Page 80 of Deadly Avarice
Oh, I would because this was no longer an issue for Boone and me alone. The Director of the Magical Usage Council was now involved. Running through a hundred and one scenarios didn’t produce a single one where that fact worked out well.
Captain Cicely pulled through the open gates of Holy Trinity Cross Cemetery. The place was huge. “Where in the hell is he? Where do we start looking?”
Only one thing came to mind. “Boone’s rental.” I remembered what it looked like because Boone complained that it was boring white. Thankfully, this time of the evening combined with the time of year meant the cemetery was fairly empty. We found Boone’s car along with another one parked nearby.
With the captain’s healing magic flowing through my body, I practically jumped out of the vehicle and immediately screamed Boone’s name. My heart fell into the pit of my stomach when he didn’t answer.
Captain Cicely and I ran around gravestone markers, both of us shouting Boone’s name.
Nothing. The cemetery remained as silent as the bodies buried below. Frustration pounded in my head. While it wasn’t yet cold, the temperatures were falling as the sun set. Chilliness was settling in, as was the darkness. That darkness was pierced by warm light provided by Captain Cicely. Activated charms floating in the sky, she nodded and indicated I should keep looking.
I wandered, going hoarse from calling Boone’s name. My hope was failing to the point I actually contemplated calling Huxley back to see if he could narrow down where Boone was when I saw something glint in the light of the captain’s floating charms.
Running full speed, I rounded a tree, a large mausoleum looming on my left. There, lying in the grass, was Boone. Charms reflected in the grass around his body. But not just his body. There were two others. Beyond possible threats, I couldn’t have cared less about anyone who wasn’t Boone.
“Captain!” I shouted as I collapsed beside Boone. His skin was pale and a deep purple bruise bloomed along his neck and cheek. Wrists zip-tied behind his back, Boone’s hands were swollen and had an angry red tinge to them. “Boone.” I shook him and earned a muted groan making me dizzy with relief.
“You good, O’Hare?” Captain Cicely checked in on me before investigating the other two bodies.
“He’s alive.”Thank God. I pulled my pocketknife and sliced through the hated zip tie. Boone’s groan was louder this time. I didn’t know how long he’d been tied or how long he’d been on the ground. Rubbing his hands, arms, and shoulders, I tried to get his circulation pumping again.
“These two are dead,” Captain Cicely flatly stated. “There’s an odd pattern of bruising on them and their heads are at an odd angle.”
“Broken?” I asked.
“That’s my best guess. We’ll see what the ME has to say. Beyond alive, how’s Boone?” Captain Cicely walked to us and went down on her knees.
I started to roll Boone over, but the captain halted my actions. When I started to complain, she said, “We don’t know the extent of his injuries. It’s best to let the professionals handle this. He could have a fractured neck also. He’s not coherent enough to drink one of my healing potions and it wouldn’t work quickly enough if he has that kind of an injury.”
I frowned, knowing how much Boone hated going to the hospital. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything for it and said, “Call the ambulance.”
“Already on it,” Captain Cicely replied.
Leaning over his prone body, I kissed Boone’s forehead before working my way across his exposed cheek. “I’m gonna take care of you,” I whispered. “Don’t you dare leave me yet. I haven’t even had time to propose.” That thought hit me squarein the gut. Tomorrow wasn’t promised. Hell, today was often up for grabs. There were no guarantees, and I was through wasting time.
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Erasmus
Ugh.This was the second time this year waking up in the hospital. That was not a good record.
“Hey, sweetheart. You awake?” Momma’s worried eyes greeted me when I finally opened my own. “Ah, there are those beautiful green eyes I love so much.”
“M-momma,” I croaked, my throat arid.
“Who else would it be?” Momma winked before reaching over and grabbing a glass of water with a straw. “Just little sips for now.”
I did as told and thought it just might be the best water I’d ever had. My throat was better but my head still felt foggy and ached something fierce. The little beeps on the heart monitor sang in time with my wakefulness and my right hand was covered in tape, an IV below.
For better or possibly worse, I didn’t have to put much effort into trying to remember what happened. I could still feel that plastic bag covering my nose and mouth, restricting the oxygen I so desperately needed. Only slightly more disturbing was the memory of Susan’s and Titus’s body’s hanging in the air, the lookof abject horror in their eyes, and the cracking sound of bones, ending in the snap of their necks.
I shivered, and Momma mistakenly thought it was from the cold. “I’ll get you another blanket,” Momma promised before opening a closet, rummaging through, and pulling out a heavier blanket. “I don’t know why they always keep it so cold in these places.” Momma fussed as she settled the blanket around me, tucking it in on the sides and pulling it up to my neck. She winced when her eyes connected with my neck, and I suddenly realized how painful that area was.
Lightly touching the skin made me wince in pain. Momma’s hands found mine and gently tugged them away. “Don’t do that. It’ll only make it hurt worse.”
I could only guess what the skin on my neck looked like. Titus had twisted the end of the bag there, cinching it down. If the plastic bag hadn’t asphyxiated me, then the pressure around my neck would have done the job.
