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I clicked off the safety and lifted the pistol slightly higher. “I could kill you too, you know. Right now. Just like you planned to kill me, Amerie, and Piper. Don’t deny it.”
“Please… Jensen…” Her eyes were like saucers now, and her skin had turned ashen. “Don’t do this.”
“If you want to live, here’s what needs to happen,” I said. “You’re going to reach into your pocket. Slowly. Get your phone.”
“O-okay.” She did as I said, retrieving her phone from her wool coat with a trembling hand.
“Call 911. And make sure I can see the screen the whole time so I know you aren’t trying to call anyone else,” I went on. “When they answer, tell them you need the police. Once they’re on the line, give them our location and tell them you want to turn yourself in for all the crimes you’ve committed.”
Zara sucked in a shaky breath and glanced down at the rocks below us. Then, for what was probably the first time in her long, privileged life, she did as she was told.
Amerie
“Why are we still here?” Piper grumbled, folding her arms as she reclined in her hospital bed.
“No idea,” I said, teeth set on edge. “They better let us out soon.”
We’d been placed in a private twin suite after the police brought us here earlier, and an officer was stationed at the door to stop anyone from coming in without permission. He’d also stopped us from leaving, citing doctor’s orders.
We were both physically fine, but the doctors who attended to us when we arrived ran a boatload of tests anyway, just to be certain. I understood the need to be cautious, given the shock and mental trauma we’d experienced, but I was desperate to leave so I could start looking for Jensen. I knew he was still out there somewhere, and I planned on doing for him exactly what he did for me when I went missing—leave no stone unturned until he was back in my arms.
The door opened, and I sat up straight, hands tingling with anticipation. The doctor who saw us earlier stepped into the room with a pleasant smile. “Hi, girls,” she said. “The last of the blood tests came back, and you’ve both got the all-clear.”
“Does that mean we can go?” Piper asked, brows rising.
Dr. Pascal hesitated. “No, sorry. I can’t discharge you just yet.”
“Why?” I asked with a frown. “You said we’re totally fine!”
“You are, but given the nature of this case, there’s a lot going on with the police. They haven’t been able to arrange a safe place for you to stay yet, so for now, they’ve asked us to keep you here.”
“For how long?”
“I’m not sure. A few more hours, perhaps. But if there’s anything you want or need, just press the call button and I’ll personally arrange it for you.”
“So we’re basically prisoners here?” Piper said, upper lip curling with scorn. “You know we’re the ones who exposed all the criminals in this place, right? Not the other way around?”
Dr. Pascal nodded. “Yes, and we’re all very proud of you. But it’s our job to keep you safe and healthy, and right now, this hospital is the best option for that.”
“I can’t stay here,” I said, anxiety thrumming in my chest. “I have to find Jensen.”
“Don’t worry. You won’t be here much longer,” Dr. Pascal replied. “How about I—oh, here’s someone who might be able to give you some information.”
A man in a police uniform with three chevrons on the upper sleeves had just stepped into the suite. “Hello,” he said, dipping his chin in a curt nod. “I’m Sergeant Daniel Torres. Which one of you is Piper Prescott?”
Piper lifted a hand. “That’s me.”
Dr. Pascal mumbled an excuse to leave and scurried out the door as the sergeant stepped over to Piper’s bed. “I need to speak with you privately, Ms. Prescott,” he said in a grave tone. “Would you mind pulling the curtain around to section off your side of the suite?”
Piper’s eyes flashed with suspicion. “Why can’t Amerie hear this stuff?”
“It’s a family matter, so I think it’s best that I speak with you alone.”
Piper rolled her eyes. “Amerie was my fake half-sister for four months. She’s basically a family member at this point.”
The sergeant’s expression remained somber. “If you want Ms. Warnock to be part of this conversation, that’s entirely your decision.”
“I know,” Piper said stubbornly. She glanced in my direction. “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of her.”
