Page 64 of Diamond in the Rough

“Boss?”

“Where is Jake? Is he okay?”

The silence spoke more than words, and Maddox gawped. The relief vanished, and he was back to feeling the chill of hopelessness.

“Amber…”

“He’s in hospital.”

“What—why? What the hell happened?”

“He got knocked down a week ago.”

Maddox clutched his forehead. “Knocked down by who?”

“The blond bitch and Billy made an appearance at Carl’s funeral, and I’m not sure what happened exactly, but it ended in Jake being run down. I not-so-politely contacted Dr Zoe…”

“Her debt to me was paid the last time Jake got hurt. She doesn’t owe me anything.”

“Apparently she has a soft spot for Jake if you can believe it, managed to get him put under her care.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, nasty concussion. He was lucky—”

“Lucky!”

Ernie poked his head inside the cell. “Wanna keep it down?”

Maddox closed his eyes. “Have you gone to see him?”

“I can’t.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Billy’s got a bedside vigil.”

Maddox pressed his teeth together and growled, “What did you say?”

“Zoe said he’s hovering around the hospital. She keeps asking him to leave, but he’s claiming he’s a concerned friend of Jake’s. She said Jake’s confused by the whole situation and doesn’t know whether Billy’s telling the truth or not. He’s really vulnerable right now.”

Maddox felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. He curled forward and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I want them dead.”

“I know, Boss, but it’s hard to get near them. I’m on my own out here.”

“Amber, I need to know if Tom missed the shot on purpose?”

She sighed. “I haven’t spoken to him. He’s vanished.”

“So he’s another one like Ian and Lewis. A snake.”

“He didn’t miss. Billy was wearing a bulletproof jacket.”

“But he’s disappeared, hasn’t he? Innocent people don’t run.” Maddox shook his head. “He’s not our main concern at the minute. We’ve gotta get Jake out of there. See if Zoe can get him transferred.”

“There’s got to be a reason, and there isn’t one. This is the closest hospital to his address and closest to his next of kin.”

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