Page 80 of The Girl in the River

The jab hit home. “You’re talking about the other woman who lied to me, aren’t you?”

“You good and damn well know I am. And now the cops are all up our asses about Jesse and they found that girl Patty. Everything we’ve got going on is in jeopardy.”

“I can’t let it go,” Kevin said. “She deserves to suffer for what she’s done.”

A long tense minute vibrated between them. “Do you really mean that?”

Kevin couldn’t believe his father doubted him. “Of course I do. She made a fool out of me, cheated on our marriage and stole my baby from me.”

“Why don’t you let me handle this?” his father said coldly.

“No,” Kevin said. “You said you were tired of cleaning up my messes.” He clenched his hands. “I want to do this myself so I can see her face when I punish her.” Grinning as he imagined her expression when she saw him again, he strode from the room, his keys in his hand.

He would go back to Crooked Creek to get what was rightfully his: his daughter. And no one would get in his way.

ONE HUNDRED SEVEN

BLUFF COUNTY HOSPITAL

Ellie moaned as she stirred from sleep. Every part of her body was throbbing.

She struggled to open her eyes and saw a blur of people in the room. Bright lights. The beep of a machine. Hushed voices echoing around her like a pack of angry wolves circling each other.

Oh, God. The night before rolled back in vivid tidbits. Driving home. Her porch light off. Someone on her property. On the ground, being beaten.

She licked her parched lips and tried to focus on who was in the room. Derrick. Cord. Her father. Bryce?

No… this couldn’t be happening. All the men she knew in one place. All seeing her at her worst. Seeing her weak.

“The doctor said she’ll be okay,” said Cord, his voice gruff and deep. She remembered him finding her, calling the medics.

“Who did this?” Bryce, this time. Demanding. Angry.

“Where were you, Fox?” her father barked. “You’re supposed to be her partner. If you aren’t watching her, then go the hell back to Atlanta.”

Silence. Then Derrick, “Sir, I’m sorry. We had no reason to believe Ellie was in danger.”

“She’s in danger with every case she works,” her father shouted. “Sometimes I wish she’d listen to her mother.”

More noise. A door opening. A nurse shushing them.

Ellie opened her eyes. “Stop,” she said, then threw up a battered hand. “Either behave or get out.”

The room grew quiet immediately. Her vision was blurry but she saw the men stammering and looking at each other as if they had no idea what to do.

“She’s so stubborn,” her father growled.

“Tell me about it,” Cord muttered.

“Won’t let anyone help her,” Bryce grumbled.

“I want her off the case,” her father said.

Cord next. “She’ll never go for that.”

“No, she won’t.” Derrick.

Finally, two of the men agreed in this pissing contest. “Sir, I won’t leave her alone again,” Derrick said.

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