Page 16 of Nowhere to Hide
Unfortunately I’d been up since six in the morning for a bit of fishing, so mainlining coffee was the only thing keeping me coherent. Sleeping wasn’t exactly one of my strengths these days, but a bottle of bourbon helped more often than I’d care to admit. It sounded really good right about now, as didmy extended king-sized bed.
Finally, Stone’s partner returned, her sensible shoes quiet on the unforgiving floors. When she spotted us, her face cooled into rigid lines. “What are you still doing here? Don’t you have a patrol to be on?”
The bite was obvious, and Stone nearly rose to the bait, but I watched him shutter up like he had in the car with me earlier. “Miranda, just listen to me.”
“I have listened for months now, and your obsession with this idea got you booted down to a uniform again. One more flag on your record and you’ll be out.”
“Please, just talk to Locke.”
She glanced from Stone to me. “You have details that I don’t?”
“He’s a witness.”
“And I’m sure he talked to the detective on scene.”
Stone tightened his hand. “He did, but you know it’s just going to get logged in as misadventure.”
“Maybe that’s all it is.” Miranda crossed her arms. “Because of you I’m on babysitting duty instead of working my cases. The captain didn’t just punish you, War.”
“From what I’ve heard you’re guarding the only person to survive an attack by this guy,” I interjected.
She turned her sharp, dark eyes on me. “I don’t know whatOfficerStone had told you about this, but it’s a police matter.”
“I came upon a woman who was tied down with a knot system that was designed to torture her. He lashed her to the pier like a fucking fish and was playing with her. That’s not misadventure, detective. That’s intent and you know it. I get you have your career to think about, but that woman is in trouble.”
I watched her face shut down. I’d lost her. Fuck, I was out of practice. I knew how to be diplomatic but maybe that died with Milligan too.
“It’s not about my career,” she said darkly.
“Isn’t it? Then maybe you’d look a little deeper into the case.”
“Just because you play bodyguard—sorry, personal security—to models and rich senators means you know jack all about how to be a cop? Did War tell you about how one of the victims was found in bed? It was more like a sex act gone wrong.” Stone opened his mouth and she turned to him, her finger pointing at him. “No. You’re making connections that aren’t there.”
“He’s getting more aggressive,” Stone snarled. “It could be him accelerating.”
“You’ve been insufferable since you took those classes at the FBI. There’s no proof these line up with your case. Period. Now go home, War. Please.” She dropped her voice at the end, adding a touch of softness. It was obvious they were friends and there might be more at play between them.
“Can I just see the woman?” I asked.
She sighed, then nodded. “Fine. Five minutes.” She gestured to the cop on the door and he stepped aside.
I just needed to see with my own eyes that she was okay. The last image in my head couldn’t be her tied up like that. Or that much blood on my fucking hands.
I slipped inside. Her room was dim with a single machine monitoring her vitals. She was so damn pale and small under the white bedding. Her blond hair had been smoothed back from her face and tangled around her shoulders. The hospital gown was white with tiny blue diamonds. It slipped down her shoulder to make room for taped cords attached to her chest.
On the pier, adrenaline had put everything into stark relief, now she seemed impossibly fragile.
And you need to help her.
Hell. Not now.
Was I finally cracking up? As if I needed Milligan in my head any more than he was.
Focus. Just make sure she’s all right and get the hell out of town. Maine was sounding better and better every damn minute. I didn’t even know her name. It had felt intrusive to ask and I knew Stone had been reticent to give me details. Her security and safety was far more important.
I stepped closer and noticed two IV bags hung over her, slowly dripping into her. She’d lost so much blood tonight.
I couldn’t help tucking a piece of hair away from her face. Cool and silky soft, it wound around my fingers before slipping away. Not trusting myself to touch her again, I jolted when her eyes fluttered open. Confusion and fear filled her dark eyes before she frowned, then lifted a hand.
