“Caleb,” she barely managed to get his name out. “Please.”
“There’ll be plenty of time for you to beg, Charlotte. Don’t worry.” Something caught his eye, and he glanced down at her chest. “Where did you get this?” He reached for her locket. “I don’t remember it.”
Charlie remained silent. He brought his face to hers and yelled, “I asked you a fucking question. Tell me where you got this!”
With silence as her only weapon, she pressed her lips together and glared up at him defiantly.
Rage poured from his eyes as he fisted the chain. “He gave you this, didn’t he?”
A sudden pain hit the back of her neck as he yanked the chain loose. “My wife will not wear another man’s jewelry.” He tossed it aside.
Tears fell down her temple onto the decaying leaves below her. Refusing to give in, Charlie glared up at him.
“Doesn’t matter. He’s given me something you’ll never be able to take away.”
This time, when Caleb punched her again, Charlie welcomed the empty, black abyss.
****
Derek stormed throughthe hallway toward the front of the police station, his brother and Detective York hot on his tail.
He stopped short when he saw Jake, Trevor, Mac, and Coop making their way toward him.
“Boss.” He looked at Jake.
“What do we know?” Jake asked, instantly taking on the authoritative role.
Derek looked at the others grimly as he filled them in on what they’d learned.
“We were just headin’ over to her place.”
Eric’s phone rang. When he saw who the caller was, he looked at Derek and then the others before putting it on speaker.
“Officer Morse. Tell me you have Charlotte Porter there with you.”
“I’m sorry, Detective,” his somewhat muffled voice came over the line. “She isn’t here.”
Derek closed his eyes, trying his best not to give in to his fear.
“What did you find?” Eric asked the officer.
“Car’s still here. The driver’s door was open and her purse and keys were in the front seat. There’s no sign of her or the man you described.”
“Fuck!”
Derek yelled the word so loudly, everyone within earshot stopped what they were doing and turned toward them. Ignoring the stares, he shot his gaze to the woman standing next to his brother.
“Are you happy, now?” He lashed out at York.
“D,” Eric warned. “Keep your voice down.”
His angry gaze shot to his brother’s. “Keep my voice down? That fucker has her, Eric. He took her while she”—he glared at York—“was busy tryin’ to pin this shit on me.”
Turning to face her directly, Derek’s eyes shot daggers into hers. “I told you this was him. I told you what Porter was trying to do, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Though York looked remorseful, she said, “I was just doing my job. I was following orders and—”
“You think I give a flyin’ rat’s ass about orders? That sonofabitch got to her because I’ve been here.”
