Chapter Fourteen
Kieran knew he should have kept his mouth shut.
He had no business butting into her affairs.
This was not going to end well for him, and all he’d done was defer her death by maybe hour or days.
Fate would not be thwarted. But if that bastard David was behind tonight’s events, Kieran was going to make damn sure he paid.
“Who’s David?” Officer Wilkins asked.
Wide-eyed and bewildered, Georgia appeared confused. Rather than wait for her to answer, Kieran jumped in. “David Petras is her ex-boyfriend from Boston, who coincidentally happened to show up at the bakery yesterday.”
“He has no reason to hurt me. I left Boston nine months ago.” Her breathing was labored, her face pale.
“Why did he come to see you?” The officer directed his questions directly at Georgia.
She went to rub her hand over her face and almost dislodged her oxygen mask. The machine beeped. Leaning down, Kieran helped her fix it back in place, but it was too late. Nurse Martha marched into the room, took one look at them all, and held open the door.
“That’s it. Y’all need to leave.” She held her hand up to forestall their protestations. “You can ask all the questions you want after she’s cleared by the doctor.”
“Damn it, Martha,” Cal began.
“Nope, don’t want to hear it. Doctor Sullivan told me you had five minutes. Your time is up.” Her expression softened. “I know you’re trying to help, but my concern is my patient.”
“I need to talk to Mr. Blackwell anyway.” Officer Wilkins pointed at him. “Now’s as good a time as any.”
Left with no other choice, Kieran leaned down and pressed a kiss to Georgia’s forehead. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours to check on you.”
“Car keys are in my purse. Borrow it. The store,” she began, but broke off and took a deep breath.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.” It was the least he could do. Under the watchful eyes of both officers, he retrieved the keys.
With the nurse and both other men waiting, he had no choice but to leave.
The very cells of his body yearned to stay, to watch her chest rise and fall with every breath.
He’d almost been too late. What had prompted him to go to her place to check on her?
His abilities had been muted, but had all of them been suppressed?
There’d been a physical sensation. Maybe it had been his reaper intuition warning her time was near.
Had it been any other human, he’d have waited for them to pass and done his job.
Or maybe it was the innate connection that seemed to exist between them. He’d known in his heart, in his very soul, that she was in trouble and had acted without considering the consequences.
She looked fragile lying in the hospital bed hooked up to various machines and monitors. Her skin was paler than normal, her hair mussed. He wanted to gather her in his arms and reassure her he’d never allow anything bad to happen to her again, but it would be a lie.
Disgusted with himself and angry with the world, he stomped out into the hallway. “Where do you want to do this?”
Cal waved toward the end of the hallway. “There’s a waiting room. Should be quiet this time of night.”
The three of them headed there, but Kieran drew up short, shocked to find Alex waiting for him.
When he’d called him for a ride to the hospital, he hadn’t anticipated he’d stick around, but he had.
Once he’d gotten in to see Georgia, he’d expected his brother to leave.
Even more shocking was Sam’s presence. Alex must have called him.
“How is she?” Alex asked.
Kieran cleared his throat. “She’s still on oxygen, but the doc said she should recover with no problems. If there are no complications, she’ll be released later today.”
Arms crossed, Cal studied the three of them one by one. “Why is it every time something strange happens in this town there’s a Blackwell involved?”
That was a road it was best none of them went down. “Coincidence,” Kieran offered.
Cal rubbed his chin. “Funny thing about coincidence. Seems to happen a lot around you three.”
Officer Wilkins waved all of them toward the seats. Other than them, there was no one around but staff, and they were all busy. “Let’s get this done—unless you’d prefer to head to the station.”
Taking the not-so-veiled hint as the warning it was, they all sat. The chairs weren’t meant for men the size of Kieran or his brothers. It was a tight fit. “Ask your questions.” There were things that needed to be done before Georgia was released.
“I’m recording this. State your name for the record and tell me again about last night.”
“Kieran Blackwell.” Taking a deep breath, he went back over the events, keeping his answer succinct.
“You had a feeling?” Officer Wilkins reiterated his claim. “You didn’t hear or see anything suspicious?”
“No.” Kieran dragged his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what else to tell you. It was a gut instinct.”
“Maybe it was because you were the one to turn on the gas. It would be easy for you to slip inside Ms. Baker’s home, since you’re practically living in her backyard.”
The accusation wasn’t unexpected, but that didn’t stop it from firing his temper. “I didn’t harm her. I would never harm her.” He didn’t have to. Fate would take care of it on its own.
“She had no problems in her life until you showed up,” Officer Wilkins pointed out.
“None you’re aware of.” No one knew what went on behind closed doors and inside a person’s mind. “I suppose you think the car accident was my fault, too.” He kept his voice calm, but there was a sharp bite to it.
Officer Wilkins’ smile held a wealth of cynicism. “Another coincidence.”
This was getting them nowhere. “What about David Petras?”
“He’s staying at Ivy House.” Alex surged to his feet. “What’s he got to do with this? Is Cilla safe?”
“Sit down, Alex.” Cal motioned him back to his seat. “You think I’d be sitting on my ass if I thought she was in any danger? That woman is like a sister to me. Not to mention my sister would kill me if I let something happen to Cilla.”
He knew Cal’s sister worked at Ivy House, but he hadn’t realized their relationship was that close.
“What do you know about Mr. Petras?”
“Not much.” Suddenly exhausted, Kieran leaned back and sighed.
Sam rose and disappeared down the hallway.
Ignoring his brother’s exit, he continued, “Like I said, he showed up wanting to talk business. Georgia told him she wasn’t interested.
She worked at his family’s bakery. Beyond that, I know they were involved back in Boston and that he cheated on her.
She packed up and came back here.” It sounded simple and cold when laid out like that, but it was anything but.
“Anyone else bother Georgia that you know of?”
He shook his head. “No. I haven’t been around long, but from what I’ve seen, people like her.” Up until last night, he would have sworn her death would be the result of an accident. Now he wasn’t sure.
Sam strode back, a paper cup in his hand. “Here.” He thrust it toward Kieran. “You look like you could use this.”
Absurdly touched by the gesture, he took the offering.
“Thanks.” His voice was rough and gritty.
To give himself a few seconds to gather himself, he peeled back the lid and downed half the coffee in one swallow.
The brew was bitter and lukewarm, and he had no idea where Sam had found it, but the caffeine was the hit he needed.
He was used to running at peak efficiency.
Normally, he could go long periods of time with little rest. This fatigue was another nasty by-product of whatever his father had done to him.
Officer Wilkins stood, turned off the recording app, and pocketed his phone. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I’m heading back to the house. You heard her give me permission to get her keys.
If you’re done there, I need to fix her door and see to the bakery before it’s time to pick her up.
” It was mind-boggling how deeply embedded he’d become in her life in a matter of a couple of days.
Kieran downed the rest of the coffee, stood, and dumped the empty container in the nearby garbage can.
“Good enough.” The officer glanced toward Cal. “I’m heading to Ivy House next to talk with Mr. Petras. You coming?”
“You go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”
Alex clapped his hand on Kieran’s shoulder. “I’m going home. I want to be with Cilla when they question this Petras guy in case there’s any trouble.”
A few days ago, he wouldn’t have understood. Now all he could do was nod. “Go. And thank you.” His brother had come when he’d called. No questions asked.
Hands on his hips, Cal issued a final warning. “Georgia trusts you. Don’t disappoint her.”
That was unavoidable. Whatever was coming for her, he was unable to stop it. After a long silence, Cal swore under his breath and headed to the exit, leaving him alone with Sam.
“Need a lift?”
He didn’t, not really. He could walk now since he knew the route, but he was curious about why Sam had come.
“Sure.” Side by side, the two men walked out of the hospital.
The ache in Kieran’s chest grew with each step he took away from Georgia.
He didn’t want to speculate how much worse it would be when she was no longer in the world.
…
Georgia wanted to call Kieran back, but she didn’t have the right. They weren’t a couple. They’d shared a memorable night of lovemaking, but that was the extent of their relationship—if you discounted the fact he’d saved her life, not once but twice.
Her eyes filled with tears as the reality of that set in.
She’d suddenly become an accident magnet.
First the car crash and now this. Carbon monoxide poisoning was often fatal.
And it likely would have been if not for Kieran.
Swiping at her cheeks, she took a deep breath.
It was difficult to wrap her head around the idea that someone might have deliberately sabotaged her home.