“Step away from the controls,” I said, my voice dangerously quiet.

The attendant blinked, his face turning pale. “Who are you? This is a restricted area.”

Sophia burst through the door behind me, her service weapon drawn but held low.

“Deputy Reyes,” she announced. “This facility is a crime scene. Step back immediately.”

The attendant raised his hands and walked away from the machine.

I walked over to the gurney and pulled back the white sheet.

Emily’s face was cold, her skin pale under the harsh fluorescent lights.

I touched her forehead, a knot tightening in my throat.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered. “I’m not letting them hurt you anymore.”

Sophia moved to the phone on the wall and dialed a number.

“This is Deputy Reyes,” she said into the receiver. “I need an immediate transport unit to St. Jude’s. Hold all paperwork.”

She hung up and looked at me. “The state police will secure her body now. Wade can’t touch her here.”

“Now we find Ava,” I said, covering Emily’s face once more.

We drove down to the docks in silence, the rain turning into a heavy coastal fog.