Page 10 of Claws and Feathers

Abby clung to him when Cooper began to release his hold. “No. Don’t leave me.” Her voice was raspy and desperate. She clutched even tighter. “Please.”

Jesus.Cooper felt his insides swell with something he couldn’t quite explain. “You’re safe,” he said. “I promise.”

“No, no, no.” Abby dug her fingernails into the back of his neck, burrowing her face into the crook of his armpit. Her body was tense, her grip unrelenting. “Don’t let me go.”

James Walker was at his side, attempting to untangle her from Cooper’s arms. “You’re in good hands, Miss Stone. Officer McAllister will meet you at the hospital shortly.”

“No!”

James, along with one of the EMT’s, peeled the traumatized woman out of Cooper’s grip as he watched helplessly.Goddamn, this was hard. Her eyes were wild and full of panic as they lowered her onto the gurney and strapped her in. Cooper linked his fingers behind his head, his jaw clenching in reaction to her fear. She needed him. Abbyneededhim. He was likely the first face she’d seen after two weeks of being some madman’s prisoner. He was, essentially, her hero. Cooper sighed, knowing she was finally safe as they wheeled her into the ambulance, and the doors closed her in.

He shared a glance with his partner. “Sorry,” Cooper said. He cleared his throat to reel in the wayward emotions that had him rattled. “I guess I kind of froze.”

James reached out a hand to squeeze Cooper’s shoulder. “They don’t train you for this shit. They couldn’t.” His gaze lingered, firm and poignant, before he turned towards his patrol car.

The ambulance lit up and pulled away from the isolated marsh as his team continued to examine the van. Cooper followed James, his line of sight still fixed on the ambulance. The sirens echoed right through him, mingling with the remnants of her cries.

No.There was no training in the world that could prepare him for Abigail Stone.

“Where is she?” Daphne raced through the hospital waiting room, her high heels clinking against the tile floor as she approached the main desk.

Cooper tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash can when he spotted her. “She’s stable,” he said, sauntering over to the frazzled redhead. “She has a long road ahead.”

Daphne raised a hand to her heart, bunching the fabric of her pantsuit between her fist. “My God. I can’t believe this. I can’t believe any of this.” She plopped down into a nearby chair and clutched her purse. “Did you catch the bastard who did this to her?”

He gave her a dispirited shake of his head, then ran his fingers through his thick hair. Whoever kidnapped and tortured Abby had either abandoned the van and his victim, or he’d conveniently been absent during the search and rescue. “No, but we will.”

“How can you be sure?” she asked with incredulous exasperation.

Cooper’s eyes narrowed. His mind flashed to the moment those van doors swung open and he saw her. The sun had cast such a cheerful light upon her – a beacon of hope. A promise of brighter days ahead. Abby had survived. And yet, her body lay crumpled, her spirit shattered. She had survived, but she was far fromalive. Someone would have to pay for that. “Because it’s my job,” he told her, his tone unshakeable. Resolute. “I won’t stop until I find him.”

Daphne softened and lowered her gaze. “She’s been through so much, you know? Losing her parents, her grandma. Her brother skipping out on her, her boyfriend cheating on her… I mean, how much can one person take? It doesn’t seem fair.”

Fair. What a ridiculous word. What a falsity.

“Officer McAllister?”

Cooper turned around to find a raven-haired woman in scrubs nodding her head at him, beckoning him to follow. She led him down the hospital corridor, then paused when they reached a quiet location. He crossed his arms and waited.

“I’m Doctor Everett. Sheila Everett,” she greeted, holding a clipboard to her chest. “Miss Stone is responding well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. She’s been through a hell of a lot.”

His eyes darted to one of the closed curtains across from them. “Is she awake?”

“She’s awake, but heavily medicated,” Dr. Everett replied. “She suffered a nasal fracture, cracked ribs, and was severely dehydrated. She’s lucky you found her when you did, or the woman would have died of dehydration.”

Cooper felt a shiver crawl up his spine. “Was she sexually assaulted?”

The doctor shook her head. “We found no evidence of rape or sexual assault. Your perp had a different motive in mind.”

Thank God.He had to take the wins wherever he could. “Can I see her?” Cooper’s own question took him off guard. He felt a distinct draw to her. An inherent pull. “Is she well enough?”

Dr. Everett drew her lips into a thin line. “Normally, I’d say no. But she asked for you.”

Cooper furrowed his brow, taken aback by the sentiment.

“I’d go easy on the questions. She’ll need more time before you interrogate her.”

“Of course.” Cooper followed the doctor across the hall, his boots thumping in time with his heartbeat.

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