Page 164 of Bad Blood

Hudson’s eyes snap up to mine, guarded and cold. His frustration is rolling off him like a heatwave. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but having her return to our table again was not on the list. He dumps two packets of sugar into his coffee and stirs while we wait in awkward silence.

I sneak a glance past him when the bell over the door signifies an incoming patron. A brief glance at the couple causes a slow churn in the pit of my stomach. Something about them feels familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it. Do I recognize him? Or maybe it’s her? I picked this location because there’s no way we could be caught, but the jittery feeling in my chest tells me it’s time to go.

The waitress drops off the jelly without a word, the tension at our table evident. I slather the red goop onto my toast and go to take a bite when he finally clears his throat.

“You have forty-eight hours,” he says with an authority that doesn’t leave room to argue.

My teeth sink into the bread, jelly smearing across my top lip. I don’t know what Hudson thinks I can get done in two days, but it’s not a lot, considering I just found the list, and Kline’s going to figure out that it’s missing.

“Give me longer than that.” I scoop a bite full of egg onto my fork and shove it into my mouth, looking up to see him watching me.

“That’s not possible.”

“Why not?”

“There are only two of you left on that list. And if you’re right, you could be next.”

“But we’ve never dated,” I say after I wash down the toast with my coffee. “And I don’t fit the bill.”

“You have dark-brown hair, hazel eyes, you’re a doctor”—he ticks off the list finger by finger—“you worked on most of his cases, and he’s suspicious that you’re on to him. I don’t like the odds.”

He has relevant points. A lot of them.

“I can handle myself.” The squeeze of Kline’s hand on my ankle and the threat in his eyes resurfaces in my mind. Once he finds out his list is gone, what will he do?

“That doesn’t matter.” He settles his elbows on the table and steeples his fingers beneath his chin. There’s no mistaking the worry in his eyes. “This is getting out of hand.”

His comment doesn’t scratch the surface, but I can’t give him what I’ve found out yet. I don’t need him jumping the gun until I get a confirmation. I can’t change what happened to the victims, but I can make sure to get all I can to back up my theory.

“Kline went out with Carrie, Jessie, and Tara within a couple of days of their murders. And he’s mentioned the shooting range on more than one occasion.” Goosebumps snake over my skin like the trail of a hot flame—my taking that list means everything could be jeopardized.

“We already have that information.”

I take a slice of bacon and scoot to the edge of the booth. “But I have a plan.” More like bits and pieces, but it’s a start.

Hudson grabs my arm as I stand, and I get that stomach-dropping feeling. “And I can’t promise to keep you safe anymore.”

“I can get you what you need.” I swallow the knot in my throat as he uses me to pull himself to stand, our meals forgotten. My eyes stay glued to his hand before they trail down his jeans and back to his face. I can appreciate that he isn’t dressed in his detective attire, but something about his lack of khakis makes him a little more intimidating.

“I don’t like the look on your face.” His fingers loosen, and he frowns.

“You’re going to have to trust me. Phillip’s loyalty to Kline is more than I bargained for, but I can get him to talk. Give me ‘til Wednesday.”

The combination of Kline’s need for money and the timing of his divorce provides a compelling explanation for his reason behind the malpractice. I’m convinced I can find a motive that ties the murders to the malpractice and directly implicates him in the crimes.

“Please tell me you don’t intend on putting yourself in danger.” His frown doubles in size.

“I just need to get Kline to think I know more than I do.”

“And then what?”

“I’ll figure it out once I get there.”

He leans his shoulder against the wall behind him after he drops a twenty on the table. “Wednesday.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. I don’t know if it’s long enough. But I think I can pull this off.

Everything depends on Kline.

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