“Hey, man.” Corey strode up to him, immediately noticing his bloodshot, droopy eyes and the unmistakable smell of weed wafting off him. That explained what he was doing at the side of the house.
His eyes went wide and darted around like he was going to run.
“I just want to ask you a quick question.” Corey held out a calming hand.
“Sure, yeah,” he drawled.
“Do you work on the site at Coburn and Hall?”
“I do, yeah. I’m pretty new.”
“Do you know a guy with the initials M.G.?”
“Um, shit, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “There’s like thirty guys working on that site. I’m sure one of them is named Matt, Mike, or Mark.” He giggled to himself. “Mark. I think it’s Mark.”
“Thanks.” She headed for her truck.
“Anything?” Thayer was leaning against the passenger side.
“Not really.” Corey unlocked the door and held it for Thayer.
“So, what now?”
Corey drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, lost in thought. She dug the bag out of her pocket and looked at it again before dropping it back into the console. “You want to do one more thing with me?” she asked, facing her.
Thayer sighed. “I don’t know if I can stand any more of your first date fun. So I hope your next stop involves dinner at that little hole-in-the-wall Mexican place I’ve heard good things about but haven’t had the chance to try.”
Corey couldn’t tell if she was teasing her again or if she was really starting to get annoyed with her. She reached her hand across the console and collected Thayer’s in her own, lacing their fingers together. “Thank you for doing this with me.”
Thayer met her gaze and reached to brush at a wisp of hair that had fallen into Corey’s eyes. “You’re welcome.” She smiled.
Corey chewed her lip. When Thayer turned those eyes on her, she felt completely bewitched. It was all she could do not to fire up her truck and drive them straight back to her condo, or Thayer’s place, or anywhere really she could wrap her arms around her and feel her against her and taste her lips. Which is why what came out of her mouth next surprised even her. “Yes, absolutely, dinner. I love that place and that’s where we’ll go right after we do one quick thing. I promise.” She flashed what she hoped was her most charming smile.
Thayer peered through the windshield at the building, her expression troubled. “Corey, you must know by now that I am absolutely crazy for you, but I cannot in good conscience support this plan. It’s trespassing. How are you even going to get in?” She gestured to the closed perimeter fence.
“Crazy for me, huh?” Her eyes danced. “That’s pretty much my all-time favorite Madonna song, by the way. Vision Quest was kind of cheesy, though.”
“Mine too, and I’ve seen the movie.” Thayer fought a smile. “But that was not supposed to be the takeaway from what I just said.”
Corey looked around the site. “Yeah, the fence was open last time but there’s a gap and I can make myself small. I’ll be quick. Why don’t you just wait here?” She hopped out.
“What?” Thayer opened her door. “You did not just ask me to wait in the car, did you?”
She laughed. “I did nothing of the kind. You didn’t want to come.”
“No, I don’t, and I don’t want you to either, but since I can’t stop you, I better go with you. Hurry up, it’s getting dark.” Thayer stalked toward the gap in the fence gate with Corey jogging to catch up.
Thayer kicked some loose nails around the debris-covered fifth floor. “Are you sure it’s safe to be up here?” She peered through a gap in the unfinished floor that looked like it went all the way down to the bottom and was crossed with loose boards. She scooted a nail over the edge with her foot, listening for the silent seconds before she heard it plink down at the bottom.
“I’m not sure of anything.” Corey was crouched in the corner, pawing through a pile of rubble. “But you’re right. That lighter doesn’t mean anything. He borrowed it, confiscated it, or found it. I don’t know. There’s still something that isn’t sitting right with me about this whole thing, but Collier isn’t going to take me seriously unless I have something to actually tell him that makes sense.”
“What are we looking for exactly?” Thayer asked, looking around aimlessly.
“I don’t know exactly.” Corey sighed. “Something heavy, thin, and sort of rounded that could have been used to cave in someone’s head. Like a pipe, maybe.”
Thayer moved to the opposite side and kicked around some boards. “Like this?” She picked up a two-foot length of rebar. One end was darkened and crusted with sludge. “Jesus, is that blood?”
“You’re going to want to put that down,” a gruff voice said from behind her as something hard pressed into the back of her neck.
Chapter Twenty-One
Corey whirled around, jumping to her feet to see a large man with a nail gun. “Hey!”
“Stay where you are unless you want me to send a three-inch steel nail through her pretty little throat,” he growled, gripping Thayer at the left shoulder and driving the tip hard into the back of her neck.
Thayer winced, staggering forward at the pressure until he jerked her back upright. The length of rebar clattered to the floor at her feet and she held her hands out to her sides.
“It’s you.” Corey’s gaze darted between his dangerously wild eyes and Thayer’s wide, terrified ones. She recognized the man immediately as the one who grossed Cin out. “I know you. You attacked me in the morgue, didn’t you? You killed Gordon Akers.”
“I did what I had to,” he barked, looking around as if he was trying to make a decision. “And now you’re going to do what you have to.”
Her eyes narrowed, her heart pounding. “And what’s that?”
“Give me that lighter. I know you have it. I heard you say it at Gord’s house.”
Her gaze stayed on Thayer, who stood very still, her eyes locked onto Corey’s. “I don’t have it on me. It’s in my truck. Let her go and I’ll go get it for you.”
“You think I’m stupid?” He snarled and jerked Thayer around, propelling her toward the unfinished part of the floor. There was a thick, two-foot wide board serving as a bridge to a section of scaffolding surrounding a reinforced cement column. The column rose from the ground and went straight up through to the floors yet to be constructed.
Thayer stopped at the edge, resisting, beginning to tremble visibly.
“Walk.” He pressed the nail gun harder against her neck, causing her to gasp in pain.
“No.” Corey started toward them. “Thayer.”
“Don’t move!”
“Corey, do as he says. I’ll be okay.” Thayer’s voice wavered.
Corey watched their agonizingly slow progress across the fifteen feet to the scaffolding. The man shoved Thayer forward and she stumbled onto a small platform with a frightened cry. She scrabbled at the column, her hands closing around a large ring bolt to steady herself.
“Thayer?” Corey’s heart leapt to her throat.
“I’m okay,” she replied shakily. The platform was three feet wide and circled the thick column. There were no other planks that crossed to the floor but the one the man was hurrying back across.
Corey watched in horror as he jumped back to solid floor before turning with a sneer and pulling the board across with him, stranding Thayer on the platform.
“That lighter is the only thing connecting me to Akers.” He jabbed a finger at Corey and hooked a thumb behind him. “And she’s my insurance you’ll come back with it.”
Corey swallowed hard, her mind in a panic. She scanned the scaffolding. Thayer wouldn’t even be able to see over the edge to the supports holding it. Maybe she could guide her down.
Thayer was watching her, a curious expression on her face. “You’ll do nothing of the kind, Corey. He’s already killed someone and he’ll have no trouble killing us as well.”
“Gord was an ac
cident. But I ain’t going back to prison.” His eyes darted between Thayer and Corey.
Corey ran her hands through her hair. “Thayer, I have to do something.”
“You’ll get me that goddamn lighter!” he raged.
Thayer breathed a laugh. “Honey, he can’t hurt me now.” She pulled her phone from her pocket. “The nail gun’s not going to fire nails out like bullets, like you see in the movies.”
“Shut the fuck up!” His face purpled with rage and he waved the tool around uselessly, realizing his mistake. He had no leverage now.
“I’m calling the police,” Thayer announced calmly as she tapped the screen with her free hand, the other holding the column.
“Make sure you ask for Sergeant Jim Collier.” Corey couldn’t help her triumphant grin as Thayer simply made her call. “If you still think you’re getting away with this, your only chance now is to run. Nothing connects you to Akers but the lighter, the murder weapon, and the two women you just confessed to.”
“I said I ain’t going back.” The man spun to her with unadulterated fury and charged.
Corey jumped back as he swung down at her with the nailer, raising her left arm to protect her head and swinging her right in a textbook right hook that connected solidly with his jaw just as the tool cracked down on her left forearm, the intense pain staggering her.
“Corey!” Thayer screamed helplessly from her prison.
She could already hear the sirens as she swayed, cradling her left arm to her side. “It’s over.” She panted. “Don’t make this worse.”
The man straightened, spitting blood. “I ain’t got nothing to lose,” he replied ominously and charged her again.
She bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity as she prepared to take the hit.
He hadn’t been that far away, but he hit her with the force of a linebacker, sending them both sailing backward through the air and crashing down onto a pile of loose boards.
The air whooshed from her lungs, pain lancing through her neck and back as his weight came down on her. She swung her right elbow hard into his throat. He gurgled a horrible sound and started to get up when her knee connected solidly with his groin as he tried to scrabble away, choking and gagging.
“Corey, get out of there!” Thayer yelled.
She pushed herself up from the pile of debris, gripping a length of two-by-four in her right hand. She glanced at Thayer to make sure she was okay before her gaze trained on the man, cradling his balls and moaning pitifully as he tried to catch his breath.
She was ending this. Her left arm ached viciously but there was nothing wrong with her right as she adjusted her grip on the board and swung hard, striking him in the side of the head as he tried to limp away. “What comes around goes around, asshole.”
He dropped to the floor. Corey pushed him onto his back with her foot and she could see he was breathing evenly. She looked up at Thayer and took several shuddering breaths. “Are you all right?” she panted, throwing the board to the floor.
Thayer nodded, her trembling hand going to her chest. “I’m all right. Are you?”
“Yeah. I think he broke my arm. Hold on and I’ll get the plank.” Corey moved to step around his body when she heard a loud crack of wood—and fell through the floor. The last thing she heard was Thayer screaming her name.
“Corey!” Thayer screamed. “Oh my god, Corey!” There was a terrifying crash of wood and a sickening thump as Corey’s body landed and a dust cloud billowed up from below. Thayer dropped to her knees on the platform, angling to see to the fourth floor. Corey was on her back so close to the edge of the unfinished floor her arm was hanging over. She wasn’t moving. She wasn’t far away but Thayer didn’t know how to get to her. The sirens wailed and lights of arriving patrol cars reflected outside but help was still precious minutes away.
Corey groaned and stirred and Thayer’s heart leapt to her throat. “No, honey. Oh, god. Please stay still.”
Corey’s legs shifted. “Thayer?”
“Yes, honey. I’m here.” She dropped to her stomach and peered beneath her. There was a plank of wood from the next lower platform to the floor beneath her. If she could climb the scaffolding, she could get to Corey. “I’m coming to you sweetheart. Please don’t move.”
She didn’t have time to be afraid as she stayed on her belly and swung her legs over the edge, feeling for a support with her feet. As soon as her feet found purchase, she lowered herself over the edge. “Corey, talk to me. I can’t see you right now, and I need to know you’re all right.”
“…’m hurt…”
“Oh, honey.” Her chest tightened with fear at the sound of her weak voice. “I’m coming. Please, hold on. Keep talking to me.” She climbed faster, dropping the last few feet to the platform at the same time she heard boots on the stairs and the identifying shouts of the police. “We’re on the fourth floor.” She raced across the wood plank, dropping down next to Corey. “Call an ambulance.”
Jim Collier thundered up the stairs with a platoon of uniformed officers, weapons drawn. “Where is he?”
Thayer didn’t spare him a glance. “One up.”
He grunted, holstering his weapon and waved his officers up the stairs. He crouched down next to Thayer. “What can I do?”
“She fell through the floor.” Thayer placed one arm across Corey’s body and her hand gripped the edge of the floor to keep her from going over if she moved. With her other she took Corey’s pulse at the wrist. It was far too fast.
She leaned over to look at her face. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused but open. Her breathing was rapid and shallow with frothy blood staining her lips. “Corey, honey, can you hear me?”
Corey blinked, “Hurts…”
“I know, honey.” Thayer smoothed her hair, slick with sweat. “Tell me where.”
“My head…” She panted. “…and…chest.”
She unbuttoned Corey’s shirt and slipped a hand inside, running it across her chest and her sides, stopping when she felt the unnatural movement of fractured ribs on the left. The touch caused Corey to cry out in agony.
“Okay. Okay.” Thayer smoothed her pained brow. “I’m sorry.” She turned to Collier. “Go meet the ambulance. We need a backboard and C-collar. If they can get the stretcher up here great, but if not, we’ll carry her on the board. Ask someone to call ahead to the ED. We need a head and spine CT, X-ray, and give thoracic surgery a heads up that she has multiple rib fractures, at least a punctured lung, a fractured arm, and other possible internal injuries from a fall of approximately fifteen feet.”
Collier winced. “So, she’s a mess is what you’re saying?”
“Did you get all that?” Thayer snapped.
“I got it.” He turned to the stairs. “I’m going.”
She looked at Corey’s face. Her eyes were fluttering closed. “Corey, you need to stay awake for me now.” She used her best bedside command voice.
Corey’s eyes dragged open. “Trying….”
“Paramedics are on their way up.” Her voice grew thick with emotion, unshed tears burning behind her eyes. “They’re going to take care of you.”
Corey’s mouth twitched in an attempt at a smile. “You…” She panted. “Take…me home.”
Thayer lost the battle against the tears and they streamed down her face. “I think I’m too close to this one, sweetheart.” She was helpless to ease Corey’s pain.
Corey smiled, her eyes rolling to meet Thayer’s. “’m sorry…”
“For what, honey?” Thayer choked back a sob. “None of this is your fault.”
“Never even took you…on a proper date…” Corey wheezed a ragged breath, blood bubbling from her mouth as her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Corey? Corey?” Thayer cried as she heard the ambulance siren come to a stop.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Corey could hear the hiss and beep of machines. She tried to open her eyes, tried to swallow, tried to speak at the sound of voices nearby, but
in the end she succumbed to a heavy blackness.
She was aware, briefly, when someone was touching her, rolling her, causing her pain and she groaned her displeasure.
“I know, honey, I’m sorry,” a soft voice soothed. “Almost done.”
She relaxed and faded away again.
Her head pounded and it felt like a rhino was sitting on her chest. Her throat was so sore and she desperately wanted a drink. She tried to move her left arm but couldn’t, and a throbbing pain tore a ragged groan from her chest.
“No. No, honey, don’t try to move.”
She felt a cool hand against her face and focused on forming a single word. “Water.”
There was movement and the sound of water pouring. She tried to open her eyes but the bright light stabbed them closed again with a sharp gasp.
She felt a straw pressed against her lips. “Small sips,” the soothing voice said. “Just a little.”
Much too soon the straw was removed and she heard movement again. The lights were dimmed in the room. “I’ll get your doctor.”
She woke again to gentle hands prying her lids open, a sharp light piercing her eyes. “Corey, welcome back,” an unfamiliar voice rumbled.
“You’ve been keeping everyone on their toes the last couple of days. Dr. Reynolds has been very worried and the nurses are starting to complain they keep finding your friends hanging around past visiting hours.” She felt a cold stethoscope against the bare skin of her chest. “Breathe deeply for me.”
She attempted an inhale, shuddering as pain wracked her chest. She tried to bring her right arm up, the only one that could move, to push him away.
“Shhh, Corey, it’s okay,” Thayer soothed, gripping her hand gently and holding it. “You need to try, sweetheart. Your lung collapsed and it will help to breathe deeply. I know it hurts.”
“Thayer,” she whispered, relaxing at the sound of her voice and struggling to open her eyes and focus on her.
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