“It wasn’t parked out front, but I didn’t check the underground. I don’t think she’s home, though. There weren’t any lights on.” Suz searched his face, her cheeks losing color. “Okay, I was worried before, but you look so serious I’m ready to freak out. You think something happened?”
“I hope not,” he said through his ever-tightening throat. “But nothing about this seems right. Lynn wouldn’t ditch a friend, she wouldn’t send a message that formal, and she damn well wouldn’t go away for the weekend without offering a few more details.”
“I know.” Suz paused. “So what should we do?”
“Did you call her work line to check if she’s still at the office?”
“Yes, but it went to voice mail, too.”
He was already reaching for his phone again and dialing his partner. “Jack,” he barked when the other man answered. “Is Didi still with you?”
“Yeah. She’s talking to the caterer. Want me to get her?”
“No. Tell her she needs to handle the party alone. I need you and Dean to meet me at the Bay City Press building.”
“What’s going on, bro?”
“Not sure yet. Lynn might be in trouble. Tell Didi there’s a huge bonus in it for her if she takes lead on this tonight. And get your asses over to Lynn’s office, pronto.”
“Got it.”
Parker disconnected and glanced at Lynn’s friend. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
Fifteen minutes later, Parker’s SUV skidded into the parking lot in a squeal of tires. His concern had only tripled on the drive over, and now a million terrifying scenarios were flashing through his head, like scenes out of a horror movie.
What if she was hurt? What if she’d been kidnapped? What if a crazed killer with a machete was chasing her through the streets of San Francisco?
He knew he was probably panicking for no reason. Chances were they’d find out Lynn had gone away for the weekend. Packed her bags, hopped in her car, and gone on a spontaneous trip to clear her head. It wouldn’t be too farfetched, considering she’d told him she had a lot of thinking to do.
But that scenario was snuffed out like a cigarette the second he and Suz jumped out of his SUV.
Lynn’s sporty blue car was parked in the lot.
The relief that crashed into him nearly knocked him off his feet. “Thank God,” he breathed, glancing at Suz. “She’s still here.”
Suz looked as overjoyed as he felt. She dashed toward the staff elevator, pausing only to toss a glance over her shoulder. “You coming?”
He picked up his pace, suddenly hit by another jolt of anxiety as Suz pulled out her company access card to activate the elevator. It didn’t make sense. If Lynn was at the office, why had she sent Suz that cryptic message about going away?
His phone rang, and he fumbled to answer it. “Dean, where are you?”
“Jack and I are at the front desk. How’s Lynn?”
“Still not sure. I’m headed up to her office—Suz is with me.”
“What the fuck? Why is she with you if there’s potential trouble?”
Dean’s voice echoed off the walls of the small elevator space, and Suz must have overheard because she snatched the phone from his ear and gave his buddy hell.
“Just exactly how do you think he could stop me? Don’t you baby me, Colter, or I’ll show you my mean face.”
“Jonesy, you’re going to give me gray hair before my time. You follow Parker’s instructions to the letter. You hear me? I don’t want men all over the city weeping because you’re out of commission.”
“Yes, Mom.” She returned the phone to Parker then reached for the elevator door controls, gaze fixed on the lights showing their current floor.
He eyed her cautiously as he put the phone back to his ear. “Well, aren’t you two special.”
Dean made a rude noise. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re just about there. Give me two minutes.”
Suz stabbed the door-open button repeatedly until the cold metal reluctantly slid apart. Parker wedged himself through the instant the gap was wide enough, running down the empty hallways toward Lynn’s cubicle.
Up ahead, a dark shadow ducked into a side room. He ignored the distraction, spinning around the corner with Suz hard on his heels.
They slid to a stop outside Lynn’s empty workspace.
“Shit,” he swore.
“She took her purse, shut everything down—there’s nothing out of place.” Suz spun the computer chair slowly as she pondered, her frown growing. “It looks as if she finished for the day and left the building.”
“But she didn’t take her car.” Parker pulled out his phone. “Jack. Is there someone there at the front desk?”
“You bet. Their security is pretty tiptop. The bro behind the desk has a flashlight on his belt and everything.”
“Not a time for jokes. Sweet-talk the man. Ask if he has access to the security cameras recordings. We need visuals of the parking area between five and seven p.m.”
“Roger.”
Suz was pacing the hallway when a loud metal clatter rang out from the back of the office, and both of them froze.