Lynette Eason - Justice Mission

“Is she really okay?” Officer Zach Jameson asked. A fellow officer with the NYC K-9 Command Unit, Zach was also the youngest brother to Jordan Jameson, the chief. The family resemblance was startling with his brown hair and blue eyes. Luke noted Carter and Noah, the other two Jameson brothers, standing nearby with their K-9s seated at their sides.

“She says she is,” Luke said with a frown. “That’s all I have to go on.”

The Jamesons had made law enforcement their family business and all had arrived to attend the ceremony, then get back to work. Officer Finn Gallagher, another K-9 Command Unit member, stood nearby, green eyes watching. Usually the jovial, outgoing jokester of the group, he now sported tight features and a tense jaw.

Luke nodded to Chief Jameson’s wife, sitting in the front row and glancing at her watch. “Is Katie all right? She looks a little pale.”

Jordan’s wife had her blond hair in a French braid that fell over her right shoulder. Her blue eyes continued to bounce between her watch and the door her husband should have entered at least fifteen minutes ago.

“I noticed that, too, but when I asked, she said she was fine, just feeling a little under the weather and that she and Jordan had an errand to run after the ceremony so she thought she’d just come watch.”

“She’s always been crazy about the dogs,” Luke said. “And Jordan likes having her here.” He glanced around. “Speaking of Jordan, where is he?”

Zach shrugged, blue eyes narrowed as he watched his sister-in-law. “Katie’s wondering that, too. He’s usually here by now, going over his notes or shaking hands—and paws—with the soon-to-be new graduates.”

Sophie broke free of her concerned friends and headed for the stage. Luke and Bruno followed her up the steps and to the podium. “Where’s Jordan?” Luke asked. “Did he say anything about running late?”

“No. At least not before I was snatched.” Her hand shook slightly as she reached for the red folder. “Let’s see what my kidnapper found so fascinating about Jordan’s notes.” She flipped the folder open and an envelope fell to the floor. Frowning, she retrieved it, slipped a finger under the flap and pulled out the paper inside. Her eyes scanned it and she gasped, the color leeching from her cheeks.

“Sophie?” Luke hurried the last few steps to her side, thinking the knock on her head had finally caught up to her. “Are you okay? You need to sit down?”

“No.” She stared at the letter, and Luke frowned. No, she wasn’t okay, or no, she didn’t need to sit down? He stepped behind her to read over her shoulder.

I can’t go on anymore. Please make sure Katie is taken care of. Jordan Jameson.

Sophie fought to catch her breath. “This reads like a—a—” She couldn’t say it.

“Suicide note,” Luke finished for her, his brows drawn tightly over the bridge of his nose.

“No,” she whispered. “He wouldn’t.” Her eyes met Katie’s. Jordan’s wife frowned even though she was too far away to know what was going on.

But one thing was certain. Jordan had too much to live for to take his own life. Just last week Katie had walked into headquarters to meet Jordan for lunch and then suddenly made a mad dash past Sophie’s desk and into the restroom. Concerned, Sophie had followed only to hear Katie throwing up.

“Are you all right?” she’d asked when the woman had finally emerged from the stall and finished with the sink.

Katie had checked under each stall, then turned to Sophie and grinned. “We’re alone, so I can tell you that I’m absolutely perfect.”

At first, Sophie could only blink. Then gasp. “You’re pregnant!”

“Shh!” Katie had held a finger to her lips. “I haven’t told anyone yet.”

“What about Jordan?”

“He knows, but no one else. We’re kind of in shock, but it’s thrilling and we’re really just savoring the moment, you know? We plan to tell everyone soon. Probably after the first trimester.”

“Good for you.” Sophie had hugged her friend. “I won’t tell a soul. What did Jordan say when you told him?”

“He was over-the-moon excited.”

“Wouldn’t what? Sophie? Hello?” Noah Jameson’s voice brought Sophie back to the present.

She blinked away the memory and her gaze lifted to meet Luke’s, then slid around the others who’d gathered in front of her, their expressions confused and slightly wary. All except Noah’s. She never could read him.

Sophie passed him the note. Noah read it, his expression shutting down even more, then passed it to his brothers. “You’re right. He wouldn’t .”

“No, he definitely wouldn’t,” Zach said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call him, and he’ll straighten this out.” They waited in silence as Zach stood and punched in his brother’s number, blue eyes narrowed. He ran a hand through his hair and pressed the device to his ear, his rising tension adding to the thickness already surrounding them all.

Seconds ticked.

“Answer the phone, Jordan,” Sophie whispered.

But Zach was already lowering the device. “It went straight to voice mail.”

“No,” Sophie said. “That’s not possible. He never turns his phone off. Especially not on a day like this. Straight to voice mail? That scares me a little.” A lot .

“It’s scaring Katie, too,” Noah said with a glance at his sister-in-law, who watched them from her first-row seat in the auditorium. Too far away to hear the conversation, yet close enough to know something serious was going on and Sophie knew they were going to have to fill her in.

As though Sophie’s gaze compelled her, Katie stood and walked toward them. Noah met her in front of the stage. “What is it? You’re all acting weird and being super secretive.”

“Can you call Jordan?” Noah asked.

“Why?”

“We need to know where he is and I’m sure if he’s got his phone on the Do Not Disturb setting for whatever reason, he’ll have it programmed so that you’ll ring right through.”

A door slammed in the back and laughter reached them.

“Let’s move out of the auditorium,” Sophie said. “People are starting to arrive and we’ll have more privacy in the room next door.”

She led the way into a room that held three sofas and a couple of chairs. A full kitchen dominated the back wall to allow for catered events. All of this registered in a nanosecond before they surrounded Katie and waited for her to dial Jordan’s number.

With a frown, Katie did as requested, listened for a moment, then hung up. “It went straight to voice mail.” Her eyes darted from one brother to the next.

Sophie’s nerves tightened, and Katie’s gaze landed on hers. Sophie knew what her friend was thinking. Jordan never turned off his phone. Ever. And if for some reason, he decided to do so, he’d let someone know in advance. Especially in case Katie needed to reach him.

“He’s not answering her either,” Noah murmured. “I don’t believe this. This isn’t good.”

“I have the password to his phone, so I can track it,” Katie said. “He always wants me to be able to locate him if I need to. I’ve never used it before. I’ve never had to.”

“Then I’d say this would be a good time to do it,” Luke said. “Do you mind seeing what you can find out?”

“Of course.” She punched in the digits, then lifted her gaze to meet his and the others who’d gathered around her.

“What is it?” Luke asked. “Can you tell us where he is?”

“Something’s wrong. It says his phone’s offline, but it shouldn’t be. He’s never offline.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m starting to get really scared. What’s going on?”