Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
kole
I shined my flashlight on Dani, witnessing her eyes widen in shock.
She hastily shoved her hand into her jacket pocket before staggering closer, favoring her ribs.
Red-hot rage lined my vision as my gaze raked down her.
Her brown hair was matted with blood, along with it staining most of her clothes.
“What the fuck?” Harry breathed out as he caught up to me.
I strode forward, spotting two bodies sprawled lifelessly on the bridge behind her. My heart beat furiously as I reached for her, only for someone to grab my arm. My gaze snapped over my shoulder when Harry tugged me back.
“I swear to fuck, Harry,” I snarled. “Let me go.”
“You can’t touch her,” he shot back. “It looks like there are two dead bodies. Everything she’s wearing is evidence.”
“I don’t give a shit—”
“He was here,” Dani blurted out, her voice trembling. “The killer.” She turned and pointed toward the bridge. “He disappeared when I heard Kole. His footsteps are probably still in the deeper snow.”
Harry stared at her for a moment, before looking at the three men who came with us. I was sure he was regretting the drinks he had at my bar tonight. Monty stood next to Matt, his face pale as he stared at the bridge.
“Go check it out,” Harry ordered, nodding at the other two men before focusing back on Dani. “What happened?”
“I think we need to get her to the hospital,” I said, keeping my voice steady. Or at least trying to, because I was about to fucking snap if I didn’t find out who hurt her.
“I’m fine,” she promised.
I clenched my jaw, gently rubbing my thumb over fresh blood on the corner of her lip. “You look anything but fine.”
“You killed them,” Monty forced out, advancing closer. “What the hell did you do?”
I turned around, grabbing the back of his neck, and flinging him backward. “Touch her and you’re fucking dead.”
“Everyone calm down,” Harry snapped, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I’m too damn tired for this.”
“You mean drunk,” I muttered under my breath, my eyes going back to Dani. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”
“I…I don’t know if they’re still alive,” she whispered. “He attacked us, and I couldn’t do anything while he stabbed them.”
“Nothing?” Monty scoffed. “You didn’t even run? Because you fucking killed them.”
Her eyes cut to him, growing cold. “Run? Tristin was beating answers out of me before we were attacked. Or maybe I couldn’t run because your friend slipped sleeping pills into my drink at the bar. I’m still feeling them. I’m guessing it’s a mix of both.”
I spun around to see Monty already stumbling back. “You did what?”
“Wait, wait” he sputtered out, panic making his voice high. “Not me. It was Leon—”
“Who did it while you were distracting me. You son of a bitch.” I threw a fist into his nose before I even finished talking. “You’re lucky I don’t kill you.”
He staggered a couple feet, his hands flying to his nose as it gushed blood. Harry got between us, pushing me back.
“If you can’t stay professional, you can’t stay here. I have those damn badges breathing down my neck. We can’t fuck this up.” He shot me a look of warning before focusing on Dani. “Why did Tristin bring you out here?”
“Because he thinks that she—” Monty pointed to Dani “—killed Lucas. And now she killed them. I bet Tristin is right. She’s the fucking murderer.”
“Enough,” I growled. “I was there the night Natalie was killed. I chased the killer through the woods while she was still in the station.”
“It is why Tristin brought me out here,” Dani said quietly. “I was trying to tell him I had nothing to do with Lucas’s death when the masked man came.”
I closed my eyes, blowing out a long breath. Everything. It was taking everything not to pound Monty into the fucking ground. He almost got her killed tonight.
“Go get checked at the hospital,” Harry grumbled. “I’m gonna need more people on this.”
“They’re dead,” Matt yelled from the bridge. “Stab wounds to the throat it looks like.”
“Throat?” I repeated. “Different MO than the others.”
Harry shook his head. “First time he’s killed two people at once too.”
“I—I need to see it for myself,” Dani said, inching backward before turning around. “I couldn’t do anything when he was killing them…”
She slowly walked toward the bridge, and I followed closely behind, checking to make sure Monty stayed back.
Matt stood there, his arms crossed as she passed him.
She stared at Leon’s slumped body before stumbling past it and running into the railing.
I swept my flashlight past her, not seeing anything in the darkness. The killer was long gone by now.
Blood was covering the snow on the bridge. Leon and Tristin’s bodies were still lying where they were killed, and I could see the stab wound in Tristin’s throat. This was messy. Desperate. Different from the other murders.
My gaze snapped back to Dani when she wrapped her arms around herself, leaning against the wood.
While it was clear she was letting panic take over…
it was different from before. I’d seen her spiral the night we first slept together.
The way she was acting now wasn’t the same.
Guilt stabbed me when I realized what I was doing.
She was in shock. I was being a piece of shit for judging her behavior.
I crept closer to her. “Dani—”
“Just give me a second,” she cut me off between shallow breaths. “Please.”
Harry stopped beside me. “You think we can keep this quiet?”
“You have three men out here, plus Monty. The entire town will know by tomorrow night.”
He cursed under his breath. “The assholes will never leave if the murders keep happening.”
Dani shuffled slightly, and I turned my attention toward her when I spotted her grabbing something. There was a flash of silver before it disappeared. I narrowed my eyes when she turned to walk back toward us with her hands buried in her pockets.
“Can I go now?” she asked quietly.
“Go straight to the clinic,” Harry ordered.
“I’m fine. I just want to go home—”
“I’ll take her,” a feminine voice said from behind us.
Dani’s face pinched when we turned to see Susan. She was bundled up in a thick blue jacket with a matching scarf. Irritation gleamed in her eyes when she looked at Harry.
“Why wasn’t I your first phone call?” she asked, the authority in her tone making Harry straighten up. “Two dead? The murderer is escalating.”
Dani frowned. “Why would you be the first call?”
Her cold stare swung to Dani. “I’m a partner on this case. As the head psychologist, I’m working as the profiler. I need to know everything.”
“I was going to call you when I got back,” Harry grumbled. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
How the hell did she know we were out here? The bitter glare she was giving Dani had me holding my tongue. I didn’t like this woman at all.
“Come on,” Susan demanded. “We need all your clothes as evidence. And pictures of your injuries.”
Dani didn’t hide the panic fast enough as she took a step back. “What? No. The killer didn’t do this. Tristin did before it all happened. My injuries have nothing to do with this.”
“That’s not for you to decide,” she said briskly. “Let’s go.”
To my surprise, Dani didn’t argue. She trudged after Susan as Harry began barking orders at his guys to seem like he knew what he was doing. The snow crunched under our boots, and Susan glanced over her shoulder, questions in her eyes.
“Were you present during the murders?” she asked me.
“No.”
“Then you’re not needed.”
She dismissed me, not waiting for my response as she looked forward again. Dani snuck a glance at me when I remained beside her. There was no way I was leaving her alone right now.
We continued on the trail until exiting the woods, ending up near the row of condos.
By now, Susan was well aware I was still here but was biting her tongue.
She pulled keys out of her pocket, and the lights on the hunting truck flashed.
I scoffed when she opened the driver door.
She’d only been here a day and was already making herself at home.
I was sure the hunters were not happy she took the truck when they already took turns with it.
“Thank you for walking us, but we’re fine from here,” she clipped out. “Get in, Dani.”
“I’ll sit in the middle.” My statement had Susan scowling.
I jumped into the truck, turning to grab Dani’s hand and help her inside.
She winced as she climbed in, making my anger spike.
It was a good thing Tristin was already dead because I didn’t think I’d have the willpower to control myself.
Once she was inside, I carefully reached over her to shut the door.
Susan put the truck into gear. “If you’re so intent on being here, then why don’t you explain to me why Harry made the local bartender a deputy a day ago?”
“I’ve been helping Harry for years,” I replied, not at all surprised she knew. “He just made it official to ease the minds in town.”
“You just saw two dead bodies, and your biggest concern is why Kole is helping Harry?” Dani muttered. She was tense. Her entire body was rigid, and I couldn’t tell if it was from her injuries or something else.
“That isn’t my first crime scene. I know how to be professional.
” She clicked her tongue. “Something you still need to learn. I showed up just in time to keep you from making a mistake. You should know better than to go home after something like this. Your first thought should have been going to the clinic.”
“I guess I’m still all shook up.”
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.
Dani wasn’t one to get shaken up. Yes, she had her moments at night when her nightmares took hold.
But it was impossible to forget how she looked at the police station when Natalie was killed.
There had been no fear in her eyes. She went after the killer with no hesitation that night.
Afterward, at the hospital, she wasn’t shaking or freaking out like most would after something traumatic like that.
Susan pulled up in front of the clinic, and I didn’t miss Dani’s hesitation when she opened the truck door. I scooted out after Susan and made it to the passenger door before Dani got out. I moved to pick her up but stopped myself.
“Where are you hurt?” I asked in a low voice.
“Just my face.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered. “Put your arm around my shoulder.”
The fact that she didn’t argue proved she was hurting more than she let on. I was careful not to press against her ribs as I got her out of the truck. The moment her feet were on the ground, she stuffed her hands back in her pockets as I kept my arm around her shoulders.
“Let’s go,” Susan said, impatience lining her voice. “I don’t want to spend all night here. I already called the doctor to meet us.”
Martha’s reception desk was empty at this time of night, and half of the lights were off. Susan led the way, pushing open the door to the backroom. Nolan was sitting on one of the gurneys and jumped to his feet when we appeared.
“Come on, I’ll help you.” Susan nodded to the other gurney. “There is an evidence bag for your clothes. I’ll need to photograph your injuries before you change.”
“And what will I wear home?” Dani asked, annoyance simmering in her voice.
“There is a pair of scrubs in there,” Nolan said softly, concern in his eyes as he stared at her injuries. “It’s not warm, but—”
“You can wear my jacket,” I cut in. “And we’ll take the truck back. I’m sure Susan won’t mind, will you?”
She pursed her lips. “I guess I can go without it for a night.”
Dani shuffled forward, picking up the scrubs. She unfolded the pants slightly before setting them back down and turning around. Susan moved to close the curtains around them, but Dani shot forward, closer to me.
“I don’t want to be watched while I change,” she snapped, glaring at Susan. “Tristin only beat on my face. I don’t need to be undressed for that.”
The panic laced in her voice wasn’t lost on anyone, and at first, I thought she didn’t want to show Susan her scars. But as she stood there with her hands deep in her pockets, something else dawned on me. Something churned in my stomach as I stared at her back.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Susan sighed, checking her watch. “The faster we do this, the faster we go home.”
I walked up behind Dani, putting my hands on her hips. “Hey. It’s okay. Get this done, and I’ll take you home.”
“Her clothes could have evidence,” Susan rushed out, stepping closer. “Don’t touch her.”
I ignored her, sliding my hands lower. When I found the opening of her pockets, she froze for a split second before trying to push forward. I grasped her waist keeping her in place.
“Trust me,” I murmured in her ear. “Don’t move.”
“Kole—”
Susan cut her off. “Stop wasting our damn time.”
I lifted my head, throwing her a dark look. “Dani has been through a hellish couple of weeks. First the police station, and now this. If she needs a minute, give her a fucking minute.”
Her lips parted slightly, fury sweeping over her face. She wasn’t used to being told no. She muttered something to Nolan as she crossed her arms.
Dani didn’t move a muscle when I slid my hands deeper in her pockets. Her chest heaved as she sucked in quick breaths. My fingertips brushed smooth metal, and a moment later, my other hand touched the same thing. I closed my fists around the small objects before pulling away from her.
She spun around, her eyes tracking my moves as I put my hands in my own pockets. It was why she didn’t want to change. There were no pockets in the scrubs—no place to hide away whatever secret she was trying to keep.
“Are you ready now?” Susan asked, tapping her foot.
Dani cleared her throat. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Susan shooed me and Nolan away before ripping the curtains closed. Nolan mumbled something about going to get supplies to clean Dani’s wounds before scurrying away. I turned toward the wall, making sure I was alone. My heart thrashed as I pulled out what I took from Dani.
I stared at the silver little weapon in my palm that was crusted with drying blood.
“What did you do, Dani?” I whispered to myself as I stared at the closed curtain.