. I need help getting Mom loaded into the minivan. I can’t do it by myself with the little ones. Can you come for a few minutes? I hate to ask the neighbors when they’re all as busy as I am.”

Brenna stared around the room at Paul and Melissa. They hadn’t found the killer yet, and when people started leaving, they might not find him. Her sister had never asked for help and had taken on the burden of caring for their mother without complaint. “I’ll be right over.”

“Thank you.” Alice’s gratitude came across in a gust of a sigh.

Since Paul was on the phone with Nick, Brenna turned to Melissa who lounged against the conference table, staring up at the whiteboard of evidence. “I need to run to my sister’s house for a few minutes. I should be back before Nick gets here.”

Melissa pushed away from the table. “I’ll go with you.”

Paul flipped his phone shut. “Go where?”

“My sister needs my help with my mother. It’ll only take thirty minutes tops.”

“Good, because Melissa and I just got orders to round up your brother-in-law’s employees for a little questioning about internet cables before they leave town. That means we have to call them in now.” Paul stood and stretched. “Which reminds me, the boss man wasn’t happy you skipped out on him.”

Her face burning, Brenna turned away on the pretext of slipping into her jacket. “He’ll get over it. Besides, I don’t need a babysitter.”

Melissa touched a hand to her arm. “We know you’re not a baby, but that killer has you in his crosshairs, and it’s just not safe out there.”

Brenna glanced at the two agents staring at her with concern in their eyes. “I’ll be careful. I’m only going to my sister’s and back.”

Melissa frowned. “Still, I think I should go with you.”

“We need to catch a killer. Questioning those employees is a higher priority than escorting me. You better get to it.” Brenna zipped her jacket. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

Before they could lodge further protests, Brenna swept out of the room and through the station.

Her sister needed her, and she couldn’t let her down. Besides, what could happen in thirty minutes?

Nick scrambled into jeans,shirt and shoes, cursing when he stubbed his toe on the metal bed frame. Why the hell hadn’t she woken him? She knew the rules, and she’d gone off without him.

Dread settled low in his gut. After talking with Paul, he knew Brenna was safe at the station, but he couldn’t help worrying. With the city in an uproar to evacuate, the killer could capitalize on the chaos and make his move on Brenna. And Nick wouldn’t be there to run interference.

He accomplished the trip to the station in less than ten minutes, gripping the steering wheel so tightly at each stoplight he thought for sure the damned thing would break in two. His instinct told him Brenna was in danger, and he was running out of time.

After parking in a no parking zone in the station lot, Nick leaped from the sedan and raced into the building.

Paul met him at the door to the war room, his face excited. “We have an IP address!”

“I thought you were questioning Klaus’s employees.” Nick pushed past him, his gaze scanning the room’s interior.

“We are, or will be, once the police bring them in. But did you hear me? We have an IP address.”

When he didn’t see any sign of the female Special Agent, Nick asked, “Where’s Brenna?”

“She should be back in...” Paul glanced down at his watch. “...fifteen minutes.”

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