Page 63 of All of Me

“The cops found Gary Bruin’s body in a dumpster,” Diesel added. “The cops have three witnesses to say Bruin was flashing cash about, so they think it was an unrelated robbery. Ryan insists he had nothing to do with him after giving him cash to poison the dogs so Ryan could go and snoop for anything that might tell him what happened to the gun. Quite fittingly, it turns out Albert never had it as you heard, which is understandable considering he was arrested immediately.”

“What about Starr?” Diesel knew I didn’t mean Drake.

“The cops are obviously suspicious there’s a connection with Dodson’s death but they’re waiting for tox screens as they have the syringe. Two other cops have admitted to being threatened by Starr, both of whom have admitted to altering the station’s CCTV so Starr wasn’t caught, but apparently Gael and Danny think the tapes are recoverable. Ryan has admitted bribing Starr’s wife over the years to get the rezoning, and obviously Starr knew. It seems that Starr took a little too much initiative to make sure their personal ATM wasn’t locked up. Looks like it might actually have been Starr who fired on you two in the parking lot.”

I gaped. “Drake’s dad?” He’d be devastated.

Diesel seemed to read my mind as usual, and his hand fell on my shoulder. “Ringo knows what a useless ass his father is. He won’t be surprised.” Diesel smiled. “I’m getting you some clothes and things. If it’s okay, Pink’s going to take both Tammy and Maxie back home with her while you’re in here. Oh, and Danny took a call from her therapist’s assistant saying you’d missed her appointment, but it’s all smoothed over and he scheduled another appointment in ten days.”

I wasn’t even sure what day it was.

I looked up as a different nurse headed toward us to tell us the doctors had finished if we wanted to go back in, and that Dr. Cramer had five minutes if we wanted to see him. Diesel glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. “You go,” I urged. “Just come and tell me.” I wanted to get back to Drake.

It was a long night. I got a cot brought in, but I didn’t lie down. I was still mainlining god-awful coffee the next morning when Danny, Sadie, and Kane arrived with another change of clothes for me, so I took five minutes for a shower and shave.

I was surprised to see Sadie, but apparently as a registered service animal, she was allowed anywhere Danny went.

When I got back, they were both standing in the corridor and my heart jumped when I saw the blinds to his room were closed. “It’s okay,” Danny said immediately. “They’ve been lightening the sedation and are checking if they can take the tube out.”

When the curtains opened, Drake no longer had the tube coming out of his mouth but had a clear tube for oxygen fastened so the prongs were under his nose. One of the nurses from yesterday was just entering something into the tablet she held, and she smiled at me. “He should wake up soon, so just keep talking to him.”

I thanked her. Kane went to find snacks and some tea for Danny, so Danny kept me company for a while.

“Tammy likes Pink. It’s a good thing they met the other day. Kane told her you were out helping Drake and would see her soon.”

I sighed. “You think she’ll be okay?” I was worried she might think another adult had vanished from her life.

He smiled. “Wait till my mom sees her. She’s going to have more family than she knows what to do with.”

Good. That was good.

Danny and Kane left after an hour, so I just sat and watched Drake breathe.

I knew somehow I’d fallen asleep when I moved my head and winced at the crick in my neck as I sat up. I was still holding Drake’s hand though, and I glanced up, only to find his green eyes open and watching me. “Baby,” I whispered without thinking, smiling widely.

He smirked, then croaked. “You look like shit.”

I tried to laugh, but it came out as a sob and, horrified, I jumped to my feet, but Drake’s grip was strong in mine. “I’ll get the nurse.”

“They’ve been in,” he said. “I opened my eyes, and you were the first thing I saw.”

I wasn’t sure how to take that. “Danny, Diesel and everyone’s been by. Tammy’s with Pink.”

He tugged on my hand. “You’re too far away.” I stepped closer, but he shook his head. “I’m injured, so you need to get on the bed so I don’t have to come to you.”

I gazed at him in horror. “I can’t get in bed with you. It’ll hurt—”

“Good drugs,” he interrupted. “Either you get on here so I can hold you, or I’m going to have to try to get out of bed.”

“No,” I squeaked out and gave in because I wanted nothing more than to be in his arms, even if I was convinced the nurses would throw me out when they saw. So, I very carefully and gingerly got on the bed next to him, hardly daring to touch or tomove, until he grunted and pulled me closer. “That’s better,” he said and relaxed.

“Drake—”

“I liked it when you called me baby,” he murmured.

“You were shot,” I whispered. “It was my fault.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Garcia was going to shoot Albert. You tried to disarm everyone, then you carried me here, saving my life.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

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