Page 72 of Shadow

Daphne and Roger walked out of the master, and Destiny closed the door behind them.

Roger hesitated in the doorway of his room. “Thank you. For—” He gestured vaguely toward the bathroom. Toward safety. Toward protection. “For keeping us safe.”

“That’s the job.”

He disappeared into his room.

She headed upstairs, her clothing soaked through. Found a warm sweatshirt, dry clothes, and changed in the upstairs bathroom.

She grabbed her tablet and headed back downstairs.

Nearly palmed her gun again when she found Patterson standing in the living room. He stood, hands in the pockets of his dark suit, his face pinched.

“What are you⁠—”

“Sorry, Daphne. We let ourselves in.” This from Michael Martinelli, who came down the hall. He wore a pair of jeans, a jacket still wet with rain.

Dani Kim came in from the garage just then, hanging up her phone. “No answer.” She wore her black tactical jacket zipped halfway, gun visible at her hip.

“Where’s Asher?”

“You tell us,” Patterson said.

She stared at him. “He’s outside, talking to the cops.”

“Yeah, no,” Dani said. “I called his phone—went to voicemail.”

“Are you sure?” Outside, the storm still raged. “Maybe he’s checking the perimeter. Securing the house.”

“The perimeter’s secure,” Michael said. “I just did a full sweep with the fire department. Didn’t see him anywhere.”

She had…nothing. “That doesn’t make sense.” And yeah, deep in her gut, two ideas flashed.

Reporting in to Draven.

Naw…but her chest tightened because the other option was…

He’d been taken.

She looked at Patterson. “What if he was grabbed by Draven?”

Patterson raised an eyebrow.

She lowered herself to a chair. “I mean…maybe they’ve been watching, and in the storm…” Yeah, even to her own ears, it didn’t make sense.

So she was back to…betrayal.

No.

“He must be talking to the cops,” she said, forcing her voice steady. Keeping her expression neutral. No need to ignite suspicion in Patterson. “Giving his statement about pulling Mark out.”

Patterson drew in a breath, glanced at Dani.

Dani left, probably to confirm this.

Patterson turned back to her. “Witnesses are secure?”

“Yes. Destiny and Roger are fine. We’re all fine.”