Page 72 of The Devil's Wrath

“No, it’s not that. I can’t put my finger on it.” I rubbed my temples, willing the memory to surface.

“Well, don’t worry about it now. You’ve done everything you can for her,” Everly said gently.

I nodded as I leaned against the wall for support. The adrenalinewas wearing off, replaced by a bone-deep weariness. “What are you doing?”

“She had a phone in her pocket, and there’s an emergency contact on the medical information screen, so I’m calling to see if they can tell me who she is.”

“Any news on her?” I asked.

“She had a splenic hemorrhage, but Dr. Pearson is a surgical god, and he is in the process of repairing it. The last update said the surgery is almost complete, and then she will be on her way to the PACU.”

“Wow. That’s great news.” I smiled and sat next to Everly to chart while she punched in a number on the phone.

“Uhm, hi. This is Everly from Riverview General Hospital. I’m a nurse caring for a female patient named Haven Benson, and you were her emergency contact on her cell phone. Can I ask who I am speaking to?” She was silent for a few seconds. “Unfortunately, Ms. Benson is currently in surgery to repair a splenic hemorrhage caused by a gunshot wound. I was actually calling to gain some clarification, hopefully.”

Silence, then she continued.

“Yes, sir. Ms. Benson was found near the ambulance bay of our emergency department, and the police are hoping to talk to someone who might know how she got shot.”

More silence.

“She was found unconscious and was unable to provide any details. Can you tell me your relationship to Ms. Benson so I can update her chart?” Everly clicked into the woman’s chart.Haven Benson.“Are you still there, Mr. Montgomery?”

Montgomery? I know I’ve heard that name somewhere.

“Thank you for providing that information. Is this a good contact number for updates on her condition?” A pause. “As long as the surgery goes well, you can come to the PACU on the fifth floor, where she will be monitored until she is stable. It looks like her recovery room will be 5022.”

She typedKai Montgomeryinto the contact section of Haven’s chart with a phone number.

“Yes, off Fifth and Jones.”

Kai Montgomery was in The Brotherhood with Theo. I stepped away from the desk and immediately grabbed my phone, dialing Theo’s number frantically. His phone rang several times before going to voicemail. Frustrated, I hung up and tried again. Voicemail.

I spoke quietly, not wanting Everly to overhear. “Hey, Theo. There’s a girl named Haven at the hospital who came in with a gunshot wound. Her contact was Kai Montgomery. I think that’s the same Kai you’ve told me about. Call me back, okay?”

Hours crept by with no answer from Theo. I texted him several times, growing more anxious with each unanswered message. Everly called to let me know that Haven was out of surgery and doing well in recovery. When my shift finally ended, I grabbed my bag and headed upstairs to check on Haven.

TWENTY-FOUR

THEO

After the mission to save Mila went awry, with Haven choosing to stay behind, I spent hours gathering as much information on Haven as possible for Kai’s sake. Poor fucker was a mess, pacing and drinking in frustration. It was taking longer than expected to regain access to The Collectors’ systems. I assumed they had discovered they’d been hacked and all cameras were offline so they could handle the damage control and prevent further breaches. In the meantime, I would wait patiently until their systems were back online and help Kai find closure, one way or another.

Several hours had passed, and Kai’s agitation had only grown. He alternated between furious tirades, despondent silences, and watching Archer and Mila with a sad expression, the whiskey in his glass gradually diminishing. I kept my distance, knowing that any attempt at consolation would be met with a snarl and a string of expletives.

My eyelids grew heavy, and I fell asleep on the couch, my dreams instantly bringing me into Wrenly’s arms. I was about to bury myself inside her when Kai roughly shook my shoulders.

“I was having such a good dream until I woke up to see your ugly mug.” I rubbed my eyes with a groan.

“Can you drive this ugly mug to Riverview General Hospital in the city?”

Wrenly’s hospital.

“Why can’t you drive yourself?”

“Because I drank too much. Come on, man. Get up. It’s an emergency.”

“Kai, what in the hell is an emergency at 4 a.m.?”

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