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For the first time since she’d seen him bloodied, she smiled. “You want the bad news?” she asked.
“Lay it on me,” he said, holding her gaze.
“I’m going to have to shave some of your hair. If I don’t, we’ll have a hard time getting the bandage off without pulling out clumps of your hair.”
“Oh, my God,” Spence said, widening his eyes. “Shave my head? My barber will totally lose his shit when he sees that.”
Finally, the lump that had settled in her stomach began to soften. Dissipate. “I guess if you can joke about it, your head must not be too bad.”
He set his hand on her arm. “I have an electric razor in my kit bag. Use that. Quick and easy.”
Ten minutes later, Zoe turned off the razor and stepped back to view her handiwork. At least two inches long, the wound gaped open. Even she could see it needed stitches. “Done,” she said. “But you definitely need stitches. Or at least surgical glue.”
“Do you have a hand mirror?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She rummaged in one of the vanity drawers and pulled it out.
Spence stood up slowly, then turned so his back was to the bathroom mirror. Then he held the small mirror so he could see the back of his head. He studied it for a while, then sighed. “As much as I’d like to deny it, you’re right. It needs a few stitches or it’s going to take forever to heal. You got an urgent care around here?”
Zoe pulled out her phone and googled it. Held up the phone. “Closest one is ten minutes away.”
“Can you grab me a clean shirt? They’re hanging in my closet. And give me a clean washcloth to hold over the wound.”
Ten minutes later they were in Zoe’s car. She’d insisted on driving. Spence’d insisted on bringing his gun. When she edged out of the parking garage toward the street, Spence slowly scanned the area. After what seemed like a very long time, he said, “Looks clear. Go ahead.”
She glanced over at him as she waited for a couple of cars to go by. “I know you hate that I have to drive. But I didn’t see any other way to get you to the urgent care other than an ambulance. And I knew you wouldn’t go for that.”
“It’ll be fine,” he said. “Keep your eyes open, and I will, too. I don’t know enough about Davies to decide if he’d stick around or run. But I’m guessing he stuck around. He knows he injured me, and he’d want to take advantage of my weakened state. Yeah, the police will be looking for him. But he has a bunch of hiding places he’s already used. He knows how to stay hidden.”
She glanced at Spence, but he seemed… normal. Not shaking. Not pale. Not wincing when she went over a bump. She drove as carefully as she could to the urgent care center, then held his arm as they walked into the reception area.
Once they’d registered, Spence steered her to chairs against the wall in the corner. His choice had been deliberate, she realized. They’d be able to see everyone coming into the clinic and everyone leaving.
An hour later, they walked out, Spence’s wound sutured and covered with a bandage. Zoe slid her hand into his. To steady him. Make sure he didn’t stumble. He was probably still shaky from the injury, and she didn’t want him to hurt himself further.
Spence didn’t say a thing. He squeezed her hand as he walked beside her to the car, but his head moved back and forth. Back and forth. Checking for Ethan?
He surprised her by getting into the passenger seat. But he hadn’t wanted to drive, she realized. He wanted to watch for Ethan. He scanned their surroundings all the way back to her building.
“Have you seen any signs of Ethan?” she finally asked.
He turned his head slowly toward her. “No. But I think it’s likely he’s somewhere close by. He saw all the blood. He knows he injured me. And with me injured, you’d be vulnerable.”
Zoe shivered and tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
Fifteen minutes later, she drove into the parking garage. Slid her car into its spot beside Spence’s car. She began to open the door but froze when Spence grabbed her arm.
“What did you see?” she whispered. What if Ethan had circled back to the garage? If he’d been close, he’d have seen them leave. Maybe he was waiting to ambush them again.
Spence brushed his fingers over her skin, then let her go. “I didn’t see a thing, but you’re smart to be cautious. Let’s sit here for a bit and see what happens.”
Best case scenario? Davies had taken off for wherever he was staying. But his gut told him Davies was getting desperate. Going after Zoe in her parking garage had been risky. Dangerous. But he’d done it anyway.
A smart stalker, and Davies was very smart, would see an opening while Spence was injured. If he were in Davies’ shoes? He’d wait for them to pull into the garage. Try again to grab Zoe while Spence was slow and unsteady.
He cracked his window, just enough to hear noises outside the car. When Zoe saw him, she did the same. He nodded approval at her.
The minutes ticked by slowly, interrupted only by the sound of someone pulling into or out of the garage. He didn’t hear feet shuffling on the concrete. Didn’t hear the quiet swish of clothing brushing against a car. Didn’t hear the sound of too-rapid breathing.
