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Cade
Istood outside the curtain while Charlotte was being examined. I had called her dad on their landline at home while they settled her into a bed. He was on the way, along with her brothers. Lord help either one of the Winthrops if they dared to show their faces in front of her family. I halfway hoped he would show up so I could walk away and let whatever happened happen. But my father had taught me better than that; if I wanted to represent this town as its Chief of Police, I had to go by the book just like he did. Always and for everyone, not just when it was convenient. I believed that too, which is why I stepped back and wasn’t out hunting Winthrop myself. I was too close to be objective and too angry to be fair.
“Where is she?” Footsteps pounded on the white linoleum as her family bounded through the emergency room doors. “Cade, where’s my baby girl?” her father shouted.
“Through the curtains. She’s going to be okay. They’re checking her out right now.”
“What happened? Who hurt her? And where the fuck is he?” His voice was a low, dangerous growl. Mr. Cassidy was a sweet man. A gentle giant. But nothing about him was gentle right now. He looked as if he wanted to tear Winthrop apart with his bare hands.
It was exactly how I was feeling inside.
“Give us a name, Cade,” Hunter, the oldest, demanded.
“I can’t do that, and you know it.”
“She’ll tell us,” Brody gritted out through clenched teeth. His fists were balled at his sides, and he looked ready to punch a hole in something. Or someone.
“Every officer in Sweetbriar is out hunting him down. He’ll pay. But it’s going to be done the right way.”
“Fuck that. That’s our baby sister in there—” Tucker bit out.
“Hush, you guys, I’m fine, okay?” Charlotte’s voice ringing out behind the curtain only added fuel to their ire.
“Tell us who did this, Charli. Let us take care of him for you.” Spencer placed a hand on the curtain to pull it back, but I knocked it aside.
“Give her some privacy. She’s shaken up, let her tell you when you can see her.”
“Right. Sorry Charlotte,” he called out.
The doctor popped her head between the curtains. “She’s fine. I’ve cleaned and bandaged her cheek, and I’m just finishing up the exam right now. The plastic surgeon will stitch her up momentarily. Go to the waiting room on the fourth floor. Dr. Weaver will come out and let you know when you can go back and be with Charlotte. Except you, Detective. I understand she was attacked, and she informed me that you are her protection. Everyone else, settle down. She’s upset enough.”
“Fine,” her dad grumbled. “Boys, come on.” They formed an angry line behind their father and followed him out of the ER.
“Cade?” I peeked inside the curtain and Charlotte waved me toward her bed. “Crisis averted?” she asked.
“Yeah, they’re gone.”
“Good. I don’t want them getting into trouble. You either, for that matter.”
“That’s why I put Trevor in charge. I can’t stand this. He hurt you. He scared you. How long have you been keeping this to yourself, Charli? I could have made you safe a long time ago if you’d only told me.”
“I’m so sorry, Cade. I should have said something. But I liked being normal again. I felt safe here and I wanted to keep that feeling. I have no good excuse.”
“I let my feelings for you outweigh my suspicions that you were hiding something about the crash. I ignored my instincts and let my questions fall to the wayside in order to be with you. This is my fault.”
“Hey, it is in no way your fault. This is solely on me.”
“I should have made you tell me the truth.”
“You can’t make me do anything.” She laughed, then flinched and placed her hand to her cheek. “No one can. I always do what I want.”
“I bet I could have persuaded you.” I winked, trying to tease her and lighten her spirits.
“Huh, maybe.” She blushed. “I honestly thought I would be okay. He freaked me out in an I’m-going-to-have-to-learn-Krav Maga-and-maybe-kick-his-ass someday kind of way. Not in a stabby, murder, death, kill kind of way. Nothing like what I write in my books. Know what I mean?”
I nodded, encouraging her to go on
“He wrote letters and left comments on my social media, stuff like that. I didn’t think he would hurt me. If I had, I would have never kept it a secret. He was annoying, you know? A semi-scary pest. He didn’t get all terrifying and threatening and murdery until tonight. And I had no idea he thought he was Tim. That’s super gross and inappropriate. I thought he was lost in the stories and thought since I wrote them, I was Adaline. Not in a sick, perverted fantasy way, but a more innocent, blurring lines of reality type of way. At least that’s what his letters and comments felt like. God, I don’t even know what to think anymore—”
A nurse interrupted us with a smile. “I’m going to take you up to plastic surgery now, Miss Cassidy.”
Charlotte looked nervous.
“I’m right behind you Charli baby, and your family is up there already.” I patted her knee and tried to soothe her. I vowed to myself that I would make her feel safe again.
She took a deep breath as her fingertips drifted across her bandaged cheek. “All right, I guess I’m ready.” She paused, and looked at me, panic visible in her eyes. “Um, no, I’m not ready yet. You know how I feel about needles, Cade.” She addressed the nurse. “Can you knock me out? Put me under until you’re done?”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. But no, we can’t do that. Dr. Weaver is wonderful. She’s fast and the best at what she does. You won’t feel much, and she won’t leave a scar.”
“All right.” After inhaling a huge sigh, Charlotte sat in the wheelchair. “Let’s go.”
Minutes later, I was waiting in the hall outside her door while the nurse prepped her for the stitches.
“Caden Barrett.” An angry voice startled me, and I turned around.
