Page 89 of Walking the Edge

They crossed the street as the crowd dispersed. Lots of spectators flowed down the dark street where they’d parked. The night reverberated with the voices of people joking and laughing—and blocking their path. She wanted to elbow her way around them, but to do that she’d have to bushwhack through shrubbery. “Is that sponge thing doing any good?”

“It’ll work. Give it time.”

His truck came into view. Mitch pushed his hand into a pocket and winced. She held out her hand. “Give me the keys.”

“What’s my reward?” He dropped the keys into her palm, his teasing baritone brimming with lewd undertones. “I get one, don’t I?”

Did men automatically search for something life-affirming after a brush with death?

Because Mitch might keel over and die on her right here. Neither of them knew the extent of his wound. She yanked open the truck’s passenger door. “Get in and stop giving me lip.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“To get you stitched up. Where else?”

* * *

A door closed somewhere in the hospital parking garage, and the hairs on the back of her neck bristled. Cath hadn’t heard any footsteps and she heard the same nothing now. Who did she expect? The masked men?

They hadn’t followed her and Mitch. She’d been watching.

The lid of the storage box in Mitch’s truck creaked, and she paused to listen again. Jeans and a tee lay right on top. She grabbed them, locked up, and hurried back to the ER.

The police had already responded to her 911 call, and she found Detective LeNoux inside Mitch’s exam room with his report book on his hip.

The detective looked her way before turning back to Mitch. “That’s all you can tell me?”

“It was dark. They wore fancy Carnival masks”—Mitch raised his hands to convey eyeholes—“over a stocking. Or a ski mask. One of them was stocky. Medium height.”

Detective LeNoux made a note on his digital device. “What about the other shooter?”

“Taller. Skinnier.” Mitch squeezed the bandage on his bicep. The white gauze looked obscene on the tanned muscles exposed by the patient gown.

“Can you add anything, ma’am?” LeNoux raised his eyebrows at her.

Why were studly males calling her ma’am now? Cath hugged Mitch’s extra clothes to her chest. “It happened so fast. I wouldn’t be able to identify them with or without masks. They must have used silencers. If that helps.”

“They could be the same guys who tried to kidnap Cath at the cemetery.” Mitch shifted on the exam table and jerked up his chin. “That was three days ago. How about an update?”

The policeman put on a no-comment face. “The investigation is continuing, but tonight could be someone different.”

Really? “I doubt these are random attacks.”

“Probably not, ma’am. Let me know if you remember anything else.” LeNoux pocketed his device and left.

“I refuse to believe there are four of these guys.” She closed the exam room door and caught the scowl on Mitch’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“I told you not to go anywhere.”

She shrugged. “I must have missed that.”

“Not aloud, but I thought you were a smart woman.”

“I am.” She twirled. “What you see is what you get.”

“We could have been followed here.” His long mouth thinned.

“I watched the mirrors and didn’t see anyone.” No way did he need to know about her mini freak-out in the garage. “You will please notice I got us to the hospital in one piece.”

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