Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
She shocked herself by crying hard sobs that didn’t make a lot of sense. She hadn’t realized how much she’d hoped for that baby. She settled her nose into his shirt and let the tears fall. “This is silly,” she said. “Twenty percent of women miscarry in the first trimester. I was still in the first trimester. We hadn’t even heard a heartbeat yet.”
“I know.” He kissed her neck, one scalding hot tear sliding from his skin to hers. “I’m still sorry.”
She gulped. “So am I. I had big plans for that kid.” She tried to chuckle, but the sound sounded like a sob.
“So did I,” he said. “I will find Zeke Caine, and he will pay for this.”
She forced herself to grow calm. “I know.”
“I will find that bastard,” Huck said, his voice still quiet. He leaned back and gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. “It’s okay to feel sad.”
“I do,” she said. “Very. I wonder who that baby might’ve been.”
“She would’ve been perfect,” Huck said, kissing her on the mouth and then sitting back down.
That was probably a stretch, but the baby would have been perfect to her.
She might be off the case, but she would use every one of her gifts and IQ to find Zeke Caine and put him in prison, where he should spend the rest of his life.
Movement sounded by the doorway and a woman walked in. “Captain Rivers. It has been long enough,” she said.
Laurel blinked to see a nurse with both hands on her hips. The woman appeared to be in her midthirties, with sparkling black eyes and dark hair in a bun. Laurel looked at Huck. “Long enough?”
“He needs stitches from being grazed by a bullet,” the nurse said. “The guy’s bleeding all over the place. I’m surprised you have any blood left.”
Laurel sat up. “What? You need stitches?”
“He wouldn’t leave until you woke up.” The nurse threw both hands in the air.
Laurel shook her head. “Huck, I’m okay. Go get some stitches.”
“They can do it right here,” he said, his jaw set.
“No, we can’t,” the nurse retorted. “We need a sterile environment, unless you want to die of sepsis.”
Laurel winced. “Huck. I’m really okay. It’ll only take fifteen minutes as long as you listen to them.” She said the last part with emphasis. He looked at the nurse and then back. “I could use a couple moments to myself,” Laurel lied, knowing it was the only way to get him to go.
He faltered. “Okay. I’ll be right back. Can I bring you anything?”
“No,” she said. “Just you.”
His forced smile cut through her. “I’ll be right back.” Glaring at the nurse, he stood, his arm bent at the elbow and held against his rib cage. As he followed her out, he paused at the doorway. “I have two guys on the door.”
Laurel blinked. “Zeke Caine is not coming back for me. He’s running. We need to figure out where he’s going.”
“Still, two guys on the door,” Huck said grimly and then disappeared.
She settled back against the pillows and allowed herself to experience the loss. The baby hadn’t been planned, but she’d been happy once she’d wrapped her head around the idea, as had Huck. They had even started to plan. Anger flowed through her, aimed at Zeke Caine. She would find him.
“Let me in right now. I’m her sister,” a familiar voice ordered from the hallway.
Laurel sighed.
A young, uniformed police officer poked his head in. “Ma’am, would you like to see your sister?”
“Absolutely,” Laurel said with authority.
“Exactly,” Abigail said as she swept inside and walked over to take Huck’s seat. “I’m surprised you want to see me.”
“I definitely want to see you.” Laurel pressed the button so she could sit more upright and ignored the pain that clashed through her entire body as she did so. Fighting on ice led to many contusions. “Where is Zeke Caine right now? Tell me, Abigail.”
Abigail wore jeans and a black sweater with her hair up in a messy bun as if she’d rushed to the hospital. “I don’t know where he is. His face is all over the news, and the entire city’s out looking for him. Every cop we have is trying to find him. They will. Don’t worry.” She patted Laurel’s arm. “I didn’t think he would go after you like this, or I would have stayed closer.”
Laurel looked at the now-empty doorway. “I provoked him,” she admitted. “I brought him in and embarrassed him.”
Abigail’s jaw dropped. “Why in the world would you do that? You know how dangerous he is.”
“I figured he’d make a mistake,” Laurel said. Which he had. Unfortunately, it had cost her just as much. “We both know that you understand him better than anybody else, Abigail. Please, for once, do the right thing and tell me where he is.”