Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Zander’s team was a strange bunch. Quirky and odd. But they were all decent people.
“Hunting? Who are we hunting?” he asked.
“We don’t know,” Zander said. “She wouldn’t tell us and we didn’t want to press her too hard.”
Jesus. She must have been in a bad state.
Do not throw up.
“Tell me everything.”
“Honey and I were just going to scout around,” Zander told him. “There was no movement inside the trailer but all the lights were on. I peeked in a window and saw Devi on the floor. And she wasn’t moving.”
Hayes sucked in a hard breath. The world around him started to grow dark.
“Maybe you should sit down,” Honey said with concern.
He shook his head. “Keep going. Tell me.”
“We decided not to wait and go in,” Zander said. “She regained consciousness while we were discussing how best to move her.”
“Her injuries?” he managed to get out.
Fuck.
Why had he left her? If he hadn’t gone when Donovan called he would have been there.
He could have protected her.
Instead, he’d assumed she would be fine and he’d gone to help Donovan. And then instead of going to check on Devi, he’d gone to Sondra.
It was like May all over again. He’d left on deployment and assumed she would be fine without him.
But she hadn’t been.
History couldn’t repeat itself. She couldn’t die.
He wasn’t sure that he could live with that.
“Someone stabbed her with a knife,” Honey told him.
What. The. Fuck.
Breathe. Just breathe.
You cannot pass out.
“A knife? Why? Where was her father?” he managed to ask.
“She told us that these guys attacked her and kidnapped her father,” Zander told him. “But also that it was his fault. Have any idea what that means?”
Fuck. Shit.
“Not sure, all I know is that her father is an alcoholic.”
“Poor girl. Her old man is an alcoholic and her brother is in jail for a murder he didn’t commit. Think this attack has anything to do with the brother?” Zander asked.
“I don’t know.” He hated that he had no idea.
“She didn’t mention anyone else yet someone had done some First-Aid on her arm before we got there,” Zander told him.
Someone who helped her but hadn’t stuck around or called an ambulance?
“Could be a few hours before she’s out of surgery,” Honey added. “Can we get you anything? Food? Coffee?”
“No, nothing.” Fuck. He wanted to hunt down the people who had done this but he also knew he couldn’t leave her. “I need you to find out who did this.”
Zander nodded. “Honey, stay with Hayes. What about Donovan?”
“Gone back to the Steins’,” Hayes said. “He’ll deal with Sondra.”
“All right, then we’ll go hunting,” Zander said. “That is my favorite sport, after all.”
Hayes didn’t have it in him to respond. He thought he might be in shock. Everything around him felt hazy.
“Come on, big guy. Sit down before you fall. You’re built like a huge redwood. I don’t know if I could move one of your legs let alone that trunk.”
He gave Honey a look of disbelief. “I don’t need to be managed.”
“Managed? I wouldn’t do that. I just think you should sit, is all. But hey, you do you, Boo.”
Fuck.
Why couldn’t Zander have left him with someone quiet?
Hayes drew his phone out and sat. He sent a message to Donovan and Kent, telling them about Devi.
Kent: I’m coming out.
Hayes: No need at the moment. Unless it’s to rein Zander in.
Kent: I’ve only been trying to do that for a decade. I’m coming to help you.
Hayes didn’t have the energy to argue.
“Is there someone we need to call? About Devi?” Honey asked. “Will someone be expecting her today?”
He groaned. “She works at the local café. Not sure what time she starts, but her boss is an asshole.”
“I’ll find the phone number. I’ll call and leave a message. Anyone else?”
“She has another job. She’s probably scheduled on tonight. Be harder to find Mac’s details. Elk Horn Tavern.”
“I’ll figure it out.”
Hayes leaned his head forward into his hands as he placed his elbows against his thighs.
Please let her be all right.
Please, God.
You took May from me, if you take Devi too . . . I might not survive.
We’re only friends.
Denial used to be easier than this.
“How is she? Have you heard anything?”
Hayes looked up in shock as Mac rushed into the room. His hair was up on end and he had his T-shirt on backward.
“Mac?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here? I came to check on Devi, of course. Some woman named Honey called and said that Devi had been attacked in a home invasion. What the fuck happened? Where was Derick?”
“You know him? Her father?”
Mac ran his hand over his face. “For God’s sake, man. Tell me she’s all right.”
“I don’t know yet,” he said in a raw voice. “I’m still waiting to hear.”
The door to the waiting room slammed open and Silla rushed in. Her hair was a rat’s nest and her eye makeup was smeared. She was wearing two different shoes and carrying a basketball. She was also wearing pajama bottoms with paddles on them.