Read Online Chasing Shadows by Terri Reed - Free Book Online

too.
    â€œThank you for the coffee.” He set his empty mug aside and took her hand. “I’ve got to report in. There’s a uniformed officer parked right outside.”
    â€œOf course.” She stood, already feeling lonely. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”
    He gave her a crooked smile. “Yeah, a few hours. Try to rest, okay?”
    â€œI will.” She walked him to the door.
    He reached out to stroke his hand down her cheek, his touch achingly tender, yet her skin felt branded by the contact.
    Then he was gone. She shut the door and turned the lock, wishing that locking up her heart came with as much ease.
    But with Gabe, nothing was ever easy.

FIVE
    G abe’s cell phone rang, the noise cutting through the early morning quiet of the station house. He liked to get in before the chaos of another day began. He’d just arrived and hadn’t even taken his coat off yet. He reached into the side pocket and pulled out his phone. “Burke.”
    â€œIt’s me. Sadie just called all upset. Another resident has gone missing.”
    Dread like a stone dropping through water landed in the pit of his stomach with a dull thud. Maybe Sadie had seen something last night…no, that just didn’t seem plausible. “Where are you?”
    â€œHome. But I’m heading over there right now.”
    â€œKristina, stay put. I’ll go check this out.” If for no other reason than to prove to Kris nothing was going on.
    â€œGood. That’s why I called you.” He could hear the smile in her tone. “But I’ll see you there.” She hung up.
    Gabe ran a hand through his hair as frustration throbbed at his temples. The woman was too headstrong for her own good.
    â€œProblem?”
    Hanging up the phone, he answered his partner, Angie. “Maybe.”
    He filled her in on the situation. “I’m not sure there is anything going on but…”
    â€œBut we’ll check it out.” She retrieved her weapon from the lockbox before shrugging into her short woolen coat.
    â€œI can take this alone,” Gabe said, turning his car keys over in his hand.
    Angie arched a dark eyebrow. “We’re partners, right? We do this together. If it turns out to be nothing, no harm, no foul.”
    â€œThanks,” he offered, grateful for her easy attitude.
    When they arrived at Miller’s Rest in his SUV, he noted Kristina’s compact car parked near the entrance. Inside, the place hummed with activity, unlike the previous night. When Gabe and Angie entered the building, the front desk receptionist buzzed the center’s director. A few moments later the director came out of her office, her eyes widened behind her glasses.
    â€œDetective Burke, what can I do for you? You did get the fax I sent, didn’t you?”
    â€œNo.” He made a mental note to check the station’s central fax machine. “But I’ll take a copy today.”
    Her eyebrows puckered. “Fine. If you’ll excuse me I’ll go pull that now.”
    â€œLater. We had a report that a resident went missing last night,” he replied, watching closely for her reaction.
    Her lips pursed tight for a moment. “You were wrongly informed. All of our residents are accounted for.”
    Relief should have poured in, but Gabe couldn’t shakethe message written on Kris’s door. Stop asking questions or else. Obviously, someone had something to hide.
    â€œThen you won’t mind if we take a look around,” Angie declared, her voice making it clear the statement wasn’t a request.
    The director’s gaze shifted from him to Angie. “Do you have a warrant?”
    â€œDo we need one?” Angie interjected.
    â€œOf course not.” Annoyance and a flash of—was that panic?—entered her gaze. “I suppose you may ‘look around’ as long as you don’t upset the residents. Especially after last