his depth perception was okay, otherwise he’d end up in a room next to his wife. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.
Brooke took the seat beside him, and reached over and took his hand, squeezing it, causing his eyes to water. There were so many unanswered questions. How had this happened? Why? Who had done it? And would Katherine be okay?
Maybe a few seconds passed, and maybe minutes. But finally Joseph found his voice. “Brooke?” he uttered, his voice croaking. He cleared his throat and found he couldn’t get the words out. She squeezed his hand, letting him know she’d wait, that he could take all the time he needed. It was odd to be on the receiving end of such comfort when he was normally the person administering it.
“What is it, Joseph?” she finally asked when the silence stretched on for too long. He wondered if that was the voice Brooke used with her patients. It was calm, and kind, and did have a way of soothing him.
He cleared his throat and tried again. “What happened? What do you know? How? Please . . . tell me . . .” He paused again as he fought tears. “Please tell me anything you can. You might find it small, but it could be the break in the case.”
Brooke looked beaten as she maintained eye contact. She then exhaled as he saw her thinking over the past hour. It had been one of the longest of his life, but he was sure it had been just as bad for her as she’d been with his Katherine, feeling utterly helpless.
He sat up straighter as he tried getting stronger. His wife needed him to be the man he’d always been. She needed him to not fall apart. He had to work on that and stay in the here and now, not letting his mind take him to the worst-case scenario. He couldn’t go anywhere; he had to be with his wife.
“I don’t know who or why besides what Katherine told me about a possible drug deal,” she finally said. “I saw Katherine walking away from her favorite place near the lake. I was excited to see her since she’d called me the night before, but I hadn’t been able to talk as Finn and I were walking from the house to go on a date. She told me she wanted to hear all about it before ending the call. Finn and I had such a beautiful night and I couldn’t wait to share with her.” She stopped as tears choked her voice.
“I was lost in my thoughts when I moved down the trail, then lost sight of Katherine. I stopped for a few minutes when I saw a mother raccoon with her babies stumbling after her. If I hadn’t stopped I would’ve been there sooner . . .” She gasped as tears fell down her cheeks.
“Do not blame yourself,” Joseph said, this time squeezing her hand, comforting her. He knew how guilt could eat away at a person’s soul, and this was in no way Brooke’s fault.
“I know that logically, but I was excited to talk to her, and then to get distracted by something that silly. I don’t think it was so much the animals as it was that I also know Katherine truly enjoys alone time by that lake. I was giving her a few extra minutes before I bombarded her. Of course, as much as she enjoys her alone time, she also loves speaking to each of us about our romantic life. I know I’m babbling here, but I just wish I would’ve been there sooner.”
“Go on, Brooke. I want to hear it all,” he told her. “And I’m grateful you were there. If you hadn’t seen her, if you hadn’t gotten to her, I don’t know what would’ve happened.” A shudder passed through him.
“When I turned the final corner, I saw two men standing over Katherine,” Brooke finally said, barely able to talk through her tears. “I couldn’t see their faces. But one of the men had shoulder length dark hair. The other was slightly taller and far skinnier. I yelled at them while pulling out my phone and dialing nine one one. They fled as I drew near.”
She stopped again and caught her breath. “I called you next and then tried to help, but I didn’t know what they’d done to her and I didn’t know how long they’d been there. It couldn’t have been more than