Priya’s breath hitched. “I thought?—”
“I know,” Astrid cut in. “I know. Don’t—don’t do that to yourself. You’re here.”
Gabi stepped slightly to the side, letting them have the moment without turning away from her work.
“She’s dehydrated,” Gabi said to all of us, brisk and matter-of-fact. “Underfed. No acute injuries so far. I’m finishing the assessment, and then we’re going to get some calories into her. Nothing heavy. Something gentle.”
Astrid pulled back, cupped Priya’s face with one hand like she needed to confirm she was solid. “Did he?—”
Gabi’s tone stayed neutral. “I’m evaluating that.”
“He didn’t.” Priya said it quick and fierce, like she needed Astrid to hear it. “He didn’t hurt me.”
Gabi didn’t contradict or reassure. She only made a note.
Good. Let the facts be facts.
Another knock hit the front door.
Harder this time.
Gabi’s jaw tightened. She walked out, and I followed, already knowing who it would be.
She opened the door, and Carson stepped in with Grant right behind him.
Carson took in the clinic in a single sweep, eyes moving fast—clocking Madden, clocking me. His face tightened with controlled frustration, the kind that didn’t flare into anger until it found a target. He chose my sister.
“Why wasn’t this brought directly to the station?” he demanded.
Gabi didn’t flinch. “Because she’s a patient.”
“She’s also a missing person?—”
“And she came here first,” Gabi said, voice flat. “Because her medical condition comes first. That’s how this works.”
Carson’s attention snapped to me. “Carrera. What the hell are you doing here?”
Guess he didn’t get the memo that I’d been the one to call it in.
Before I could answer, Priya’s voice carried from the exam room doorway. “He found me.”
Carson turned. Reset his expression into something more official. Less personal. “Miss Shah are you up to answering a few questions?”
Gabi stepped around him and planted herself as a physical barrier. “Brief.”
Carson’s mouth tightened, but he nodded. “Brief.”
He and Grant stepped into the exam room. I stayed at the threshold with Madden, close enough to hear but not crowding Priya. Gabi moved to the side of the table, hand on the IV line, eyes sharp as a blade. Astrid stayed right by Priya’s side, one hand holding hers.
Carson pulled a small notebook out. Grant stayed quiet, posture unreadable, eyes doing the same quick, thorough scan Gabi had done earlier.
Carson asked the expected questions first. “Do you know what day it is? Do you know where you are? Can you tell me your full name?”
Priya answered. Gabi watched her face while she did it, watching for drift, for confusion, for dissociation.
Then Carson moved into the meat. “The last anyone remembers seeing you was at Home Port a little over a week ago. Can you pick up from that night?”
Priya swallowed. “I was working on reports after the latest beach observation. Headed for home sometime around one-thirty, I think.”
