Down Came the Rain (NOW FREE!)

31

Chapter 31

Half an hour later, Myles sat silently in the passenger seat of Frank's burgundy Town & Country, his thoughts a jangled mess inside his head. His partner tried to make small talk but abandoned the effort once it was obvious Myles was in no mood to respond. He hadn't ignored his friend intentionally, he just wasn't able to focus on the words coming from his mouth.

"How are you holding up?" Frank asked after a long span of silence.

Myles bit the inside of cheek, praying the sting might distract him. "I feel like shit. I feel like this is all my fault. I should have went after Nick Lockhart the second Hudson mentioned him. I knew he had something to do with this!"

"Hey, wait a minute. We don't know anything yet. First, we have to bring this guy in for questioning. And until we can prove he was involved in the attack, he's innocent until proven guilty. Don't forget that. Don't let your emotions overrule your need to remain professional. You're smarter than that, rookie. Don't jeopardize your future on the force. You took an Oath of Honor not too long ago. Remember that?"

Of course, he remembered that! Being the best cop he could be was important to him. He had plans for his future. Working the night shift as a patrol officer was just the first step in what he hoped would be a long and fulfilling career in law enforcement. Who knew where he might end up one day. Ever since he was a kid watching reruns of reality cop shows, the thought of becoming a detective had appealed to him. And due to the competitiveness of the position, he knew his performance record would need to be nothing less than excellent.

On the other hand, what about his budding relationship with Hudson? He'd really fallen for her. Hard. And he sensed she felt the same way. It had crossed his mind on more then one occasion that they might actually have a future together. Something more than just a few dates and a couple of orgasms. This could be the real deal. He needed to take what had happened seriously, look into every possible lead he could find. Because until they caught this monster, the woman he had come to care for might still be in danger.

Frank parked across from the red brick building and Myles' gaze immediately connected with the open window on the fourth floor. Was Jacob in there now? Was Annie? How would they respond once they discovered what had happened to their friend? Were they even wondering where Hudson was? Why she'd never returned home? Did they care?

Anxiety tightened inside his chest as they made their way across the street and into the old building. The morning sun had finally burned off the last ghostly swirls of fog. As they climbed four flights of stairs, a staggering dizziness settled in his head. The stress of the morning overshadowed the coffee Frank had so thoughtfully provided when he'd picked him up, but the caffeine was no match against his exhaustion and frayed nerves. Myles felt emotionally drained and hungover. And his day was only just starting.

When they arrived in front of Hudson's apartment, Frank rapped his knuckles in quick, sharp blows against the manufactured wood. No one answered. He tried again, louder. Myles nudged him aside and pounded against the door until his arm ached. Still, no one appeared.

Before he had time to rationalize the decision, Myles heaved his side against the door, the frame cracking as it gave way. As he stepped into the apartment, he nearly tripped over black heels. He kicked the shoes to the side. "Are you coming?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at his partner.

Frank gave a nod and followed him inside.

Other than the sounds of honking horns and screeching tires from rush hour traffic floating in through the open window, everything was silent.

"Didn't you say she had a friend over last night?" Frank asked.

Myles nodded. "That's what she said. She said her friend Jacob came home early from a trip so she wouldn't be alone." He shook his head, his eyes taking in the empty apartment. "This doesn't make sense. Wouldn't he still be here? It's early."