Chapter Twelve
Hours later, Ray was in the doctors' lounge, getting some coffee.
"Hey, Ray? Have you seen Neela? She was supposed to be on at seven with Abby." Luka asked, walking in the lounge. "It's almost eight now."
Ray shook his head. "No, I've been here since five and up to my neck in traumas. Try upstairs?" He hadn't thought anything of her absence in the ER but now that he knew Luka hadn't seen her either, he was curious. Picking up the phone at the admit desk, he dialed home only to get the answering machine.
"Hi! You've reached Ray and Neela, please leave a message and we'll get back to you." He heard the familiar message playing. "Maybe."
Trying to hide his worried, he gently hung up and phone, only to pick it up again and dial her cell phone number.
"MVA coming in, 58 year old male." Sam announced.
"Frank, can you page Neela down here, please? 911." He asked before running off to help Sam.
xXxXx
"Time of death, 8:32am." Ray announced, snapping his gloves off twenty minutes later. "Is there any family?"
Sam shook her head. "None living."
Ray nodded and headed out of the trauma room but stopped. "Hey, Sam, you haven't heard from Neela today, have you?"
"No, why?" Sam looked worried.
"She's not answering her phone or pages. I know she didn't feel well after we left your apartment but she was sleeping fine."
"Oh God, you don't think?"
Ray realized what she was saying and mentally slapped himself for not thinking about it earlier. "I need to get home and check."
"Go! I'll tell Weaver," Sam said, "and Ray?"
He stopped to turn and face her.
"Be careful."
"I will." Ray nodded and took off running.
"Where the hell is Barnett going?" Kerry demanded.
"Neela's missing." Sam said simply.
"Oh no… you don't think?" Kerry turned as white as a ghost.
"We don't know." She replied. "Neela wouldn't answer his phone calls or pages, so he went home to check."