do.”
I adjusted my position in the bed and tried to sit up.
“I know.”
“You withheld information from me,” he said.
“I didn’t look at it like that. Besides, I talked to you about this once already, and we both know how that went.”
“So you thought you would go out and confront Parker Stanton on your own?” he said.
“How did you—?”
“Know?”
I nodded.
“Your boy wants to press charges. Says you assaulted him in his home and broke three of his fingers.”
I tried my hardest not to crack a smile.
“Well?” he said.
“What?”
“Did you break his fingers?”
“Not all of them.”
He shook his head.
“Ah hell, Sloane,” he said.
“Did he tell you he had me pinned up against the wall? My guess is that he left that part out. That complete waste of human life abuses women. I caught him in the act the other night, and it would come as no surprise to find out he’s the reason I’m in this place.”
He rubbed his forehead which he did whenever he needed to decide what to do with me, like something could be done.
“Well,” I said, “do you want to work with me on this or not?”
“You got a name?” he said.
I promised Daniela anonymity and I wanted to keep that promise unless it was the only trump card I had left. I shook my head.
“Come see me when you feel better,” he said.
He got up and walked toward the door.
“And Sloane,” he said, “don’t do anything stupid.”
CHAPTER 27
I woke to the sound of food sizzling in the kitchen. From the smell I deduced it was of the swine variety. Lord Berkeley relaxed in his favorite position next to me—sprawled out on his backside with his paws in the air like a dog’s version of sun salutations.
“You’re awake,” Nick said. “How’s the head?”
“I’ll survive.”
He handed me a plate with enough food on it to feed a small country.
“Wow,” I said.
“I figured you might be hungry.”
“What time is it?” I said.
“Half past one.”
“In the afternoon?”
He nodded.
“Tuesday?” I said.
“Wednesday.”
“Wednesday! I can’t believe I slept that long. The chief is going to—”
“Be just fine,” Nick said. “He already called to check in and said not to rush you. He will see you when you feel up to it.”
I set the plate down and attempted to stand, but my legs had something else in mind. Damn drugs.
“I’m fine; I need to talk to him today,” I said.
“Whoa, hang on.”
Nick took hold of me and helped me back to bed.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Oh, come on, I just need a minute and I’ll be fine,” I said.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Now eat your food.”
“You can be so stubborn sometimes.”
He laughed and pointed his fork at me and said, “I’m not half as stubborn as you.”
I could tell by the impassioned stare down he gave me that unless he left, my day would be spent in solitary. I clutched my plate and at the same time Lord Berkeley conducted a taste test on my side of bacon.
“Boo, no!” I said.
He ducked his head under the covers.
“I have information the chief should hear,” I said.
“You need rest and Sheppard understands that.”
“Parker is dangerous. I’m worried about the other women. There’s no telling what he might do.”
“If he has any sense at all, he’ll lay low awhile.”
“You don’t know that. What if he hits someone else? What if he goes after Audrey? What if he disappears and we can’t find him? What if—”
“Okay, okay.”
He let out an exasperated sigh and I could tell he might relent. I waited for it.
“Tell you what I’ll do,” he said. “I’ll call the chief and see if he can come over.”
“Here?”
“Take it or leave it. You’re in no condition to go out. I don’t care how tenacious you think you are, today you’re confined to this bed.”
Nick didn’t bother to wait for my answer before he left the room and called the chief. Lord Berkeley remained halfway beneath the covers
I adjusted my position in the bed and tried to sit up.
“I know.”
“You withheld information from me,” he said.
“I didn’t look at it like that. Besides, I talked to you about this once already, and we both know how that went.”
“So you thought you would go out and confront Parker Stanton on your own?” he said.
“How did you—?”
“Know?”
I nodded.
“Your boy wants to press charges. Says you assaulted him in his home and broke three of his fingers.”
I tried my hardest not to crack a smile.
“Well?” he said.
“What?”
“Did you break his fingers?”
“Not all of them.”
He shook his head.
“Ah hell, Sloane,” he said.
“Did he tell you he had me pinned up against the wall? My guess is that he left that part out. That complete waste of human life abuses women. I caught him in the act the other night, and it would come as no surprise to find out he’s the reason I’m in this place.”
He rubbed his forehead which he did whenever he needed to decide what to do with me, like something could be done.
“Well,” I said, “do you want to work with me on this or not?”
“You got a name?” he said.
I promised Daniela anonymity and I wanted to keep that promise unless it was the only trump card I had left. I shook my head.
“Come see me when you feel better,” he said.
He got up and walked toward the door.
“And Sloane,” he said, “don’t do anything stupid.”
CHAPTER 27
I woke to the sound of food sizzling in the kitchen. From the smell I deduced it was of the swine variety. Lord Berkeley relaxed in his favorite position next to me—sprawled out on his backside with his paws in the air like a dog’s version of sun salutations.
“You’re awake,” Nick said. “How’s the head?”
“I’ll survive.”
He handed me a plate with enough food on it to feed a small country.
“Wow,” I said.
“I figured you might be hungry.”
“What time is it?” I said.
“Half past one.”
“In the afternoon?”
He nodded.
“Tuesday?” I said.
“Wednesday.”
“Wednesday! I can’t believe I slept that long. The chief is going to—”
“Be just fine,” Nick said. “He already called to check in and said not to rush you. He will see you when you feel up to it.”
I set the plate down and attempted to stand, but my legs had something else in mind. Damn drugs.
“I’m fine; I need to talk to him today,” I said.
“Whoa, hang on.”
Nick took hold of me and helped me back to bed.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“Oh, come on, I just need a minute and I’ll be fine,” I said.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Now eat your food.”
“You can be so stubborn sometimes.”
He laughed and pointed his fork at me and said, “I’m not half as stubborn as you.”
I could tell by the impassioned stare down he gave me that unless he left, my day would be spent in solitary. I clutched my plate and at the same time Lord Berkeley conducted a taste test on my side of bacon.
“Boo, no!” I said.
He ducked his head under the covers.
“I have information the chief should hear,” I said.
“You need rest and Sheppard understands that.”
“Parker is dangerous. I’m worried about the other women. There’s no telling what he might do.”
“If he has any sense at all, he’ll lay low awhile.”
“You don’t know that. What if he hits someone else? What if he goes after Audrey? What if he disappears and we can’t find him? What if—”
“Okay, okay.”
He let out an exasperated sigh and I could tell he might relent. I waited for it.
“Tell you what I’ll do,” he said. “I’ll call the chief and see if he can come over.”
“Here?”
“Take it or leave it. You’re in no condition to go out. I don’t care how tenacious you think you are, today you’re confined to this bed.”
Nick didn’t bother to wait for my answer before he left the room and called the chief. Lord Berkeley remained halfway beneath the covers
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