Page 48 of Every Which Way

Chief Martin shook her head, her lips pressed tightly together. “Um, not exactly, sir.”

“I see.”

Langford asked, “Has anyone ever called his wife because they were worried about him? Or has she ever called in?”

“I don’t know why anyone would be worried. He always comes back a few days later or maybe in a week.” Chief Martin shrugged, getting defensive now. Likely as a result of being the one in the hot seat. “It’s not a big deal. I don’t know how it is in the police department, but in the fire department, we cover for each other.”

“So, you aren’t worried about him?” Langford asked. “He could be dead, for all you know.”

Chief Martin frowned. “But he’s back.”

Kenna said, “What?”

Langford stood. “He’s here?”

Martin nodded. “Chief Hadley is in his office downstairs. I thought this was about him getting a slap on the wrist. He came in first thing and closed himself in his office. He didn’t talk to anyone. I figured he was catching up.”

Kenna shot out of her chair, a hundred thoughts going through her head. If he was back, did that mean her sister was also? And why did no one know they’d escaped? This made no sense.

Commissioner Shannon picked up the phone. “Get me Chief Hadley.Now.” He slammed the phone down. “This is unbelievable. Chiefs going off on benders for days, covering for each other. Heads are going to roll.”

“You said you wanted to talk about him.” Chief Martin winced but then lifted her chin. “You didn’t say you were looking for him. I just thought he was in trouble or something.”

The commissioner’s office door opened again, and the assistant who’d been out there when they came in stuck her head in, a worried look on her face. “Sir, when I called down to the chief’s assistant, she said right after she told him you wanted to see him, he ran to the stairs.” She shook her head.

“He’s making a run for it.” Kenna moved to the door, and thankfully, the assistant got out of the way. She jogged to the elevator and hit the down button with Langford right behind her.

“You really think he’s making a run for it all the way down to the parking lot?”

Kenna said, “You think he’s down five floors by now?” The elevator doors slid open. She chose a floor below ten, just in case. “He’ll slow down at some point, too tired to run.”

Langford said, “So we’re meeting him on the stairs?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Thanks for filling me in on it.”

Kenna grinned and stepped out of the elevator, heading to the stairwell door. Inside, it was several degrees cooler. She listened. “He’s stumbling down.” She went up, keeping her footsteps light. Langford went in front of her.

The detective slowed a couple of floors later.

Kenna listened for the footfalls but heard nothing. Then a dull thud, or a tumble. She kept her voice low and said, “Sounds like he collapsed.”

Langford nodded. They continued up until they found him, sprawled on a landing. “I’ll call an ambulance.”

Kenna winced. “Make sure it’s legit.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” She crouched beside the chief, who was lying on his side. She pressed two fingers to his neck. “He’s pale, but he’s still alive.”

“Look at that.” Langford lifted the hem of his shirt. Something was visible on his skin underneath. A bandage. She pulled the shirt back more. “He was injured, and someone gave him medical attention. Looks like he ripped a couple of stitches.”

Kenna shifted to sit on the stair above them while Langford called in the ambulance. Thankfully, given this was the fire department, help wasn’t far. There might even be plenty of firefighters with EMT training in the building.

Langford peeled back the bandage. “Whoever did this isn’t a pro. Looks like battlefield triage.”

Kenna kept her speculation locked inside. It might have been her sister who doctored this man, but she wouldn’t admit she knew anything just now. Maybe later. “How did they escape?”

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