Page 40 of Shadow Touched

“I’m at the hospital. My truck is at theMain Street Diner.”

“Okay, hang on. I’m on my way.”

The line went dead, leaving Brim sittingthere. Waiting. The clock ticked by so very slow. He fell intocounting every second the hand clicked over. At some point Thornslid into the seat next to him.

“I had one of the prospects take your truckback home,” he said. “How’s Leia?”

“I don’t know,” Brim replied. He ran a handover his face. “They’re still back there with her. She better notfucking die, Thorn, or I will burn this place down.”

“What the hell happened?”

“A car hit her,” Brim said. “She saved me bypushing me out of the way, but it got her.”

Thorn blinked. “Wait. What? This wasdeliberate?”

“Very much so.”

“Did you get a look at the driver?”

Brim shook his head. “All I saw was a blacksedan. So fucking cliché.”

“Do you think it’s McKeighan?”

“No.”

Thorn studied him for a moment. “You knowsomething. What is it?”

Brim sighed. “You can’t tell anyone in theclub. I shouldn’t be telling you, but I have to trust someone.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

He looked at his V.P. “I need to know that Ican trust you.”

“I hope that’s a fucking joke and not adirect stab at my loyalty,” Thorn said a bit testily.

Brim stared him in the eyes, assessing him.He realized he had no choice. “I know what happened toKnuckles.”

Thorn raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“He’s dead.”

“What the fuck? How?”

“I killed him.”

Thorn stood up, holding his hands out. “Whatthe actual fuck?”

“Shh,” a nurse said as she walked by.

“Sit down,” Brim ordered sharply. Thorndropped back into his chair. “I was at the cabin the entire time Iwas nomad. Several times I had traveled to the bar where Leiaworked. One night she warned me I was going to die, and I fuckinglistened. I snuck behind the man waiting to shoot me in the head.After I killed him, I realized it was Knuckles.”

“This makes no sense. I mean, I know you haddifferences, but why would he try to kill you?”

“That is the question Leia and I have beentrying to figure out.”

“Are you sure she’s not in on it? I mean,she warned you. How else did she know he was out there?”

“I thought the same thing at first. Evenkidnapped her over it, but if she was working with Knuckles, thenwhy warn me?” He took a deep breath. “Okay, here’s the part whereyou have to keep an open mind. Leia … she has a gift. She can seethe shadow of death on people. That’s why she warnedme.”

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