Once Gone (a Riley Paige Mystery--Book #1)

by Blake Pierce

  Chapter 35

  Riley opened her eyes. Her whole body was in pain, especially her shoulder and her head. Bill’s face filled her vision. Was she dreaming?

  “Bill?” she asked.

  He smiled, looking relieved. He was holding something soft against her head, staunching the flow of blood.

  “Welcome back,” he said.

  Riley realized that she was still in the room, with the post nearby. She was seized by a moment of panic.

  “Where’s Dirk?” she asked.

  “Dead,” Bill said. “You gave him just what he deserved.”

  Riley still wondered if she was dreaming.

  “I’ve got to see,” she gasped. She managed to turn her head. She saw Dirk stretched out across the floor face down in a pool of his own blood. Eyes opened. Unblinking.

  Bill turned her head back toward him.

  “Don’t try to move,” he said. “You’re hurt pretty bad. You’re going to be okay. But you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

  A spasm of nauseated dizziness told her that Bill was right. She managed to whisper five words before she lost consciousness again.

  “One monster at a time.”