Page 9 of Cipher

Straightening my spine, I recounted the entire call while Cipher watched me with unnerving focus.

When I finished, he nodded. “That’s all for now.”

Before he could turn and walk away, I murmured, “Wait.”

“You have more information?”

After three weeks of silence, and then our softer interactions the night before, I resented that the only thing he seemed to want from me today was data. But my feelings weren’t important here. Too much was at stake.

“I’ve been thinking about the rollover that replaced Nina’s call. It wasn’t random.” I lowered my voice so it wouldn’t carry across the room. “Whoever created that incident knew exactly where unit 2-Adam-9 was and how to pull them away without the deputy asking any questions. They used a rural mile marker on the east side of the county that gets frequent callouts for what are often accidents with serious injuries.”

I could practically see the wheels turning in Cipher’s mind. “Someone involved in the plan is familiar with Sable Canyon.”

“And my dad’s department specifically,” I added. He’d concluded that they knew dispatch procedures last night. But this was even more detailed than we’d realized. “To make that particular choice, they’d have to understand our response times, coverage gaps, and how dispatchers choose which unit to send.”

He came to the same conclusion I had. “It was the perfect fake incident.”

“Yes.”

His dark eyes narrowed in thought. “You’re saying the person who erased the call has local operational knowledge.”

I nodded. “The only options that make sense to me are that they either work here or they’ve been close enough to learn our patterns.”

Cipher pushed off the desk and straightened. “I’ll factor that in.”

I watched him walk toward the next person on his mental list, feeling an odd mix of pride that he’d actually listened and irritation because he hadn’t given any sign that he saw me differently from the other dispatchers and deputies he was grilling.

I did my best to ignore his deep voice over the next two hours, but I wasn’t very successful. When my dad came in and pulled Cipher aside a couple of hours later, I sighed in relief. But then I heard what Dad had to say.

“Nina’s been cleared for a short interview. I’m heading to the hospital now.”

I stood before he could finish. “I want to go with you.”

Dad’s brow furrowed. “Bex⁠—”

“She already trusts my voice. I was the one on the line with her when she needed help,” I pointed out, already grabbing my things because I refused to let him talk me out of this.

“I’m not sure the doctors will allow more than two people at a time.”

“I’ve been training in victim advocacy. She’s more likely to open up to me than to two men she’s never met, no matter how careful you are.” I jerked my thumb at Cipher. “Especially when one of them looks like him.”

My dad snorted, then nodded. “Fine. But you follow my lead if she starts to shut down.”

Cipher fell into step with us as we left the building, without remarking on what I’d said.

The drive to the hospital was quiet. I sat in the passenger seat of my dad’s Tahoe and tried not to notice how aware I was of Cipher’s motorcycle behind us. Yet again, I failed spectacularly. But at least I managed to paste a professional expression on my face when I climbed out of my dad’s SUV and headed into the hospital.

Nina was in a private room on the second floor, one arm in a sling and bruises already darkening along her cheek and jaw.

When my dad introduced each of us, and I greeted her, Nina’s eyes filled with recognition. “You’re the one who answered.”

“I am.” I pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down so we were at eye level. “You’re safe now, Nina. We’re just here to ask a few questions if you’re up for it.”

She nodded, but her breathing had already started to climb.

Drawing on my victim-advocacy training, I murmured, “It’s okay. We can go as slow as you need. Can you try breathing with me for a second? In through your nose…that’s it. And now out through your mouth.”

I walked her through a few cycles until some of the tension eased from her shoulders. My dad stayed by the door, and Cipher leaned against the wall next to him.