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“Grief has twisted that man.I’m not sure Nate knows right from wrong.All he knows is pain.It consumes him, and he wants it to consume others.”
Everywhere and nowhere.
“It wasn’t about punishment,” Oliver said flatly.Colby hadn’t looked back, but Oliver knew the guy was listening.“It was about stopping him from killing Lark.I put the bullet in him because he was not killing her in front of me.And I saved him because I have more questions.”
“Uh, huh.”Colby’s doubt was obvious.“You keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better.”He fired a glance over his shoulder.“Whatever gets you to sleep at night.”Then he sauntered down the hallway.
Oliver kept his guard position at the door.He pulled out his phone and called Memphis.Maybe Memphis had a tip on Lane, and this stupid stakeout plan could be dead in the water.The phone rang once.Twice.
Oliver frowned.No matter the hour, Memphis usually answered quickly.
Three rings.
Four.
And—
“Yo.”Memphis’s voice.
Oliver exhaled.“Have you heard the shit that went down tonight?”
“Can’t really talk now, man.Kinda tied up.”
What?“Lark was almost killed.”
A gasp.
“Yeah, yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”His left hand shoved through his hair.“Nate Quest was waiting at her old florist shop.She went there, thinking she’d find that bastard brother of hers—”
“Such a bastard,” Memphis agreed at once.
“But there was a freaking white bouquet waiting for her.We see the bouquet and the next thing I know, Nate is flying at her.He slammed his flashlight into her head—”
An angry growl vibrated over the phone.
“Then he put a rope around her neck and pulled it as tight as he could.”Fury surged in Oliver.“Had to fire a bullet into him.He wasn’t killing her.”
“Ah…good for you.Ahem.So, is Nate dead?”
“He’s in the hospital.Getting the bullet dug out.Apparently, it nicked some veins.Maybe an artery.Don’t know for sure.”That was all stuff Colby had said.Oliver preferred firsthand info.And speaking of firsthand info… “Walk me back through what you discovered in Nate’s hotel room.”
“Told you…I’m kinda tied up right now—”
“Look, I get that it’s late.And tell your wife I’m sorry for calling in the middle of the night.”Hell, they’d probably been sleeping.He knew Eliza had come to town with Memphis.Some national charity planning event for her.Some killer hunting for Memphis.“But I need to know this.What all did you see?”
“Rope.Two knives.A notepad with Lark’s address.”Clipped.“Good enough for you?”
“How hard did you search?Did you see a syringe?”
“I always search hard.Don’t be insulting.”
“Did you see a syringe?”he pushed.
“No.I didn’t see a damn syringe.Why are you asking?”
His shoulders bumped into the hospital room door.“Because Nate confessed to everything else, but he seemed to have no idea what I was talking about when I accused him of being in her car.”
“Yeah, you get that people lie, right?Lie all the time.Hell, I could be lying to you right now.Acting like I’m fine but really I—” Memphis broke off.
