Page 97 of Meant to Be
Mitch laughed. “Send her my love.”
“Will do. Anything new with the case?”
Mitch checked his watch. Nearly twenty minutes had passed since he’d called Sydney. “The case has been reassigned to Kripke.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s a long story that I don’t want to get into.”
There was silence, and Mitch could only imagine what Kevin might be thinking. “I’ll give him a call then.”
“He’ll do the job.”
“Yeah. I just felt better knowing it was you.”
Another thing to feel guilty about. He’d let his best friend and partner down. How the hell did he manage to disappoint or hurt everyone he cared about?
“Because you’re a coward,” Brian’s voice, or he supposed his own conscience, said. He wanted to apologize, but Jenny started talking to Kevin.
“I gotta run. The little woman calls. Ouch. She hates it when I call her that.” Kevin cut off the call.
Mitch checked his phone, hoping he’d simply not heard a beep indicating a text or message. Nothing. “Come on, Syd. I just need to know you’re okay.”
Unable to wait any longer, Mitch called Fletcher to ask for her parents’ phone number. While Mitch didn’t think he completely bought his reason for wanting the Preston’s phone number, he rattled it off.
Mitch immediately dialed the number.
“Can I speak to Sydney, please?”
“Doctor Preston isn’t here. May I take a message?”
Mitch’s fear grew. Where was she?
“May I speak to Mr. or Mrs. Preston?” Mitch asked the woman who answered the phone.
“May I ask who’s calling?”
“Detective McKenna from Charlotte Tavern.” Mitch wondered if they’d recognize his name. It was better if they didn’t. He could pretend to be the concerned cop on their daughter’s case.
“Mr. McKenna.”Mrs. Preston’s use of mister as opposed to detective indicated she knew exactly who he was.
“I’m looking for Sydney. She isn’t picking up her phone.”
“Well, she wouldn’t, would she?”
Mitch sighed. “I understand she’s angry at me, but I’m concerned for her safety.”
“Why?”
Mrs. Preston’s tone maintained its annoyance, but at least she didn’t hang up. Her question also suggested Sydney hadn’t told her about Jenny’s attack.
“We had an attack at the hospital in Charlotte Tavern, and we’re fairly sure the intended target was Sydney.”
There was a pause. “Why would you think that?”The annoyance was replaced with alarm.
“Our victim was stabbed from behind, wearing Sydney’s raincoat while standing near Sydney’s car. Based on what Sydney said happened to her in New York, it’s too similar to be coincidental.”
“I see.”But she didn’t elaborate.
