“And…” the man swallowed hard as if what he was about to ask inflicted him with pain. “Her arm?”
“Yes, the arm. We’ve found a hairline fracture on her clavicle and what looked like a boot print. And before you ask, yes we have photos for you.” He nodded before continuing, “There is a crack on the back of her skull from where it looks like she hit the pavement or perhaps a rock with force. Her wrist? That needed surgery. Unfortunately, it was a compound fracture of both the ulna and radius that had dislodged them. It’s been realigned and pinned back into place.”
“Shiiit,” he exclaimed with a grimace.
“The bruises are already coming up from the zip ties. There was more than enough force used to break her wrists. She’s lucky it was only one, not both.”
The man looked up. “It was the zip ties that broke it?”
“Yes, why? What else would it have been?” the doctor asked.
Darlington knew what else it was. An overzealous buffoon of a man who wanted to help but ended up hurting. That’s what else it could have been. Maybe it was weakened before. Maybe it was already slightly cracked. Maybe it was just all his fault, and he should stop trying to find excuses for his own inadequacy. Darlington’s inner self-loathing record was set on repeat.
“Nothing,” Darlington mumbled. “If I can get those images and notes to take back to the station as soon as possible?”
“Of course. They will be available momentarily.”
“Can I see her?” he asked.
The doctor looked left and right, saw Jo who immediately turned and looked like he was waiting for someone else, and leaned into the man whispering, “She has asked for you. Five minutes only, okay?”
“Five minutes.” Darlington nodded and followed the doctor.
Jo watched them leave together.
Kylee had been cut up.
Kicked.
Tied up and broken.
His dragon was barely under control when Tor and the girls walked up behind him.
“What’s happening?” Payton asked.
Jo turned to look at Payton. “I just overheard the doctor, and who I think is a police officer who found her. Anyway, I didn’t catch it all, but from what I heard, she was tied up, cut, kicked, and has broken bones. When I get the guy…” Jo’s hands clenched so tight his knuckles were pure white as the skin stretched across them.
“We will find him, brother.” Tor’s hand gripped Jo’s shoulder. “But you got to keep control… yeah? I don’t want to have to explain a sudden burst of scales, okay?”
“I am holding strong brother but…” he paused. “There was a message.”
“Message?” Payton asked.
“Carved into her stomach.”
“Oh God,” Payton gasped as she burst into tears. Turning to hold Taryn who was also crying, they sobbed into each other’s shoulders.
“Carved?” Tor whispered as he pulled Jo to the side. He didn’t want to upset the ladies any more than needed.
“Tor…” Payton’s head flicked around. “Take one more step to exclude us, and I will hurt you.” She walked over to him. “That’s my best friend in there. My best friend was attacked. My s-sister…” Her voice caught in her throat as she swallowed past the lump. “Exclude me at your own peril because I will drop you harder than a brick off a ten-story building.” She poked his chest and looked up at him. “Understand?”
“Sorry, Pay. I just—”
“Just don’t!” Turning her back on him, she looked at Jo. “Where is the nurses’ station, I want to see my sister.”
“They aren’t letting anyone—”
“My sister,” Payton spoke through gritted teeth.
Jo pointed to the desk at the far end of the hall.
“Okay, let’s go.” She took off, her small stature gave no warning of the huge tornado heading their way.
Jo looked to the others, shrugged, and they all followed Payton.
Darlington opened the door and silently walked into the dimly lit room. She had been settled and was now resting comfortably thanks to some very strong painkilling drugs. Her bed was surrounded by a myriad of machines all beeping rhythmically as she rested. Her arm was wrapped and suspended in the air with a cage of wire around it, holding the bones in place. The blanket was pulled up to her shoulders as she laid on her back. He took a seat beside the bed knowing he only had five minutes but really wanted to check she was okay for himself.
“Darlington?” Her voice, as raspy as it sounded, was like a song of angels to his ears.
“You have no idea how happy I am to see you alive.”
“Bear?” Her face scrunched as every spoken word caused her pain.
“Yes, about that… can we keep that between us?”
“Is that why… here?” Opening her eyes briefly, she closed them again.
“No,” he stated firmly, but then wondered why he felt so adamantly about being there. Surely, he could have just sent another officer in his place. It didn’t need to be him. The stir at the station earlier when he walked in, naked, and carrying a woman covered in blood was interesting, to say the least. His superior had told him, whatever the case was with the woman, he wasn’t to be anywhere near it. As he was a witness to the event or partial witness, and to be on the case would compromise its integrity. Darlington had agreed, and even though he promised his boss he would stay away, he still found himself walking to the hospital and needing to see her.
“Why here?” she asked.
“I just… um…I needed…” Darlington honestly didn’t know how to answer that question. He didn’t know why, only that he had to be there.
“I’m okay,” she rasped. “Thanks to you.”
“Kylee… if only I’d come by earlier. I’m sorry.” Darlington lowered his head, dropping his eyes to the floor with guilt so heavy upon his shoulders.
“Darlington?” Her voice was still raspy but harder, and it made him look up to her. Her head was tilted, her eyes wide as she looked deep into his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“Stop that guilt shit and get me a drink of water.” She grinned. “These drugs are making my mouth dry.”
“I can see a near-death experience didn’t make you all soft, huh?” He grinned as he got up and filled a cup with water. Placing a straw in it and holding it near her mouth, she closed her lips around it and took a few mouthfuls before releasing it and relaxing back against the pillow. “That was kinda kinky to watch.” He smirked lightly.
“I’m stronger than I look, Darlington, and five times as kinky as you could ever dream of.” Her eyes were shut, but the grin was very much there.
“Times up,” the nurse said from the door.
Darlington looked to Kylee who had just cracked an eye to look back. “Want me to come back?” he asked.
“Please?” Her voice was nothing but sincere honesty.
Darlington nodded his head. “‘I’ll be back.’” He did his best Arnie impersonation, and it wasn’t lost on her.
“Don’t do that again.” She chuckled then cried out in agony as the pain shot through her body like fresh slices.
“Shit. No laughing. Sorry.” Darlington straightened his face. “See you tomorrow morning.” His hand touched lightly on the back of her unbroken one. He could see the red marks from the zip tie, and it made the anger bubble again in his belly.
“Mmm…” was all she managed before she succumbed to the drugs once more.
Darlington looked upon this woman once more, her strength was something even he didn’t expect to find. He was following her for his own interest in the phoenix, but maybe his interest in her wasn’t all bird-related after all.
Closing the door silently behind him, he went in search of the images collected by the doctors.
Ladon and Vern sat either side of Elyse as a new officer sat opposite them.
“Where is Darlington?” Elyse asked.
“He’s no longer on this case. I’m Officer Stoney, I’ll be handling this case movin
g forward.”
“I don’t want you, Stoney, I want Darlington. You have no idea what’s been going on here. No offense, but I’ve got underwear that looks older than you,” Elyse said with a light laugh.
“Rest assured I’m old enough and have been fully briefed on your case, Ms. Dooglies.”
“That’s it!” Elyse got up and walked to the back wall in frustration before turning to look at the officer in the eyes. Her fury right now was so intense, even Ladon was flinching with the glare from her eyes. “It’s Douglas… Doug-las. Oh Lord, please get the kiddie cop out of here.” She looked up at the camera. “I want Darlington, not Paddington.”
Ladon couldn’t help but smile as she just called this officer of the law nothing but a child’s storybook character.
“Ms. Douglas,” the officer tried again.
Ladon and Vern both rolled their eyes in unison that he was even game enough to go for round two with Elyse.
“Officer Stoney…” Elyse stomped back to the table, placing her hands on the edge, and she leaned forward. Her entire focus was now on this one mere human male, who was presently recoiling into the back of his chair. “I have no intention of dealing with you now, tomorrow, or ever. Quite frankly, I find the fact that whoever is in charge has mocked the seriousness of my case by even thinking of putting a child in charge.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest. “Stop! You look like your barely completed basic training. This is probably your first case, right?”
“Second,” he said quietly. “But I’ve been briefed.”
“I’m going to shove those briefs up where the sun doth-not shine if you tell me that one more time, Officer Stoney.” Elyse’s tone had taken a darker shade as the frustration grew with this new uppity officer. She leaned forward and gained his focus. Her lips were moving slightly, but no words were coming out as Ladon watched her reel this young man into her zone like a tractor beam.
Vern leaned back to look at Ladon, his head tilted to the two, who seemed to be caught in a stare-off competition. Ladon shrugged. He was as lost with what was happening as was Vern.
The energy that was thick suddenly lifted like a light switch had been turned on in a dark room. The officer stood up and looked at them. “With much respect, I will be standing down to second officer on this case and giving it back to Officer Darlington. I apologize for any inconvenience caused. I’ll go get him and be back in a few minutes.” His eyes were slightly glazed as if he were repeating something he’d been told. He turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.
“What was that?” Ladon asked as he looked between Elyse and Vern.
“What was what?” she replied innocently, having taken a seat back at the desk.
“That,” Vern said with a wave of his hand. “The weird energy. The mumbled words. The… seemingly programmed speech of the officer?”
“Elyse…” she turned to look at Ladon as he continued the question, “… did you make him act a certain way?”
“So, what if I did?” She flopped back into her chair. “These guys aren’t playing fair. I don’t see why I should.”
“Do you do that often?” Vern asked with a curious tilt of his head, his eyes flickering between her and his brother.
“Do what?”
“The Vulcan Mind Meld,” Ladon said.
“Oh…” Elyse shrugged. “I didn’t know I could still do it. He just made me so mad. I used to…” She hung her head slightly, the memory flashing in her head causing her shame.
“Used to what?” Vern asked again.
“A girl has to eat. Street life is hard.” She swallowed loudly as her arms wrapped around herself. “I’m not proud of it, but when you haven’t eaten for five days, you’ll do whatever you can to get something as small and meaningless as a stale bread roll.” Elyse paused for a second before continuing, “I only used it on people who looked like they wouldn’t miss it.” Her eyes lifted in a panic of being misunderstood. “I would never have taken from another in need like myself. In fact, I used to share what I got with Charlie.”
Ladon placed a hand over hers. “You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Seriously. I once thought of myself as the biggest, the meanest, the strongest warrior to ever grace this land. I have never lost a battle. I took heads like they meant nothing to me. I would drive my blades through the hearts of my enemies without a second thought. The steel in my spine was fashioned from the gods themselves.” Ladon spoke with an honesty that penetrated straight into Elyse’s heart as he continued, “Yet, now I look at you and see myself as nothing in comparison. You’re made of a far greater steel than I.”
“Yet, here I am arrested for a murder I didn’t commit.”
“Ms. Douglas.” The door swung open and in walked Officers Darlington and Stoney. They came in together and sat in unison, then waited for the click of the door to shut before they continued, “I hear you have something against Officer Stoney?”
“Look…” Elyse sat up. “I just want this sorted, so I can go home. I know I didn’t kill Mavis Brown and having to start from the beginning with the kid cop here is not on.”
“The station won’t bend to your need for instant justice. Things have to, and will always follow a certain protocol. With last night’s developments, it is impossible for me to continue on this case.”
“Wait… what happened last night?” Elyse said.
“You didn’t tell her?” Darlington looked to the two guys flanking her on either side. Both shook their heads as Darlington sighed. “I don’t even want to know why you didn’t. Listen…” he looked directly at Elyse, “… your friend was attacked last night in a park not far from here. She was on her way to see you when she was jumped.”
“Kylee was attacked?” Elyse’s air vaporized from her lungs as she looked shocked at Ladon. “When were you going to tell me?”
“As soon as we got you out of here,” he replied. “We didn’t want to—”
“I swear to God, Ladon, don’t you finish that sentence.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Or me being upset will be the last thing you see before the reaper.”
Vern stared at the visual threat she had just burned his brother with when she flicked around and caught him in her eyes. “What are you staring at? You’re just as bad.” Sitting back, she looked at Darlington. “What is it with men? You think just because we have boobs that we’re delicate flowers, who need to be protected from the big bad world.”
Sitting up straight, she made sure she met the eyes of every man in that room before continuing, “Well, let me tell you all something right now. I’ve lived in that big bad world. I’ve been beaten up, screwed around, and survived that big bad world all by myself. No man needed. So, stop all this masochistic crap, and let’s just get on with getting this case sorted, all right?”
The men all nodded.
“What happened to Kylee, and what has it to do with you no longer being on this case?” She looked straight past everyone and spoke directly to Darlington.
Darlington took a breath and spoke calmly, “This is off the record right now because as I said, this is now Officer Stoney’s case, not mine. Understand?” She nodded as he continued, “She was attacked last night… violently. She has a badly broken wrist…” he swallowed particularly hard on that part, “… a cracked clavicle, skull, and numerous bruises. Plus…”
“Plus?” Elyse’s eyes were wide with horror. “There is more?”
“Unfortunately, yes. The perpetrator carved a message into her stomach. Some cuts went deep enough that her intestines needed to be closed back up. She endured nearly three hours of surgery to mend her injuries and reset her wrist.”
“Oh my God!” She clutched her chest as the tears welled up for the torture her friend had endured. “If I hadn’t been in here, she wouldn’t have been walking in the dark. Wait…” She froze. “A message? What message?”
Darlington opened a folder and pulled out a photograph. He looked at it and grimaced. Placing it
face down, he slid it over the table. “Look at it with my warning. It’s graphic and directed at you.”
“Me?” Elyse looked down at the picture then back then up to Darlington. “Before I look, tell me why it’s directed at me and how you’re involved.”
“I’m involved because I stumbled across the attack and stopped it from getting any worse than it already was. If I…” His eyes shut tightly as he tilted his head down to the floor. Struggling to keep his composure and self-loathing, he said, “If I had been earlier…” His words trailed off and were pain-filled enough for Elyse to reach out and lay her hand on the back of his. Ever since she lawyered up, they had taken off the cuffs, so her hands were free to give this man a moment of support when he obviously needed it. He looked up to see her eyes. “If I had been earlier, I could have prevented it.”
“I can’t imagine…” Her words drifted off unfinished before asking, “And me?”
“Kylee told me the perpetrator said he was your cousin.”
“My cousin?” Her body jolted with surprise. “I don’t have a cousin.”
“Apparently, you do, and he wants your attention,” Darlington said.
Elyse took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her fingertips lying on the back of the photograph. Feeling the glossy paper, she picked up the edge and turned it over. Her intake of breath was sharp and filled with horror at what she was seeing. Kylee’s flesh, her milky white tender skin, glowed in comparison to the red, bleeding, angry slashes of a mad man and a message to be delivered.
Bum
Flower
Friend
You
“Vagrants? Charlie?” Darlington nodded his head to Elyse’s question. He didn’t know how this guy staged it, only that it was staged.
Elyse shook her head slowly from side to side. “This is so confusing. Charlie was sliced up…” Her intake of breath was sharp as she slowly put the pieces together. “This is a setup. I seriously didn’t know I had any cousins.” Her mind ticked over for a second. “Wait… flowers? He’s the one who killed Mavis?” Darlington nodded. “So, I’m free?” she added with a hopeful look.
Submerge (Apalala Clan Book 3) Page 19