Christian’s gaze flickered toward the wolf-pup near the fire. “We’ll have a discussion topic when Ace and Damian get here in about an hour.” He paused. “Your woman is smart. She’ll figure it out and arrest Ace.”
“There’s not enough evidence.”
“Will that be a problem?”
Brock wouldn’t let it be one. “No.” The sound of his phone buzzing made both brothers still. He tugged it from his jacket pocket and pressed it to his ear. “Osprey.”
“Hey, sheriff! It’s Amos. I’m down in my apartment, and I’m pretty sure I just heard a weapon discharge upstairs.” The man’s voice trembled. “I don’t know what to do.”
Panic shot through Brock like a lightning strike. “I’ll be right there.”
Christian moved closer, his expression darkening. “What is it?”
“Shots fired in the sheriff’s office, and Ophelia is alone there right now.” Brock dropped his screwdriver and pressed Ophelia’s number into his phone, his fingers nearly slipping. His pulse thundered in his ears as he waited.
She didn’t answer.
He rolled his sled out the door and ignited the engine as Christian ran around the side of the building for his own, ordering the wolf pup to stay in the shop.
Brock’s gut clenched. He had to get to her. Now.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Brock jumped off his sled before it stopped at the sheriff’s station. He paused at seeing blood pooling near the doorway. Shit. His gut clenched, and he barreled inside the sheriff’s office with Christian on his heels. “Ophelia,” he bellowed, clearing the building room by room, his gun in hand.
Nothing. No sound, no movement, no Olly.
He reached the door to the basement and pounded on it. “Amos? Is she down there with you?”
Amos gingerly pushed open the door, his cloudy eyes wide behind his large spectacles. “Heard a gun, Brock. A gun. A loud gun.”
“Okay.” Brock forced himself to speak calmly. “Did you see who shot the gun?”
Amos tugged on his striped bow tie and straightened his perfectly pressed cuffs. “No. I didn’t hear voices, either. Just a gunshot, and I called you.” He rocked back, his gray hair feathering. “Was it Ophelia? I heard her voice earlier but then nothing. Where is she?”
“I don’t know.” Brock scrubbed a rough hand through his hair.
“I’m texting Ace and Damian.” Christian pulled his phone from his jacket pocket.
Brock nodded, trying to concentrate. Where was Ophelia? Who had her? “All right.” He had to think, damn it. “Have Ace search the river road coming in from his place, and tell Damian to search coming from EVE. You take this side of the road toward the river, and I’ll take the opposite one. Talk to everyone who’s out today. If you don’t find people, go looking.” He blinked and settled. “Ophelia’s Jeep isn’t here. Ask anybody if they’ve seen it.”
“On it,” Christian said, texting quickly. “She’ll be okay, Brock. She’s smart, and she’s trained.”
“There’s blood on the stairs,” Brock said grimly.
Amos coughed. “I’ll start a phone tree to see if anybody has seen the Jeep.”
“Good. Thanks.” Brock nodded. “Whoever took her and the Jeep had to get here somehow. Have people look for trucks, snowmobiles, UTVs, and so on. Nobody just walked into town with this storm going on.” How badly had Ophelia been hurt? She must have been the one shot, or she would’ve called for help.
“Let’s go, Brock.” Christian turned and strode out of the office.
Brock followed, and the smell of strawberries haunted him. The scent threaded throughout the entire office. Why had he let her work alone? What had he been thinking? He paused outside the door and took in the puddle of blood. Squinting through the billowing snow, he could make out droplets leading to the curb, along with scuff marks across the ice. “Somebody dragged her.”
Christian dropped to his haunches to better see the blood. “Looks like.” He glanced up. “I would’ve tossed her over my shoulder.”
“Me, too.” Brock looked around at the silent day and the vacant street. Only the snow looked back. “So, either she hurtthe person who kidnapped her, or he lacked the strength to carry her?”
“Olly is pretty tall,” Christian said. “Might’ve been easier just to drag her, even for someone healthy. We’re taller than most.”
