a suicide. If he was behind Dustin’s death, he would have sent a suicide bomber and just blown up the hospital floor that Dustin was on. Or an assassin to put a hole in his head. He doesn’t go to the effort to plan his murders to look like suicides.” Caden flinched and Gavin wanted to bite his tongue. “Sorry, man. I shouldn’t have been so blunt.”
“It’s all right. I’m not one to dance around the facts.” A pause. “So, you don’t think Omar could have had anything to do with Dustin’s death?”
Gavin thought about it once more, trying to find a way to make it work. “No, I don’t. At least I can’t come up with a reason he’d choose to do it that way. It’s simply not the way he operates—at least it wasn’t when I was with him. It’s been a little over a year since that bombing.” He rubbed his eyes. “I suppose there’s an infinitesimal possibility that he changed the way he works, but I wouldn’t bet anything on it.”
For a moment, Caden simply stared at the floor and Gavin let him process. The man would speak when he was ready. He took the moment to text his sister.
Hey. Could we find some time to talk, please? Text or call me.
Footsteps sounded to his right, then Sarah appeared in the doorway. As always, she made his heart thud a little faster and a little harder just by being in his presence. He’d almost find it amusing if it didn’t disconcert him so much. Their one and only unforgettable kiss surged to the forefront of his mind, and it took effort to make it go away. Again.
“Hi,” he said, finally finding his tongue. Because he was all about making a good impression with his brilliant conversational skills. He gave a mental roll of his eyes and she quirked a smile at him.
“Hi.”
“What are you doing out of bed?” Caden asked.
“Being very careful.” She pressed a hand to her side and walked over to sit on the sofa next to Gavin. Once seated, she let her gaze touch on him, then Caden. “Don’t stop talking. I want to hear.”
“You just got your stitches out, Sarah, don’t push it.”
“I’m not. Now, what are you talking about?”
Caden rolled his eyes and she stuck her tongue out at him. Gavin couldn’t help the grin that wanted to break out but managed to smother it, even though he thought Sarah might have noticed.
Then she turned serious. “I need you to find her for me,” she said to Caden.
“I’ve already tried, Sarah. She’s not in the system—they’re saying she wasn’t even there.”
“What? Of course she was there. You’re FBI, Cade, try a little harder. I need to know she’s okay.”
“If she was a patient, I would have to use my FBI status to get information. I asked them to ring her room and they said they didn’t have a patient there by that name.”
“So, maybe she went home?”
He sighed. “And you don’t remember her last name?”
“No. She never gave it to me. I saw her. She said her name was Brianne. Dr. Kilgore and the nurse came in, and I was sent back to my room. Approximately forty-five minutes later, Brianne was gone and her room had been sanitized.” She stilled. “Where’s this hesitation in helping me coming from?”
Caden shrugged. “You’re obsessing over a complete stranger. I’m not sure it’s healthy.”
“I’m not obsessing, I’m concerned. And if you’d seen her, you would be too. Now, please, go do your FBI thing and track her down.” She flicked her hand, waving him away.
Gavin’s gaze ping-ponged between the siblings, his regret growing at the distance still between him and his own sister. Kaylynn often appeared like a meek little mouse and used to cry if he so much as looked at her cross-eyed. Which was understandable, he supposed. Even women he’d served with had often given him a wide berth before they’d gotten to know him. Now, Kaylynn didn’t cry. She just avoided him.
Much like Sarah had done. It had taken him aback so much that he’d actually tracked her down to make sure she was all right—and had found her eating and laughing with friends at one of the restaurants on base.
Hurt and confused, he’d left before she saw him.
The whole thing had bothered him because he had a feeling that she’d behaved in a manner completely contrary to the character of the woman he’d been getting to know.