AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, you will not come to the hospital,” Val snapped. “For all we know, that’s what they’re hoping you’ll do so that they can shoot you on your way inside. I said that she’s okay, and I’m not lying to you. She’s had a CT scan and everything.”
“A CT scan?” Gabe asked, his voice ratcheting higher. “What happened?”
Two hands covered his shoulders, kneading softly. Molly. Hell of it was, her touch really helped. She was uniquely able to settle him.
“They sent two men after Patty,” Val said. “I stopped them.”
There was so much to unpack from those two sentences. “Where are they now?”
“On their way to the morgue,” Val said flatly. “Like I said: I stopped them.”
“Holy shit,” he whispered, then remembered that Harper was listening and bit his tongue. “They sent four to Molly’s.”
“Holy shit,” Val said, much more loudly. “That’s discrimination!”
Gabe barked out a shocked laugh. “What?”
“They thought they could get by me with two and sent four to Lucien? That is gender discrimination, pure and simple.”
Gabe blinked hard. “This night has been surreal.”
“I guess it has,” Val said quietly, and he realized her outburst had been to distract him. Nicely done. “Patty’s sleeping. I’m in her room and nobody will touch her. I promise you.”
“Do you need the hospital, Gabe?” Farrah asked.
“No, you do not,” Val answered, having overheard. “I’m serious. One of those calls you missed was from Patty, because she wanted to tell you not to come. She did well, Gabe. Smacked one of the intruders with a frying pan upside his head. It was art in motion. I need to go now. Tell Molly that I’ll call her later. You’re all okay?”
“We are. Lucien is on his way to the hospital.”
“Shit. Poor Burke. We’re dropping like flies.”
Gabe blinked. “We? What happened to you?”
The hands massaging his shoulders abruptly tensed, but Molly waited silently for him to relay Val’s answer.
“Flesh wound,” Val said dismissively. “Needed a few stitches and an antibiotic shot. The shot was the worst part. I’m fine. Patty’s fine. Don’t make Molly have to protect you here. Go somewhere safe and I promise to call you as soon as Patty wakes up. They’ll have to wake her frequently anyway for the concussion, so it shouldn’t be too long.”
Gabe’s throat tightened. Not your fault, he tried to tell himself, and logically he knew it was true. But too many people had nearly lost their lives tonight.
Because some fucker killed Nadia Hall during Katrina and is now trying to hush it up.
“Thank you, Val,” he said hoarsely and ended the call. “Farrah, take us to the camp, please. Val says that Patty is resting, and that I’ll create more danger if I visit her in the hospital.”
“She’s right,” Farrah said firmly. “Close your eyes, Gabe. You, too, Molly. Rest a bit.”
“In a minute.” He twisted around in his seat so that he could see Molly. “I texted some screenshots from Tobin’s phone to your burner. Can you send them to Antoine?”
Interest—and admiration—sparkled in her eyes. “Very nice, Gabe.” She gasped softly when she checked her texts. “Motherlode. I wish we had his phone.”
“I thought about taking it, but I didn’t want to disturb the crime scene any more than we already did.”
“Honey,” Molly drawled, “we made the crime scene. Seriously, this is good stuff.” She tapped on the phone’s screen then nodded. “Sent them to Antoine. Hope he can work his magic.” She sat back in her seat and resumed stroking Harper’s hair. “Now we rest. I think we’ve all earned it. Chels, I was super proud of you tonight.”
Chelsea’s sigh was tremulous. She opened her mouth to say something, but, glancing down at her daughter, she closed it. “Thank you,” was all she said, then chuckled wetly. “To you, too, Shoe. I think you made a friend in Harper.”
Gabe felt suddenly exhausted. Adrenaline crash. He’d just close his eyes for a little while.
Lake Salvatore, Louisiana
