Page 69 of Shielding Aubree

Ruben heard the worry in the other man's voice. "You didn't get a message from Aubree?"

"No." There was a tremor in the man's voice.

That fear multiplied inside of Ruben even though they were just talking on the phone.

Aubree wouldn't leave the station without a ride.

She couldn't.

"I tracked her phone."

Ruben's eyes squeezed shut. He should have done that himself. "And?"

"It's stationary along the side of the highway."

Ruben opened his mouth to ask a question-

"I've already been in touch with her boss. He's put out an APB for her because her phone," Ruben heard her father clearhis throat, "and her purse were just found by a patrol man on the side of the road."

Ruben felt his heart go absolutely still in his chest.

"They found..."

"Her things, but not her, Ruben, remember that."

Her things but not her.

There had to be a fine line between relief and insanity at that moment.

He knew what Aubree's father was saying.

They hadn't found her body.

Her dead body.

No.He told himself. He wasn't going to fall apart.

He, more than anyone else, could talk about having a spine.

He had one with more metal in it than he cared to admit.

But when it came to Aubree, the dominant part of him was his heart.

He had to find her.

"Where can I meet you?"

As Antonio rattled off his location, Ruben crossed to the edge of the pool and caught Jagger's attention.

The other man stood up in the pool, water falling into his eyes from his longer than regulation haircut. "You okay?"

Ruben shook his head. "Sorry, Jagger. I need you to get out of the pool. I have to leave."

Jagger didn't argue. He just rolled up onto the deck without question. "Is there something I can help with?"

Ruben shook his head. "Aubree's missing. I have to go."

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