Chapter 46
Kale wasn’t letting her leave like this.
He wasn’t giving up that easily.
He parked next to her car. She was still here. Anticipation wired him.
He still had a chance.
As he jogged across the parking lot, another vehicle arrived. He recognized it. Mrs. Harvey. She and her kids climbed out, grocery sacks in hand. Inside, he glanced at the reservation desk. Deserted. He bounded up the stairs to Sarah’s room. Her door was closed. He banged on it. No answer.
“Sarah!”
Still no answer. He tried the knob. Locked.
He started to bang again and a scream stopped him.
He bolted for the stairs. Took them two at a time.
The lobby was still empty.
“Dad!”
Brady’s voice. Kale followed the sound through the kitchen and to the mudroom.
Barton Harvey lay on the floor, blood pooled around his head. Bags of groceries had spilled around his motionless body. Brady was on his knees next to his father. Mrs. Harvey and her daughter were holding each other, sobbing.
“What happened?” Kale dropped to the floor next to Brady and checked Mr. Harvey’s carotid pulse. Faint, but there.
“I don’t know.” Brady shook his father. “We just found him this way.”
“Call nine-one-one,” Kale instructed. He started to lean down to inspect the man’s wound when something registered in the corner of his eye.
Black. Bag.
Sarah’s bag lay on the floor near the door to the garage.
Terror ignited in his chest. Even as Brady spoke to the operator, Kale hit the speed-dial number on his cell for the chief.
Kale swallowed back the panic. He had to reach the chief. He had to let him know this wasn’t over.