Page 85 of Endeavor
He looks over at Carl. “Do you need an escort?”
I giggle. “Where is the car?”
“I parked out back,” he says. I glance over at the hallway to the right of our table. I know I shouldn’t, but the parking lot for the restaurant is just outside, I saw the drive to it when Carl parked out front. I was actually surprised we didn’t park back there too, but he said something about security protocol and the parking lot didn’t provide proper egress, whatever that means.
I look over at Jason and back over at Carl. I stand up to tell Carl that we are going out back when I feel a little off suddenly. “I’ll just go to the bathroom,” I say to him.
He nods and gives me a wink. I stand, and I see Carl start to get up, but I motion for him to sit and mouth “bathroom.” He gives me a subtle nod of his head and sits back down. The Latin music is louder in the back hallway as I make my way to the women’s bathroom. I go to grip the door handle and a rush of dizziness floods me. I sway. My vision begins to dot with black, and just as I feel myself falling, hands grab me.
“I got you,” a voice says.
Grady
Detective Benson looks around as I start to clean up the mess. He and Dean have been talking quietly in the corner for at least ten minutes now.
“This isn’t the same person,” Dean states. My head whips around at his statement.
“What do you mean this isn’t the same person?” I ask.
Dean glances around the room. “Where’s the note?”
“I…” I trail off because there was no note this time.
“So?”
“This wasn’t done by the same person. Look around. Every other time, it’s been a very specific MO. This is disorganized. It’s like someone just ransacked the place for no purpose. We can see them on video, too,” he says, pulling up his phone and tapping on an app with the security firm’s logo. “Here, see this guy. He’s a different height and build from the last guy.” He points to a figure in black that is seen entering and then leaving only a few minutes later.
“I agree,” Benson states.
I run both my hands through my hair which is still in desperate need of a cut. “So, you are saying we have two stalkers?”
Benson shrugs. “It’s hard to say. These are definitely different criminals though.”
I toss a piece of a broken mug in the trash as I look around at the mess created, but he’s right. There are broken items, cushions ripped open, posters ripped off the wall, a smashed guitar in the corner, but there’s no real rhyme or reason for what was done. It just looks like someone just trashed the place for fun.
Dean’s phone buzzes and I see a message pop up on the screen of his phone. “Shit,” he curses under his breath.
He hits call on the message. “When? What happened? Fuck. Carl, damn it. I’m on my way.
“You need to come with me. This,” he says, motioning around us, “can wait.”
He steps out of the room before I can say another word. Benson and I follow him.
“What’s going on? Anything I can help with?” Benson asks.
“You handle kidnapping?” Dean growls.
Benson’s head snaps back. “What?”
“Your sister and half brother are missing,” Dean says as he turns to me. It takes a good few seconds for his words to sink in.
“What the fuck are you talking about? She has Carl with her,” I say as I feel my blood pressure begin to elevate.
“We don’t have time, get in the car and follow me,” he says and motions for Benson to follow us. I walk up to his SUV and open the door, slamming it behind me.
“What the fuck is going on?” I hiss at him once he’s inside.
He turns to me. “Something isn’t adding up. I have three teams working on analyzing this case. They’ve been working on it, but…today wasn’t him. I know it in my gut.”
