Page 22 of Lethal Attraction

Taryn’s lips thin.

Officer Grant chuckles heartily as he slaps my shoulder. “Guess we’ll see for ourselves in just a moment how delicate she is.”

He rounds up the other officers, and I volunteer to lead them upstairs. Taryn watches us leave, and I know I’m in for the third degree later.

Right now?

All I can think about is how insane this is.

Thalia? A killer?

Sure, she may have broken into my house and drugged me, but she isn’t a complete psychopath. People who murder tend to lack empathy and remorse. Most can often be diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder. But I didn’t see any of those signs in the fiery, raven-haired woman. She looked haunted, but not empty.

I’m sure it’s all one big mistake.

As we make it to the fourth floor, I greet Charlotte at the nurse’s station. “Hey, is Thalia in? These guys have some questions for her.”

The nurse nods before leading us to Thalia’s room. “She was just about to do PT—” Charlotte stops when the door swings open to reveal an empty room. She whips around to us, her eyes full of alarm. “She was just here!”

“Call a code yellow!” I shout to the other nurses. Everyone scrambles into action as the officers divide into three different groups and sweep the whole hospital from top to bottom.

It’s one big clusterfuck that leaves me moving around robotically all day. Even as I fill out charts and see patients, it’s like I’m just going through the motions rather than being present.

Why would she leave against medical advice?

Where is she now?

Why didn’t she say goodbye?

The last one makes an unpleasant feeling circle my gut. Bitterness. Disappointment.

I shouldn’t be upset that she didn’t say goodbye. I shouldn’t still be thinking about our night together as my workday draws to a close. But I can’t help the perfect flashes in my head as I close out my computer.

The way she clung to me as she whimpered. The heat in those siren-blue eyes of hers. The kiss we shared made me feel more than I have in…ever.

It’s all there.

“Do you think she did it?” Taryn asks quietly from beside me as I pack up my bag.

“What?” I’m having to pull myself through the daydream just to process what my friend said. “Uh, no. Not at all.”

Thalia may have been a little loose and carefree, but nothing can convince me that my Mystery Girl was a killer.

Not my Mystery Girl.

She’s gone, Reed.

No matter how much that fact hurts, I have to pull it together.

“Good thing our contract is up this week,” Taryn nudges me with her elbow. “Hey, why don’t we give New York a try this time?”

I push the ER back door open, leading her out to the parking lot as I chuckle. “New York, huh? That doesn’t sound like such a bad idea—”

“Reed,” Taryn mumbles in shock beside me.

“What?” I follow her gaze, my face falling the moment I see that my parking spot is vacant. My car is gone, and I think I know exactly who took it.

Chapter nine