All the Pretty Girls Read online

  “Where’s Sally?” I asked.

  “Let me worry about you right now.”

  “No! I’m fine. Please, Nick. Help her; she saved my life. Go to her.”

  “Joel’s got her. Let me cut you free and check your leg.”

  “Please, Nick. She saved me.”

  He didn’t answer. The tape binding my wrists and ankles were cut, and Nick rubbed my arms. He called for a medic, and soon a man and a woman joined us. Neither of us spoke, but he never took his eyes from mine. I heard the man tell Nick I needed to get to a hospital. Nick nodded and held my hand while I was loaded into the ambulance. I was surprised when he climbed in after me. I thought he’d need to stay behind with the police, but he never let go.

  “I’m sorry I drank the coffee. I was so stupid. I’m so sorry I killed Sally.”

  Nick hung his head, and the thin leash that was holding me together snapped when the first tear fell from his eye.

  It was all my fault.

  Chapter 25

  Fly or drive?

  The hospital was swarming with police when the ambulance pulled into the ER bay. The back doors of the rig were pulled open, and Meadow’s stretcher was flanked by police on both sides as we were escorted to a private room usually reserved for chemical contamination or communicable diseases. The threat of Beth Stevens was now contained; however, the media would be surrounding the hospital like flies on shit. I was grateful the local PD was doing what they could to keep them at bay.

  The doctor came in, and the rapid-fire questions began. She was taking Meadow’s vitals and inquiring about past medical history. Through it all I sat there stone-faced, unable to give Meadow the reassurance she wanted.

  I’d failed her.

  I was still failing her.

  I couldn’t stop the replay reel of Meadow thrashing around on the ground. One second later. That was all it would’ve taken. If Sally hadn’t gotten loose and charged Beth, Meadow could’ve died. I could do nothing; there was no time for me to get to her.

  Sally!

  Jesus fuck, the dog saved my girl, not me. I didn’t do a damn thing. And all Meadow was worried about was if Sally was okay. Then she apologized to me for taking coffee from Beth.

  My phone vibrated, and I pulled it from my pocket.

  Joel: Sally is at the emergency vet clinic on 12th. Updates to follow. How’s Meadow?

  Me: Thanks. With the doc now.

  “You’re a lucky lady, Meadow. Two lacerations. One I’m going to suture, the other I’ll Dermabond. I want to get your thigh cared for before we clean your back. I can Steri-Strip a few of the deeper cuts. Your back is going to be sore. I’m more concerned with the abrasions becoming infected than I am about the clean incisions on your leg. Your back will need to be washed twice a day with anti-bacterial soap, you’ll use a betadine ointment to use as well. I’m going to give you a round of IV antibiotics now and write you a ten-day script. Any questions?”

  “No,” Meadow answered.

  “Yes,” I countered. “She was drugged with ketamine. What are the side effects?”

  “I was told. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic; it is short lasting, meaning the effect will wear off quickly. As the drug leaves the system, reactions vary from high blood pressure, muscle spasms, hallucinations, and extreme agitation. The flip side is low blood pressure and decreased breathing. Meadow isn’t presenting any adverse side effects,” the doctor informed me.

  “What about a concussion? We don’t know if she hit her head,” I argued.

  “I’m fine, Nick.” Meadow grabbed my hand and I fought not to jerk it away.

  “We don’t know that,” I said.

  “Agent Clark. I understand your concern. I can assure you we will be observing Miss Holiday closely over the next few hours, but as of now, it’s my belief she’ll be home in her bed tonight with pain meds to manage any discomfort.”

  “Nick?”

  Fuck. I couldn’t take Meadow’s tears; I needed a minute to regain my composure.

  “I’ll be right back. I need to check in with the guys,” I lied, pulling my hand free.

  I didn’t miss the look of disappointment when I left the exam room. I also didn’t miss the sound of Meadow’s sobs.

  I yanked my phone back out of my pocket and dialed the one person I knew could help. I didn’t bother with the time, because they wouldn’t care. Day or night didn’t matter.

  “Hello?”

  “Sorry to bother you. You gotta minute?” I asked.

  “Always. What’s wrong?”

  “I fucked up.” I tried to hide the hitch in my voice, but nothing escaped my uncle’s notice.

  “We’ll be there,” he answered. No questions. No hesitation. I was a grown man, yet Nolan would rush to my side if needed.

  “That’s not necessary. I just need to talk,” I told him.

  “We’ll talk. But first I need to know if it can wait the eight hours it will take me to drive or if I need a flight?”

  Shit. I shouldn’t have called.

  “Really, you don’t need to come.”

  “Bullshit. Fly or drive?”

  “Drive,” I told him.

  “Great, I’ll book a flight. Now, tell me what’s wrong?”

  Did he not hear me tell him to drive?

  Instead of arguing, I broke down and told him about Meadow, and what I could about the investigation, and how tonight had played out. By the end, I thought I was going to throw up. I still couldn’t wrap my head around how close Meadow came to dying.

  “Fuck, Nicholas. That was a close call. Glad to hear Meadow’s safe. You did good. Proud of you.”

  “Did you hear what I said? I fucked up. I missed the fucking big flashing sign over Beth’s head. It’s my fault.”

  “Yeah. I heard everything you said. I also know that you have your head up your ass. Nothing, I repeat nothing that bitch did, was your fault. Meadow is safe. End of story.”

  “My head’s not…”

  “Nick, you’re gonna listen to me carefully. Go back to your woman. Grab her and hold tight.”

  “I can’t even look at her; I fucked up so bad. I don’t know how she doesn’t hate me.”

  “Fuck,” he cursed, and I heard the phone being pulled away from his face before a muffled “Hey Lenox? Grab the guys, wheels up in twenty.”

  “Nolan, that’s not necessary I don’t need everyone coming up here. I’m fine.”

  “No, boy, you’re not fine. You’re getting ready to make the biggest mistake of your life. Listen. To. Me. Go to Meadow. Do not say anything to her until we get there. Hold her and give her whatever she needs. I need you to fight like hell not to run away. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

  “How’d you know I was gonna run?” I asked.

  “Because I almost did when your Aunt Reagan lost her fucking kidney because I had my head up my ass, denying to myself and everyone else I was in love with her. Do you want to know about fucking up? Boy, you can’t hold a candle to me. I’ll be there. You hold tight.” He disconnected before I could ask him what he meant.

  I knew the story about my Aunt Reagan getting taken and being held on an abandoned oil rig that was being used as a black-market organ trafficking hospital, but I didn’t know my uncle had felt responsible. Reagan and my uncle had just started dating when I moved in with them. When she’d moved to Florida to start a job it sucked, I missed her, and Nolan thought he hid it, but he was heartbroken.

  What kind of pussy was I calling my uncle for help while I stood in the hallway of a hospital crying like a fucking baby?

  I sent off a text to Joel asking about Sally. Still no updates, she was in surgery. Please, God, do not let Sally die!

  When I walked back into the room, my betrayal smacked me dead center in my chest. Meadow was lying on a hospital bed clutching the sheet at her side while the doctor stitched her leg - alone. Not only was I weak, but I was a total douchebag leaving her the way I did. I broke my promise to her. I gave her my word sh
e’d never be alone again. Yet there she was folded into herself without me by her side.

  “Hey.” I slid next to her and pried her fingers off the fabric and brought them up to my mouth, kissing each of them. “I’m sorry.”

  Meadow’s red-rimmed eyes came to mine, and she tried to smile. God, she was killing me. She was the one that was attacked but she was reassuring me.

  “I’m…”

  “Shhh, Red. Just rest. We’ll talk later,” I told her.

  The doctor finished with the gashes on the thigh and rolled her to the side to wash the abrasions on her back. I stayed where I was and lowered my face to hers, so we were inches apart.

  “I’m so proud of you. You were so damn brave, baby,” I told her as the doctor continued to tend to her road rash.

  “How did you find me?” she asked.

  “We tracked one of Beth’s phones.”

  “One of them? What do you mean?”

  “It’s not important. We’ll talk about it when we get you home.”

  I wasn’t prepared to tell her that Beth was Veronica Venus; and I didn’t think Meadow was emotionally ready for another blow. That type of betrayal was crushing. Meadow had poured her heart out to the woman who’d been behind all her pain. It made me sick thinking about it.

  Four hours later the team, minus Joel who was still with Sally, had gathered outside Meadow’s hospital room. I’d gotten a reprieve, and Kilby let me write my after-action report at the hospital. He also postponed my interview, so I didn’t have to leave Meadow.

  “Good work today,” Kilby said as he prepared to leave. I gritted my teeth, stopping myself from telling him there was nothing good about Beth Stevens getting her filthy hands on Meadow.

  Mandy’s hand went to my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I agree. Strong work. Meadow is safe, and Beth is behind bars.”

  “You ready to take her home?” Detective Lance said when he approached.

  “Yes. She’s been released; we’re waiting on your okay,” I told him.

  As predicted, the outside of the hospital was crawling with media. It was a madhouse outside, and we’d been planning our escape without being noticed.

  “I’ve arranged for her to be taken by ambulance back to Firehouse 15. There is an unmarked car already there waiting to take you home. I’ll follow the ambulance in my car to make sure the rig isn’t being followed,” he explained.

  “Thank you, much appreciated.”

  “It’s the least I can do for being such an asshole. I was wrong and doubted you and damn if your profile wasn’t spot on. I won’t be making that mistake again.” Detective Lance offered his hand to Kilby, who graciously took his hand in a brief shake and nod.

  “You’ll have our reports in the next day or two,” Kilby told him, then turned to us. “Any word on Sally? Christ Almighty when that dog jumped over the seat and darted out of the car I didn’t know what to expect. Her jumping into Beth Stevens was not what I expected. Though she is yours; I should’ve known she’d go off reservation.”

  The team chuckled, and I did my best to smile though I knew it had to look more like a grimace.

  “Joel said she made it through surgery, but the vet said it didn’t look good. I’d appreciate no one saying anything to Meadow. She’s torn up about what happened, and I’m afraid what the news will do to her.”

  The team gave their agreement, and Lance escorted us back through the ER to an awaiting ambulance. Meadow’s gurney was quickly loaded, and the rig took off.

  Chapter 26

  The uncles

  “How could I not have known you were so infuriating? And possibly the most stubborn man alive?” I whined.

  “Me? Stubborn? You do remember you were in the hospital a few hours ago, right? And… don’t roll your eyes at me Meadow.”

  “Nick. I can walk to the bathroom. You don’t need to carry me every time I have to pee.”

  “The doctor said not to put pressure on your leg,” he reminded me for the tenth time. The fluids I’d received at the ER were running through me, and I had to pee every five minutes, which meant Nick was carrying me back and forth to the bathroom every five minutes.

  “She said much pressure. I can limp to use the bathroom.”

  This time Nick rolled his eyes at me and ignored my protest when he sat me on the couch. When we got home, he’d put me to bed, and I dozed, but a horrible nightmare had woken me up. Nick held me until I stopped crying and now I didn’t want to go back to sleep. The painkillers were making it hard to keep my eyes open, but fear of reliving my attack was a great motivator. So was the grief I saw on Nick’s face when he rocked me, apologizing over and over that he allowed Beth to get to me.

  It didn’t matter how many times I told him it wasn’t his fault; he kept saying it was. I’d do anything to keep the guilt and sadness from his eyes. He’d saved me, and I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t see that. Him and Sally. I knew he was keeping secrets from me. For one he told me Sally was out of surgery, but instead of relief, there was trepidation. When I questioned him, he brushed it off. He said he didn’t blame me for Sally getting hurt, but I didn’t believe him. It was my fault. Beth had stabbed her because she was trying to save me. Sally took the blow that was meant for me. How could Nick not hate me? Then there was the issue of Beth’s second phone, and why he was being so secretive about it. I couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. I mean, sure it was weird she had two phones, but it’s not unheard of. Something wasn’t right. I started to tell him that Beth must’ve hacked into my phone or computer because she’d read the messages I’d sent to Veronica Venus. Then there were her weird ramblings about listening to me bitch and complain. That conversation was shut down too, but not before he stumbled on his words and turned very uncomfortable. I didn’t understand why, and I didn’t like it.

  “Would you like something to drink?” he asked, ignoring my reminder.

  “No, thank you. I’m not drinking anything else that will make me need to pee more until you let me use the bathroom on my own.”

  His lips twitched, and his right eyebrow pulled up. “Is that so?”

  The first sign of a ghost of a smile since he’d found me.

  “Yes, it is.” I smiled at him. “I wish you’d talk to me.”

  “We are talking.”

  “Don’t be daft. You know what I’m saying.”

  “Daft?” Nick chuckled. “I’ve been called many things, daft isn’t one of them.”

  “Stop changing the subject,” I groaned.

  Nick sighed and brushed my hair over my shoulder, exposing my scar and gently trailing his finger over it. “The details aren’t important. What is important is, you’re here safe and Beth is locked in a cage where she belongs.”

  “They’re important to me.”

  The knock on the door interrupted his response, and he was all too happy to excuse himself to see who was there. It was strange not having Sally here; her crate and dog bed sat empty in the corner. If Nick refused to give me answers, I’d find them myself. He’d mentioned the name of the clinic she was being treated at; I didn’t know if privacy laws pertained to vets like they did doctors, but I was going to find out. One way or another I would get the truth and not only about Sally. It was frustrating, I had all the information, but I couldn’t put it together.

  Nick walked back into the living room, followed by four men, all with matching scowls. I tried to scoot back into the couch and make myself as small as possible. The man that had walked in behind Nick quickly masked his frown and his face went blank.

  “Meadow. These are my uncles: Nolan, Lenox, Levi, and Jasper.”

  Well, that explained it, Nick Clark came from good stock. The grey and fine wrinkles only added to their appeal.

  Can you say – silver fox?

  Sweet Jesus. Of all times for me to meet his uncles, I was a mess. I tried to shuffle to stand, and all five men lunged at me.

  “Red,” Nick warned.

  The other four all m
ade similar warning sounds. Sheesh, now I understood where Nick got that too.

  The glare I leveled at Nick did not deter. “Don’t cut your eyes at me. You’re not supposed to put pressure on your leg.”

  “Much. Much pressure. I think I can manage to stand for two seconds to meet your family. Either you can help me stand, or I’ll do it myself, and if I bust a stitch and you tell me I told you so, I swear to all things holy I will… scream.” I finished lamely.

  “Christ,” one of the men said.

  “It is like deja vu,” another added.

  “Apple didn’t roll far from the tree.”

  “’Bout damn time he found her.”

  Nick’s eyes narrowed on the men. “You’re not helping. None of you. She needs to stay off that goddamn leg.”

  What was going on? Why was he so upset?

  “Nick?” He looked from his uncles to me. “I’ll stay seated. But I want it on record; I’m doing so not because I don’t think I should walk, I’m doing it because it seems to matter to you. I promise you I’m fine. And don’t think because I’m giving in now, means you’re gonna carry me to the bathroom again.”

  “Thank you.”

  At least he had the decency to look embarrassed about being an overbearing jerk.

  “It’s nice to meet you all,” I told the men.

  They all returned my greeting, introducing themselves again. Nolan and Nick looked almost identical, and when Nick explained that Clark, as he’s called by the others, was his blood and the rest all served in the Army with him and were honorary uncles, it made sense.

  Clark made himself at home, getting everyone drinks. When he handed me a bottle of water, Nick stopped him.

  “She’s on strike, refusing to drink until I allow her to walk.”

  I got a round of good for you. Clark slapped Nick on the back and muttered something about me fitting right in with his aunts.

  I didn’t want to think about what that meant. If more people were on their way over, I was getting up and getting dressed. Nick could throw a temper tantum all he wanted; I was not meeting the women in his family looking like this.