As she wrapped up, her voice was wobbling. Strong as she was, she was barely holding herself together. Spending hours in a small, subterranean space would freak out even people who didn’t have claustrophobia—and plodding through a blizzard was a recipe for hypothermia.

All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hold her forever.

Not an impulse he could follow through on at the moment—but all bets were off after tonight.

“You need medical attention.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Cate, you—”

“The people who answered my knock here gave me blankets and are making me hot chocolate while the sheriff goes to get Kayla and I wait for my ride from County. Where are you?”

“At the office, but—”

“Get Wilson, Zeke. That has to be your top priority.”

Workwise, yes.

Nowhere close on the personal front.

“He’s not flying anywhere tonight. The airport’s shut down. We’ll dispatch agents to his house ASAP. Also to the airport, in case he’s hanging out there. Me included—if my boss agrees.”

“I don’t have my cell anymore, but I’ll borrow the phone from the officer who picks me up and call you once I’m back in town.”

“Go to an ER.”

“I’m warming up fine on my own.”

Since she was lucid, didn’t appear to be suffering from memory loss, or have slurred speech, it was unlikely her hypothermia was in the danger range.

“What about frostbite?”

“I was covered up. My toes may have a touch, but I’ve got my feet propped in front of a heater while I wait for my ride. Stop worrying about me and go get Wilson.”

He rubbed the back of his neck with an unsteady hand. The time for restraint was over. From now on, he was putting his feelings out on the table—come what may.

“Worry goes with the territory when you love someone.” His voice hoarsened as he finished.

“Zeke, I . . . I’m not in a position to respond to that.”

“Understood. But I want you to know that the past seven hours have been the worst of my life. Worse than the raid in Mexico where I took two bullets.”

“They were bad hours for me too.” Her tone was warmer. More intimate. “But also enlightening. We have a lot to discuss after this wraps up.”

“That could be in the next few hours, if you’re right about Wilson.”

“The sooner the better.”

“Amen to that.”

“I’ll call you after I’m back in town.”

The line went dead, and Zeke stood.

He’d be counting the hours until he saw Cate.

But in the meantime, they had a drug dealer to find and an arrest to make.

Yes!

Thanks to the diminishing storm, the status of his flight had changed from delayed to on time.

In five hours, he’d be in the air.