Chapter 60

Luke’s POV

Somebody notices Dean's gone maybe ten minutes after he slips out. I don't know who first — just suddenly everyone's saying his name, checking around the venue, and my own texts to him are sitting there unanswered, delivered but not read.

"He wouldn't," Frank says, already knowing he would. "Tell me he wouldn't just—"

"He would."

Kessler's already on her phone, calling her guys who are supposed to be scouting the location, and the second she gets an answer her whole face changes.

"Move," she says. "Now."

Frank's already halfway to his truck. I'm right behind him, and Kessler's climbing into her own car, barking something into her radio about units, about backup, and none of it fully lands until we're actually moving, tires spitting gravel behind us.

"What did they say?" Frank asks, voice too tight, following her ta