Page 22 of The Killer Who Kept Me

“No need to apologize.”

I wanted to break every bone in Ramsey Brookes’s body, put him back together, and do it again.

“Why don’t we get you in the house and fed? And my doctor would like to check you out.”

He didn’t argue. Something told me Em didn’t have much of a voice in his life, so vocalizing anything wasn’t easy or even something he did, ever.

I helped him inside. Benny held the door, and I walked him toward my library since it was the closest place to the door.

“Wow,” Em breathed. “This is even nicer than Ramsey’s library.”

“Would it be childish of me to say ha ha ha?”

Em chuckled as he got comfortable on the couch. Cosmo brought over a pillow so we could elevate his foot.

“It would be, but you’re allowed.”

“Paulo is here whenever you’re ready,” Benny said, and I motioned for him to let him in.

“Let’s get this part done with. I’ll have food made while he’s doing his thing—any allergies?”

“You don’t have to go to all the trouble. I can?—”

“I want to. Now, allergies?”

“No.”

The door opened, and Paulo came through with his black medical bag and a bright smile.

“Hello, Em. My name is Paulo. Do you mind if I check you out?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Cosmo is going to stay here; I’m just going to go see about food for you.”

Em nodded and winced when Paulo started removing the poorly made splint on Em’s hand.

“Be right back.”

Benny was outside the door. “Can you run to the kitchen and ask them to make a plate for Em?”

“Anything in particular?”

“Something light. Something tells me he doesn’t eat a whole lot. I don’t want to make him sick.”

Benny’s eyes glittered with the same hate I was feeling. “On it, Boss.”

I moved toward my study and called Mike.

“Hey, Boss.”

“Mike, listen to me.”

“Always do.”

“You need to focus all your attention on Ramsey Brookes. I want to know all his movements. Everything from what toilet paper he’s buying to every phone call he’s making.”

“You got it, anything else?”

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