Page 89 of Shattered Sea

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I shook my head. “Not much. I think the machine might’ve been black.”

Boden trailed a hand up and down my arm. “I think you’re right. The shooter was wearing a helmet. I couldn’t even begin to tell you height or build.”

Hayes nodded, making a few more notes in his phone. “I’ll get someone up here to follow the tracks. We haven’t had any new snow since the storm, so there’s a good chance of that.”

I picked at the seam of the couch. “Do you think it’s someone trying to hurt people who were in the accident?”

Hayes’ mouth thinned. “It’s looking more and more likely.”

Boden stiffened next to me. “What did you find?”

Hayes’ eyes hardened. “Robert Aaron has dropped off the map.”

“The guy that caused the accident?”

Hayes nodded. “About seven months ago, he simply stopped showing up for work. He made the maximum withdrawal from an ATM and then vanished. There was one credit card hit in the Midwest at a gas station. Then nothing.”

I gripped Boden’s hand, squeezing the life out of it. “What do you think that means?”

Hayes looked back and forth between Boden and me. “It could just mean he wants to drop off the grid. Maybe people where he was living back east found out about his record, and he wanted a fresh start.”

Boden’s eyes narrowed. “Or he’s lost it and is trying to pick off the people he thinks ruined his life one by one.”

My stomach twisted painfully.

“It’s something I’m considering.” Hayes looked at me. “I don’t want you alone for any reason. And either you stay with Boden, or you stay with Ev and me. Don’t make me put an officer parked at The Gallery overnight.”

I bristled, but Boden nuzzled my neck. “Stay with me. That’s where I’d want you, even if this wasn’t going on.”

I melted a little at that. “Okay. But is there a recent picture of Robert Aaron? We need to know who to look out for.”

“I’m working on that, and I’ll text it around. We’ll have people on the lookout.”

“Thank you, Hayes.”

He shook his head. “I wish I weren’t always two damn steps behind.”

I leaned forward and patted his knee. “You’re doing everything you can. We know that.”

“But sometimes that isn’t enough.”

29

Boden

I grittedmy teeth as Beckett Easton prodded my wound. He shifted his focus from my arm to my face. “That hurt?”

“It doesn’t feel like a gentle cuddle,” I gritted out.

Beckett chuckled. “I’ll write you a prescription for some anti-inflammatories and a painkiller, but Laiken here did an excellent job with your care.” He glanced at her. “You ever think about becoming a doctor?”

Laiken snorted. “Seeing as I almost puked looking at all that blood, I think I’ll be passing on the medical jobs.”

“I get it. Blood’s gross,” he muttered.

I arched a brow. “Says the doctor.”

Beckett shrugged. “I’ve learned to deal with it, but it doesn’t mean it still doesn’t make my stomach turn occasionally.” He snapped off his gloves. “I’d say you’re good to go. But you need rest. Call my office to make an appointment for two days and a week from now. I want to keep an eye on this for signs of infection. If you start running a fever, the site feels hot to the touch, or the pain increases, come in immediately.”


Tags: Catherine Cowles Tattered & Torn Romance