The Devil You Know

by Morgan James

  He caught her as she flew at him, his hands wrapping around her upper arms, pulling her close as she fisted her hands in his shirt. “What’s wrong?”

  “She’s hurt!” She clutched at him, her breathing erratic, pulse pounding from the adrenaline flowing through her veins. “We need to get help!”

  “Talk to me, sweetheart. What happened? Who’s hurt?” He eased her away from him, eyes boring into hers.

  She curbed the urge to throw herself back into his arms. “Kate. I went to her office to meet her and there was a man standing over her and she was laying on the floor. Her head was bleeding and...”

  “What did he look like?”

  “I don’t know, he had a mask. I...” She winced as she brushed her scraped hands over her blouse and he grabbed her wrists, holding her palms up for examination.

  “What the hell happened?”

  “I fell down the stairs.” At his hard look, she quickly elaborated. “It’s nothing. Just a few scrapes. I’ll be fine, really. We need to get to Kate.”

  His eyes quickly swept over her body, catching on the reddened flesh of her knees. “Have Benny clean you up and call the police,” he ordered. “I’ll go check on her.”

  Blake took three long strides to the control room and yanked open the door. “We need an ambulance—Dr. Winfield has been hurt. I’m going up to check on her and see if I can find anything. Can you clear the building and send them up to the second floor when they get here?”

  The smaller man gave a sharp nod and reached for his phone. “On it.”

  Blake turned to Victoria. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  “I’m coming with you.” She started toward the stairs, but he caught her elbow and pulled her back to him.

  “Let me make sure it’s safe first.”

  She shook her head. “I need to be there for her, she’s my friend.”

  “Doc—”

  “No. I’m coming with you. I need to be there for her if...” Tears clouded her vision as her words trailed off. Kate had to be fine—Victoria wouldn’t allow herself to contemplate the alternative.

  Blake let out a heavy sigh. Grabbing her hand, he pulled Victoria toward the stairs and her eyes widened as he pulled the pistol from its holster on his hip.

  Catching her gaze, he studied her for a moment. “You sure you want to come?”

  Steeling her spine, she straightened. “Yes. I need to.”

  He nodded. “All right. Follow my lead.”

  Pushing her behind him, Blake pulled open the door and peered inside, checking each corner before cautiously entering the stairwell. On quick feet, he made his way up to the second floor. “Stay behind me, back to the wall.”

  She mirrored his stance and in tandem, they worked their way up to the second floor. Tossing a look over her shoulder, Victoria bumped into Blake as he stopped to survey the floors above him before continuing on.

  “See something?” His voice was low as he spoke, his eyes sweeping their surroundings before returning to her, and she shook her head.

  “No, just... You know.”

  “Give me your hand.” He held out his hand and she slipped her palm into his. He tucked her hand into the belt circling his lower back then reached behind him to pat her hip comfortingly. “Hold on to me.”

  Victoria clung to the thick leather as they proceeded up the few remaining stairs and Blake paused outside the door of the second floor. He peered through the rectangular window before slowly cracking the door open an inch. Victoria tried to peer around him, but his large frame blocked her view. She clenched her fingers tighter around his belt, and he shifted uncomfortably.

  “Easy,” he murmured. “I happen to like my equipment right where it is.”

  A small smile crossed her face at his unexpected humor, and she reluctantly relaxed her hold a bit. Blake pushed the door open wide enough for the two of them to slip through and he led the way into the lobby of the second floor.

  “Where is she?”

  “Her office. Are you familiar with this floor?”

  He nodded. “All the way in the back to the left?”

  “That’s it.”

  He strode toward the reception area, his head swiveling left and right, gaze searching for anything out of place. When they reached the door, Victoria laid a hand on his shoulder. “Someone tampered with the lock so it wouldn’t close. That’s how I got in.”

  His lips flattened into a straight line and he used his free hand to untuck his shirt. Lifting the hem, he wrapped the fabric around the knob and pulled. The door swung open easily, and Blake shook his head when he saw the jammed mechanism. “Simple but effective. Maybe the police will be able to lift some prints.”

  “Crap.” She pulled a face and he threw a questioning glance over his shoulder. “I touched the handle when I came in.”

  Blake shook his head. “Likely won’t matter anyway. If he went to this extent to jam it, he probably wore gloves. They can print you just in case to eliminate you, but I can’t begin to imagine how many people have touched this knob today alone.”

  She wrinkled her nose at the thought and instinctively wiped her palms on her skirt. Blake kept his back to the wall as he peeked inside and examined the hallway. Everything remained silent and still, and he pulled her inside. Quickly peering into each room they passed, they made their way to Kate’s office. Victoria sank to her knees beside her friend and lifted a hand to her cheek.

  “Kate, honey, everything’s gonna be okay. Just hang in there. We’re going to get you some help.” Pressing two fingers to her friend’s neck, she searched for a pulse. “Pulse is weak, but it’s there.”

  “We need to get some pressure on that wound, stop the bleeding,” Blake commented from above her. “I’ll be right back.”

  He jogged out of the room and returned less than a minute later, a roll of gauze in hand as well as a large square of tissue-like material. As he passed the thick material to her, she recognized it as a drape sheet to cover patients during an exam.

  She looked at him questioningly as he passed it to her. “Sorry, it was all I could find. All the cabinets were locked. Use that first—head wounds bleed like a bitch.”

  Victoria nodded her understanding. The gauze would come in handy later, once the flow of blood had slowed enough. She settled the large square over Kate’s forehead and applied a gentle pressure. The sound of approaching sirens floated up to them, and Blake pulled the phone out of his back pocket as it vibrated its soft rhythm.

  “Lawson.” He was silent for a beat as he listened to the person on the other end. “Thanks, Benny, I’ll intercept them.”

  Turning to Victoria, he dropped to one knee. “They’re on their way up right now, and I have to go meet them at the elevators. Will you be okay here for a minute?”

  The thought of being alone made her heart stutter in her chest, and Victoria bit her lip before nodding hesitantly.

  “I’ll stay right in the lobby so I can hear you if you need anything.” He reached out and cupped one large hand around her shoulder, then squeezed gently. “I promise.”

  “Okay.” The word came out whisper soft and Blake gave her a grim smile.

  “She’s a fighter. Just keep talking to her.”

  Standing, he strode from the room, leaving Victoria alone with her friend.

  “Oh, Kate. Who did this to you?” she whispered, running a hand over her hair. “He won’t get away with it. Blake and the police will find him.”

  She realized in that moment just how much faith and trust she put into someone she’d just met. There was something about Blake that called to her. He was more than just a marine, more than a security guard. This wasn’t just a job to him—he genuinely cared.

  A commotion in the hallway drew Victoria’s attention and she reluctantly scooted away as the paramedics filed into the small office. Blake gestured for her to join him where he stood with two police officers, and she made her way to his side.

  “Dr. Carr actually found he
r. Victoria, can you tell them what you told me?” He watched her intently as she relayed the details.

  “He was average height, maybe a little taller than you.” She pointed to the older police office before continuing. “But he wore a mask so I couldn’t see anything except his eyes. They were dark brown.”

  So dark brown they were almost black. Victoria shuddered and Blake gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

  One patrolman looked her over. “Weren’t you recently involved in a murder?”

  She stiffened at the words and Blake shifted her a fraction closer, into the protective shelter of his body. “I was notified by the killer, that’s correct.”

  “And do you think these incidents could be related?”

  “I... I’m not sure. I can’t see why anyone would hurt Kate when I was in the same building. If he wanted to hurt me, I think he would have.”

  “Well,” the officer began, “we’d like to ask you a few more questions. Would you mind coming down to the station with us?”

  Victoria dropped her gaze to where the EMTs knelt by Kate, checking her vitals. “Now? But Kate...”

  She was torn. She wanted to help them catch the assailant, but she needed to be with her friend more, make sure she was okay.

  The cop must’ve read her thoughts because he nodded. “Tomorrow would be fine.”

  She shot him an appreciative glance. “Thank you. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

  Dropping his hand away, Blake directed his attention back to the officers. “Building was clear. Would you like to take a look around anyway?”

  Both officers nodded and Blake turned to Victoria. “Will you stay with them, show the medics back to the lobby?”

  She nodded mutely and he gave her a smile of encouragement. “I’ll meet you down there in a few minutes.”

  One of the officers passed Victoria her purse that she’d dropped earlier, as well as Kate’s, then the men ambled away. A vibration came from inside one of the bags, but she ignored the phone’s persistent alert. She walked with the paramedics to the elevator and rode down to the ground floor. The phone vibrated again as she stepped into the lobby, and she began to root through the contents of her purse, digging for her phone.

  Just as the medics wheeled Kate outside and loaded her into the waiting ambulance, she pulled her phone free. Several missed calls lit the screen, all from Johnathan. It rang again as she was holding it, but she hit the button to silence it. She would call him back later, once Kate was taken care of. Blake and the officers exited the stairwell, and she’d taken a step forward when a familiar figure caught her eye. Her eyes widened as Johnathan tore through the front door of the building.

  “Victoria!”

  She offered him a weak smile as he swept into the building and strode over to her. “What happened? I’ve been calling and calling.”

  “I know.” She held up the phone. “I’m fine, but someone attacked her in her office.”

  His eyes widened. “God. Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know.” She drew in a shaky breath. “I have to go to the hospital with Kate. I have all of her stuff.”

  “Of course.” He looped an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, I’ll take you.”

  He tugged her toward the doors, and she threw an apologetic glance over her shoulder at Blake. His watchful eyes were pinned on Johnathan’s hand where it rested on her shoulder, looking very much like he wanted to rip the other man to shreds. Muscles tight with tension, mouth set in a grim line, Blake’s eyes slowly slid over to meet her gaze. He searched her eyes, and she gave a slight shake of her head. His lips turned down in a frown as she allowed Johnathan to pull her outside, and she let out a sigh. She’d have a lot of explaining to do later.

  Chapter Twelve

  Victoria shifted again in the uncomfortable vinyl chair, exhausted. Thoughts spun through her mind as she tried to piece together what had happened and why anyone would want to hurt Kate. The logical suspect was Steve, but was he really so upset with Kate over their impending divorce that he’d stoop to hurting her? It was a possibility, she supposed. It would save him a lot of time and money in legal fees. Then there was the life insurance. Without kids, Steve would surely be her beneficiary.

  She peered through her eyelashes across the hospital waiting room where Steve sat jiggling a leg restlessly. He looked anxious, worried, but he’d always been good at concealing his true emotions. He’d played the doting husband for years before Kate had caught him with another woman. Maybe he was a better liar than anyone knew. She’d heard about their argument yesterday morning. Could Steve actually be responsible for this?

  Johnathan’s knee jumped anxiously, and Victoria turned to look at him. “You don’t have to stay, you know. I can call a cab.”

  “No, no.” He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you here all alone after everything you’ve been through today.”

  Victoria sighed. “Kate’s the one who’s hurt, not me.”

  He crossed one foot over the other. “I’m sure they’ll take good care of her.”

  “You didn’t see her, Johnathan. She’s lucky to be alive right now.” Victoria shuddered and briskly rubbed her arms to dispel the chill that had crept down her spine. If it wasn’t Steve, then who could’ve done something so horrible?

  The door to the waiting room swung open, emitting a doctor clad in blue scrubs. “Are you Kate Winfield’s family?”

  Victoria jumped from the chair and strode toward the doctor, anxiety gnawing at her insides. Before she could open her mouth, Steve jumped in. “Is she okay? How bad is it?”

  “She has a mild concussion, which is to be expected, and she received seventeen stitches for the laceration on her forehead. The X-ray showed no broken bones, but we’ll want to do a CT scan to make sure there are no internal injuries. She’s being prepped now, so we should have an answer in an hour or so. Barring that, she should make a full recovery.”

  “Thank God!” Relief overwhelmed her at the news, and she watched as Steve laced his fingers behind his head and bent at the waist. She laid a gentle hand on his back and he straightened, turning his gaze to hers, tears swimming in his eyes.

  Whatever she’d suspected him of evaporated at that moment, and she pulled him in for a quick hug.

  “She’ll be fine,” she whispered. “I know she will.”

  He tightened his hold on her and nodded against her neck before pulling away and addressing the doctor, wiping the dampness from his eyes. “When will we be able to see her?”

  The doctor glanced at the clock on the wall. “They have her scheduled for the CT in less than half an hour.” He turned to Steve. “I can only allow one person back there at this time, and only for a few minutes. I’d like to get the scan done as soon as possible to ensure there are no additional injuries.”

  Victoria handed Kate’s purse to Steve, and he clutched it to his chest. “You go. I’ll stop by after work tomorrow.”

  “I’ll keep you posted. She’ll want to see you.” With a final nod, he followed the doctor through the doors and down the long hallway to the patient rooms.

  Victoria sighed and turned to Johnathan. “I wish I’d been able to see her, but thank God she’s okay.” Despite her dislike of Steve, she knew it was important that he see Kate first. He was her husband, after all, even if he seemed to have forgotten that minor detail a few months ago. Victoria could tell from his reaction that he still cared about Kate. He might not be in love with her anymore, but he still wanted to make sure she was safe and healthy.

  Johnathan placed a hand low on her back and guided her toward the door. “You could have been seriously hurt tonight, too. You’re still in shock, and you need your rest. Let’s get you home.”

  Victoria allowed him to lead her out to the parking garage, and she followed numbly. For once, she didn’t object to his nearness, instead soaking up the comfort he offered. Her thoughts immediately flew to Blake and the way he’d held her last week, so snug and secure in his arms, offeri
ng solace when needed, but mostly just being there to listen. She let out a sigh. She really wished he was here now, but he was probably still tied up with the police.

  She was thankful they hadn’t pushed for her to come in tonight. Tomorrow would be a busy day between her appointments, setting aside time to go speak with the detective, and stopping by the hospital to see Kate. The mere thought drained her and she covered her mouth with one hand as she let out a long yawn.

  “You must be exhausted.” Johnathan ran a hand up her back. “Why don’t you stay with me tonight?”

  She couldn’t begin to tell him all the reasons that would be a terrible idea. She really needed to come clean with him soon. Even without looking at him, she could tell from the slight increase in pitch that she’d see hope in his eyes if she looked at him. And that was the last thing she wanted. She wasn’t attracted to Johnathan, at least not in that way. Viewed objectively, he would probably be considered handsome with his dark brown eyes, and prematurely graying hair that gave him a mature, distinguished look and made him seem older than his thirty-some years. Not so tall that a woman had to crane her neck to look up at him, but not so short that she felt like a giant next to him.

  Not that Victoria had that problem. Being very average herself, she looked up to almost everyone. And the height difference hadn’t mattered at all last week as she’d straddled Blake’s lap. The position had put her mouth even with his, perfect for kissing. His beard was thick but trimmed close to his face, and the well-maintained whiskers had brushed over her skin, tickling the nerve endings. The thought sent a delicious shiver down her spine. She couldn’t wait to do it again.

  Johnathan’s sporty, low-slung Porsche came into view and Victoria allowed him to hold the door for her as she slipped inside. With a sigh, she leaned her head back against the seat and shut her eyes as he closed the door then rounded the car and slid into the driver’s side. She prayed that he’d let the question slide, but she could feel his eyes on her as he started the car.