Page 139 of Riordan's Revenge

Alone, I stewed in my misery. An hour passed, or maybe more. Lonnie appeared in the hall but stepped out when I glowered his way.

It was only when the friendly medic returned to the nurses’ station that I dragged myself up.

The older woman lifted her gaze on my approach. Then her eyes crinkled at the edges. In sympathy?

My heart thundered. “What’s happened? Can ye tell me anything?”

The woman shot a look to the right to where another nurse crossed the corridor. “I’m sorry, I already told you I can’t comment on a patient’s care without their consent.”

The second person disappeared into a room.

I swung my focus back. “Please,” I whispered.

“Out of surgery,” she whispered back and picked up a pen, pretending to write something on a whiteboard.

I sidled closer.

“Alive?” I barely breathed the word.

“In recovery. Come back this afternoon and you can ask to see her. She should be awake.”

I sagged against the station. Awake meant the surgery must’ve gone well. The potential to be awake later today meant she hadn’t died.

The nurse patted my hand then repeated loudly that I really should come back in visiting hours when the patient could consent to sharing information.

Weak with relief, pain, and everything in between, I stumbled back to a seat. For a long minute, I held my head in my hands and swam in the mix of happiness and horror at what my friend must’ve endured.

I’d avenge her. I’d hunt down whoever did this.

My phone buzzed.

I fished it out and checked the screen, then did a double take.

Unknown: I heard you’re searching for me. Now you have my number.

I stared, ice sliding down my spine. How eerie. Who the hell?—?

“Miss Archer,” a voice hailed me from the ward entrance.

Detective Dickhead sauntered my way. In a rumpled dark-coloured shirt and suit trousers, the arsehole cop looked like he’d fallen out of a club to investigate the crime. Lonnie stepped into view, but I rolled my eyes and waved him off.

“Kenney,” I snipped.

“You know the drill, eyewitness.”

“Not in the mood right now.”

“And I wish I was still balls-deep in the pretty young thing who was on my dick when I got the call, but we can’t have everything.”

I exhaled irritation. “Fuck, and I can’t stress this enough, all the way off.”

His gaze sharpened and sank over me. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you alone.”

My phone buzzed again.

Unknown: It’s Cassandra, by the way. Or Ma, I guess. Is there somewhere private you can go to call me?

I scrambled back and nearly lost my footing. My pulse thumped so loud in my ears that I couldn’t hear anything else Kenney said.

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