Page 43 of Nowhere to Hide
The nursing staff was smaller and stretched thin.
I saw a number of places where someone could easily slip through the cracks.
The officer on Cilla’s door was alert, no phone in hand, but it was more of a thousand yard stare than a constant scan of the staff and visitors. He probably thought it was a shit assignment.
I tried to look at it from the attacker’s point of view. Distract, or wait for a distraction—like the cop needing to take a piss.
Had it been another crime of opportunity?
Was this guy an idiot or couldn’t he help himself?
Annoyance rode my neck like when I had to wear a tie on an assignment.
See, you missed this.
I gritted my teeth against Milligan’s voice. Ignoring it, I ducked into the visitor’s room. There was a vending machine for both snacks and drinks. I chose a Coke over a coffee and wet my parched throat.
The cold caffeine helped me shake off the tired. I pulled out my phone, staring at a single name on my contacts.
If I opened this door, I couldn’t close it.
A sound in the hall had me tucking my phone away as I set my soda down.
A rush of people congregated in one of the rooms. From the way everyone jumped into action, I imagined it was a serious code of some sort. The cop craned his neck, but didn’t move from his post.
My eyes scanned the corners.
This would be a good time to watch for.
Could this shithead resist trying to kill Cilla again?
He had to know the security was doubled.
But it truly depended on how bad he needed his fix. Or to correct his mistake.
I caught someone in dark clothing out of the corner of my eye. I braced, but only saw Nelson’s relief walking down the hall.
The uniform, freshly pressed and clear eyed, spotted me. “You Jordan?”
I nodded.
“I’m Jim Blake.”
“Stone tell you about me?”
He nodded. “Says you’re a solid dude.” His gaze tracking me said otherwise.
I glanced down at my jeans, boots, and wrinkled T-shirt. Compared to him, I looked very much like a guy who lived on a boat. I didn’t give a fuck what he thought about me. I shrugged. “Been a long day.”
“Evidently.”
“I’m going to go look in on Cilla before I head out.”
He nodded. “You’re cleared for that.”
From Diaz or Stone? Blake gave me a brief nod before he checked in with Nelson.
Go see her.
