McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two

by Reily Garrett

  “Go away.”

  “Does your nose hurt?”

  “No, but yours will if you don’t shut up.”

  Silence. She’d made her point. The author of concern would survive unscathed for the time being.

  “I can grab an ice pack, if you like.”

  Maybe he won’t. “Sure, you’re gonna need one.”

  “Go back to sleep. We’ll talk when you emerge from your chrysalis.”

  And you’re reincarnated as a cockroach. His reference to a butterfly was cute. Still, it was advice she decided to follow. Something nagged at the periphery of her thoughts, something she needed to do, but darkness proved an irresistible lure.

  What felt like minutes later, she opened her eyes to see the previous bars of painful luminescence had migrated off her bed and didn’t preclude her from looking around the room. The lights were off, making the space feel more creepy than comforting. No one occupied the other bed. She felt the same presence from earlier and decided to give conversation a go.

  “Who are you?”

  “Billy McAllister.”

  “Cop?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Protection?”

  “Do you need it?”

  “Homicide?”

  “No. Criminal, on loan.”

  “Am I under arrest?” The thought of him cuffing her at a future date held merit. Even in a drug-hazed state, he was a prime specimen.

  “Should you be?”

  “Go away.” It worked before. Maybe the growl in her words would suffice for a second reprieve. Despite his rugged handsomeness, she wasn’t in the mood.

  “No.”

  “Dick.”

  “No… we already established I’m a cop.”

  “Ugh.”

  “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Yes. A vodka martini, no, make it a Jack and coke.”

  “I was referring to water.”

  “You’re useless. Go away.”

  “Not until you talk to me.”

  “I have been, and it’s gotten me nowhere. I need to get out of here.”

  “Got a hot date?”

  “Got a restless dog and hungry cat.”

  “Let’s start again.”

  “Let’s not and say we did.”

  Creaking of vinyl indicated his change of position. On closer examination, he appeared quite comfortable with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles.

  “Hi, Remie. I’m Billy McAllister, the man who pulled your ass out of the water and brought you to the hospital where you won’t die of hypothermia.”

  “Thanks. I’m Remie. Now that we’ve introduced ourselves, let’s say goodbye.”

  “You look familiar, though I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “I don’t do porn.”

  “Is Remie short for Remiegus? I believe that translates to oarsman, someone who should be familiar with water, unlike how I found you this morning.” His disapproving tsk filled the quiet room.

  “No, and how would a cop know that?” She held a vague memory of cold water up to her thighs but unable to move away from the discomfort.

  “I learned to read as a child.”

  “It’s short for Remington. My parents had a sense of humor.”

  “Hmm. Nice. Ya know, the sooner you tell me what happened last night, the sooner I leave you alone.”

  His confident manner suggested that the possibility was the last thing on his mind.

  “All right,” she said as she moved to sit up then remembered to raise the head of the bed with the push of a button. Giving the officer a hard time hadn’t been her normal routine, but neither was watching her friend’s daughter get her throat sliced.

  “Would you like a hand to sit up better?”

  Her first impression had indicated a tall drink of water but vanished when he stood. The leather jacket couldn’t hide the beefiness of his chest or the breadth of his arms. He’d have little difficulty subduing an assailant. Warm chocolate eyes with flecks of gold held amusement.

  With one arm behind her shoulders, he pressed her forward while realigning her pillow to support her entire back. “Better?”

  A deeper inhalation wrapped the essence of spice and male around her senses when he leaned in to help. She couldn’t place the scent but deemed it worthy of further investigation.

  “Did you just sniff me?” His raised brow denied the possibility.

  “Wanted to make sure you weren’t the asshat who put me here in the first place.” The flimsy excuse received a snort while heat spread up her neck. “You’ve been a patient before.”

  “Yep.”

  “Recently?”

  “Let’s talk about you, shall we?”

  “I’ll look up your records.” She smiled when he ground his teeth. It was only fair to spread the wealth.

  “Yes, recently. Now, about last night. What was the purpose of your meeting?”

  “Jeez, like a dog with a bone. Fine. I went to meet Gena Bowdin, a friend of the family. She picked the spot and early morning time. When I got there, she had her roommate with her.” Unable to avoid the sympathy in his gaze, she let her glare slide out the window in search of a target.

  “Why?”

  “She thought she’d slept with a serial killer.”

  “What?”

  Obviously not what the detective expected. “She snooped through—her lover’s belongings.”

  “You hesitated. Why? What was it about them being lovers didn’t you like?

  “Gena was a good kid with an adrenaline junkie attitude.”

  “Did you keep in touch while you were away? You haven’t been back in town for long.”

  “Sorta. You’ve been busy gathering information… Gena grew up on the farm close to ours. Our families were friendly.” She shook her head, disgusted with her poor word choice. “I told Gena’s mom I’d check in with her after I moved back to Portland. I just finished training.” Grief dropped her chin to chest. “Have you told her parents, yet?”

  “They’ve been notified.”

  “Dear God. This is a nightmare.”

  “Who was her lover?”

  “She didn’t give a name. They’d just met.”

  “As in just met? Like a one-night stand?”

  “Yeah, but she wasn’t like that. It was a phase she was going through.”

  “Who else was in the car?”

  “Her roommate, Wendy something. I didn’t know her, never met her before.”

  “Were they into drugs? Was that one of her kicks?”

  “No! Absolutely not. She may have been crazy, but she was never stupid.” Looking at the cop, she knew he was withholding something. “If she had drugs on her, they were planted after she was killed.”

  “Understood. Why the face-to-face meeting?”

  “She was showing us what she took from—the man. Oh Jesus. She was so scared. She was looking for answers, for help, but—”

  “You survived, that’s what you need to do in that type of situation.”

  “I’ve never been in that type of situation. I’m a doctor, not a cop!”

  “What was it she took?”

  “It was—Jesus—body parts I think, but I can’t be sure. I just saw them for a split second and my mind is foggy. A nose and an ear. I’d have to examine them to know if they were real.” Covers bunched between her fingers as they twisted with her remembered horror.

  “Did she know who her lover cut to get them?”

  “She didn’t get to say. When Wendy opened the box, she screamed and flung the contents against the windshield. Then, from out of nowhere, someone yanked open the driver’s door and dragged a knife across Gena’s throat. There was so much blood.” Remie had returned home for a fresh start in her new career and to rekindle old friendships, never expecting to witness a murder.

  Acid boiled up the back of her throat with a lurch upright. The detective was ready with a small pink basin. It took several embarrassing minutes before she sank back
and accepted the tissue he offered. The fact he held her hair back with his other hand exhibited a solid slice of empathy.

  “What hospital administrator buys tiny pink basins for vomit? Even a small amount would overflow that POS.” Unable to find an appropriate quarry on which to vent her anger, Remie aimed at anything handy.

  “Did you see the guy’s face or pick up any identifying marks?”

  “No, he wore a hat with a black scarf wrapped across the lower half of his face. It was too dark to see much. I was in the back seat.”

  “The roommate in the front passenger seat—she try to intervene?”

  “Yeah, he cut her and said something, but I can’t recall...”

  “Was the voice familiar?”

  “No, not that I remember. Yet, I think he spoke in a stilted, false tone.” A violent shiver shuddered through her body.

  “Then what happened?”

  “Wendy vaulted out of the car the same time I did. We ran toward the woods. I heard him coming after us, so we split up.”

  “Wendy must’ve gotten away and made the call for help. I’ll have my partner try to locate her.”

  “Why did it take so long for help to arrive?” It was unreasonable to expect the police to be omnipotent, but logic was no longer in her vocabulary.

  “We didn’t get the call till after daybreak. Matt and his dog are still tracking, but it looks like Wendy went through the thickest part of the woods, miles before finding a road. Even then, she would’ve probably been too scared to flag down a car.”

  “She’s probably still alive.”

  “How is it you survived when you didn’t get away clean?”

  “He caught me. We fought. He injected me with something.”

  “The admitting doc said you’ve been drugged. The tox screen isn’t back yet.”

  “Before it took full effect, I bashed his skull with a rock. I remember running, falling, and then crawling under a pine tree. After that, nothing. Where’d you find me?”

  “At the bottom of a ravine, but it didn’t look like you’d been rolled down the hill. The prick was specific in placing you there. Why? There must be a reason.”

  “I don’t know why.” A deep sigh brought no clarity of thought. “Rain. I remember rain.”

  “Yeah, washed away evidence.”

  “Shit.”

  “That about sums it up for the moment.”

  “The nose and ear, did you find them?”

  “No, he must’ve gone back and cleaned up, maybe planted the drugs after he left you in the water. We did find what’s probably gonna be the murder weapon. A knife.”

  “Gut hook type?”

  “How’d you know—?”

  “Forensic pathologist, medical examiner. Remember?”

  “Yep. Hopefully we’ll get a hit from it, soon. I’ll let you know.” Billy let out a slow breath before continuing. “Your cell phone. Do you usually carry it on you or perhaps in a purse?”

  “It was in my vehicle. Not that I could’ve dialed anything even if I had made it back. My vision clouded pretty quick.”

  “Do you remember anything else?”

  “Exhaustion. Confusion. Nausea.”

  “You need more sleep.”

  Whether or not he was aware of its appeal, the detective’s voice soothed her irritability. Under different circumstances, she’d love to chat, find out how much had changed in Portland’s social scene during her absence. She’d wanted a fresh start and to make new friends.

  “Will you stay for a bit? The killer obviously has a plan. He was also pissed.”

  “I’ll be here when you wake up.” A sympathetic smile twisted his lips. Deep tan lines on his forehead dictated time spent outdoors, confirmed by calloused hands. With his sleeves rolled up and sprawled in the chair, it looked like he was settling in for the day.

  Something nagged at the periphery of her thoughts. Something important. In all likelihood, Gena had been correct. If the body parts were real, Gena had slept with a serial killer. A psychopath with unfinished business.

  Chapter Seven

  Everything the medical examiner said made sense and tracked an organized mind through chaotic events. Reliving the nightmare had magnified the guilt in her expression.

  From experience, Billy knew the disjointed revelations would consolidate with time to form a video to haunt her nights. Dealing with them would take time and patience.

  She may not have an abundance of either.

  After updating his brother, Matt, he contemplated her story and what he’d learned of her personally. Anyone who fought against greater strength had courage. To do it while drugged elevated his respect to new heights. The fact she was beautiful might have played a part in her survival.

  He sensed a kindred spirit, connecting them, and something primal prodded him to protect a rare breed of woman while vulnerable.

  The worst aspect of his job entailed coercing an injured victim to recall specific details of an assault. Raw disgust shredded his gut when she’d detailed the horrors of her night. Despite intermittent cracks in her voice and a gaze that strayed beyond the earthly plane, Remie personified strength and steely determination.

  She woke with a start, her gaze darting to each corner of the room before settling on him. “Hi. Thanks for staying. How long have I been out?”

  “You’re welcome. You’ve only slept a few hours. Feel stronger?”

  “Feeling pissed off.”

  He respected her spunk as her green eyes flashed with an undirected rage. Time would funnel the emotion inward if not given an appropriate target. Considering the help he’d received from friends and family in the past, he could pay it forward. Besides the benefit of her strong character and unadorned beauty, her wit would keep him on his toes.

  “You haven’t told me why your parents named you after a gun.”

  “I grew up on a farm. We hunted. They thought it fitting.”

  “Did your parents hate you?”

  “I think my father was on the fence until I turned seven.”

  “What happened? You wrestle down your first steer?”

  “No. I beat the crap out of a third grader who tried to take my lunch box.”

  “Damn.”

  “The kid never bothered me again.”

  “Because he was in a coma?” It occurred to him that running away the previous night wasn’t by instinct. Against an unknown armed assailant, she’d fled the scene, her best option. Still, she fought when she could and used her brain thereafter.

  “No, because I told him if he did, he’d have to learn to pee sitting down.”

  Damn, tough and smart. “All right, then. How about—”

  “Remie, I just heard through the grapevine you were attacked and dumped in a stream? What the hell are you involved in?” From the quiet way he’d entered, the stranger had probably been listening to their conversation.

  “Hello, Ari. I’m fine.” A smile tugged the corner of her mouth.

  “What happened? I—”

  “Excuse me.” Billy blocked the visitor’s path. “Who are you and how did you learn details so quickly?”

  The visitor’s absent-minded gesture indicated anywhere in the hospital. “I’m Dr. Slenktock, Ari to her. We go back a ways, all the way to Baltimore. Johns Hopkins to be specific.” Like the frigate bird that puffs out its chest to attract a mate, the doctor squared his shoulders and straightened his spine.

  “It’s all right, detective. He’s an old friend.” Emphasis on the friend part clarified their previous intimate relationship.

  “I’m an attending doctor here, and news flies around this hospital as fast as any facility I’ve ever known. Hell, two hospitalizations in a week?”

  Her brows lifted when the shorter man stepped around to hover at her bedside. Taking her hand elicited a long sigh.

  “Is there anything you need, anything I can get for you?” Concern etched deep furrows above narrowed eyes as the doctor brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckl
es.

  Her chin bumped her chest after she scrunched her eyes closed. “No. I’m fine, Ari. Just trying to regain my emotional stability.”

  “You’re still in danger. Is that why you have a police presence?”

  “That’s right.” Billy crossed his arms over his chest and waited through the gaze that assessed him from head to toe.

  “When you’re discharged, come to my place. I’ll have round-the-clock security. We can reminisce about old times and talk about your plans for the future. You should’ve called me as soon as you got back to town. Why didn’t you?” His voice dropped as he crowded closer and further indicated his intent. “Now that you’re here, you can do anything.”

  “I’ve set my goals, Ari. The same ones I sketched out in med school. I’m one of the county’s medical examiners, specializing in forensic pathology.”

  “I’ll always regret not being able to sway your interest. We would’ve made an incredible team. Still could, but that doesn’t matter now.” His face softened with regret.

  “Sorry, man. She’s joined a different team and is in need of rest at the moment. Perhaps you can catch up another time.” A gesture toward the door earned an indignant huff.

  “I took the liberty of going over your chart. I see you’ve failed to have a mammogram, unwise considering your family history. I went ahead and added that to your orders.” Palms up and out surrendered his ego. “Since you probably still keep a crazy schedule, it provides the least disruption to your schedule.”

  “Thanks, Ari. I appreciate it. I do.” Grief weighed chin to chest. “It seems I can’t even catch my breath.”

  “About your accident last week…”

  “I came in late at night and left before morning rounds. I’m fine, but thank you for caring. And I appreciate your offer, but I want to go home. My home.”

  A low groan accompanied her visitor’s frown. “Strong-headed as always. I’ll check on you a bit later.”

  “Thanks, Ari.” Remie closed her eyes as Ari bussed her forehead.

  Ari lifted his chin and straightened his suit coat. “Let me know if you need anything.” Gold braiding along the bottom of his shoes suggested an expensive cap to the three-button, double vented suit coat and neatly pressed slacks. The man enjoyed his food, evidenced by the light strain of his shirt against a soft waistline. With his exit, he took the formal atmosphere with him.