Page 123 of Valor

A few moments later, my abductor returns with a pair of scissors. My eyes widen as they come straight for me with them in hand.

“What are you going to do? Why are you doing this?” I try to get away, try to scoot to the far side of the bed, but the restraints keep me firmly in place. “Please stop!” I scream. “Help!”

A gloved hand goes to my face and forces my head to the side. Scissors cut through my hair, taking a huge chunk off, before my abductor forces my head to the other side to cut the other half of my hair. Right up to the back of my neck.

As they study the dark hair they’ve just cut from my head, tears burn in my eyes. Inches of dark hair, held in their hands. I know it’s just hair and it could’ve been worse. But it’s another violation. “Why are you doing this?” I scream. “Why?”

“You don’t deserve anything you have, Dr. Hunt,” is all they say before stepping out of the room and leaving me in the dark once again.

This time, lucid enough to count every single second.

GIBSON

Doctor Alan Piercefinishes talking to a young boy with a fresh cast on his arm. Something about skating without proper protection. The boy’s mother lingers at his side, a smile on her face. She’s relieved that her son is safe.

That he’s going to be okay.

I wish I could bring the Hunts that same relief.

The man steps away from the bed and heads over toward the nurses’ station, where Riley and I have been waiting for upwards of ten minutes. I’ve almost charged in there half a dozen times at least, ready to flash my badge and demand he take time away. The only thing that stopped me is knowing if it were Lani in that room treating that kid, she’d have kicked my butt up and down these halls for the interruption.

“Sheriff, Mr. Hunt,” he greets. “Any word on Lani?”

I shake my head. “I was hoping you had something new for us.”

“I wish I did, but—” He trails off, expression shifting as he contemplates something. “Actually, I did have a strange phone call earlier.”

“What about?” I demand, a flicker of hope within my chest. Did the abductor attempt to make contact? Did Lani?

“Well, with Lani out, it’s just me and the on-call surgeon, Geoff Phillips. I’d made a couple calls to some of the doctors who’d canceled their interviews in hopes one of them might change their mind. While, admittedly, most of them didn’t bother returning my calls, one did, and said he was surprised to hear from us.”

“Why?” Riley asks.

“He said that a woman reached out to him from this office saying that the position had been filled, and he was no longer needed.”

It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with Lani, but it is strange. And right now, strange is all we’ve got.

“I take it the position wasn’t filled?” Riley confirms.

“No. We’ve been looking for another doctor for months now. Ever since we knew when Janet would be taking maternity leave.”

Crossing my arms, I consider what this could mean. “I thought Lani said the doctors were sending their cancellations in through email.”

“That’s the thing, he claims he never sent that email. I don’t see how it could be linked to what happened to Lani, but?—”

“If someone was using the cancellations to keep her here at the hospital, it could have everything to do with it,” I tell him. “What’s his name?”

“Eric Street,” he replies. “He’s coming in first thing tomorrow morning for a quick interview, 8:00 a.m. You’re more than welcome to come by and speak to him.”

“Thank you, we will,” I say. “Any chance we can get a look at the emails sent to the hospital?”

“Sure. Right this way.” He leads us down the main hall of the small hospital, then enters a code and opens the door to an office. Two desks are inside, one with his medical degree hanging over it, and the other with Lani’s.

Lani.

It’s the second time I’ve been in here since she’s been missing, and still my heart aches as my gaze lands on the photographs behind her desk. An image of the two of us at my senior prom. I know she thought I only took her because she was homeschooled and I didn’t want her to miss out, but I’d been seriously hoping she’d see me as more than a friend that night. As someone worth waiting for when she left for college.

There’s another right beside it, this one of her and her brothers, them in military uniforms, her in scrubs. I watch Riley’s gaze linger on it and a muscle in his jaw flex. He’s barely keeping it together. They all are.

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