Page 92 of Karma

It had to be Dare.

“What? How? When? Is she okay?” Panic tinged Nash’s voice, causing sheer panic to settle in Liza’s chest.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, touching him lightly on the arm.

Nash held up a hand and Liza held her breath until he finally disconnected the call. “Tess is in the hospital.”

Oh, no.Liza’s stomach lurched. “What happened?”

Nash shook his head and shoved the key into the ignition. “Something about alcohol or drugs.” Nash cursed as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Without asking, she knew he was going straight to the hospital.

“She’ll be fine,” Liza said, praying to God she was right.

***

Sam and Darehad partnered for the night. A slow night that consisted of too much time cruising the area, too much time to think, and definitely too much of his best friend’s yammering. Dare was glad he was driving. At least focusing on the road gave him some sort of distraction.

“So how’s bodyguard duty going?” Sam asked.

“Fine.” And it was.

The problem wasn’t the so-called job; the problem was them. So what else was new, Dare thought, holding in the rumble of anger that threatened to escape.

“She’s behaving?” Sam asked.

“She’s perfect,” he muttered.

Unlike many people who didn’t want to deal with a cop or someone either tailing them or keeping them company, Liza had been smart by accepting it and she hadn’t complained. She’d even made sure she wasn’t alone in the office. No, Jeff was there, Dare thought irritably. Now he knew how Liza had felt when he’d gone off condo hunting with Cara, and there was nothing fun about it. He didn’t even feel guilty sending Nash to check on her. He believed in Liza. It was the flower-sending Jeff he didn’t trust.

“Then what’s with the mood?” Sam asked, not taking the hint with Dare’s one-word answers.

Dare raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t going to discuss Liza tonight. He’d had enough of that with his brothers the other day.

“How’s your love life?” Dare asked instead.

“Nonexistent,” his friend muttered and shut up instead of asking more questions.

Dare grinned for the first time all night.

Suddenly a crackling sounded, and the dispatcher’s voice broke into the silence. “Headquarters to Car Five.”

Sam answered. “Car Five on Main.”

“Ten-four. Car Five respond to Three Seasons Avenue.”

“Car Five en route,” Sam said.

Dare’s stomach clenched at the mention of the address where Tess had gone tonight.

Static again and then, “Car Five, be advised the caller stated there is an underage female passed out on a bed inside house. Serendipity EMS is en route as a precaution. Advise if any other services are required once on scene.”

“Ten-four,” Sam said, then muttered to Dare, “Damned kids and alcohol.”

Even as Dare swung the car around, he’d broken into a sweat. “Tess is at that party.”

“Shit.”

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