Every Dark Corner (The Cincinnati Series Book 3)

by Karen Rose

  ‘It’s Dani. She’s hurt. She was stabbed. I’m taking her to the ER. Can you tell Kate?’

  A few feet away, Kate’s face had drained of color.

  ‘I think Deacon’s telling her right now,’ Decker murmured.

  ‘Yeah. I called him first.’

  ‘Which hospital are you taking her to?’ Decker asked, trying to stay calm for Diesel’s sake. And Kate’s too. He gripped her hand hard and she held on like he was a lifeline. ‘County?’

  ‘When hell freezes over,’ Diesel snapped. ‘Besides, I’m closest to Christ.’

  Decker was mostly relieved. County had bullied Dani into resigning and was where he’d been drugged. He didn’t trust them to keep Dani safe. But while Christ Hospital was only a five-minute drive from the clinic, it was at least fifteen minutes from Alice’s apartment with rush-hour traffic. ‘We’ll be there as soon as we can,’ Decker said, daring Kate to challenge him about going. He was relieved when she nodded.

  She ended her call with Deacon. ‘Ask Diesel where the attack happened.’

  ‘I heard her,’ Diesel said sharply. ‘At that damned clinic. I was right to be worried.’

  ‘We’ll have some uniforms get over there to protect the crime scene,’ Decker told him. ‘You focus on getting her to the hospital in one piece. Hear me, Diesel?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Diesel’s tone was grimly determined. ‘I heard. Gotta go.’

  The call ended and Decker stood up, folded his chair and tucked it under his arm. ‘Let’s go. Christ Hospital. You can drive.’

  Cincinnati, Ohio,

  Friday 14 August, 5.20 P.M.

  ‘I should have stopped her,’ Decker said, so quietly that Kate almost didn’t hear him.

  She’d just pulled up to the ER door to let Decker out when he’d spoken – his first words since they’d left Alice’s apartment. ‘And exactly how would you have done that, Decker? Dani doesn’t take orders any better than her brother does. Or than you do. Or me.’ She smiled at him, hoping to lighten his dark mood. ‘We’re like herding cats.’

  He didn’t smile back. ‘I didn’t listen to her when she said she didn’t know why I’d even asked for a doctor. I thought she was just ranting.’

  ‘Maybe she was. She was forced to quit a job she worked hard to earn, and she was pissed in general. She’ll make the best of her new position at the free clinic because that’s what we all do. We survive and we do our best to make things better. But I don’t think she would have said no to an emergency at the clinic even if you’d been an obedient little couch potato. Do you?’

  He shook his head. ‘No, not really.’

  ‘And truthfully? You probably didn’t need a doctor once you were awake and breathing on your own. Dani told me that herself when she agreed to tend you. She’d talked first with your doctor and he told her that you’d healed a lot while you were in that coma, which was the whole point of inducing it, I suppose. You just needed rest, appropriate exercise, and time to rebuild your strength.’

  ‘And a health care professional who wasn’t going to kill me,’ he added with a grimace.

  ‘Mostly that,’ she agreed with a nod. ‘If we’d had more time, we probably would have hired a nurse. But Dani was available and she said it made her feel . . . useful.’

  He winced. ‘Now I feel even worse.’

  ‘You shouldn’t. It wasn’t your responsibility to make her feel useful. It’s your responsibility to recuperate as quickly as you can so that you can do what you’ve actually been doing all day – your job. Making Dani feel useful was merely a bonus.’

  He frowned at her suspiciously. ‘Who are you and what have you done with the real Kate?’

  She shrugged. ‘The real Kate thought about what you said. About how you needed to do something with your life, since it had been saved, after all. And you were right. About that and about how I’d be doing the same thing as you if our situations were reversed. It doesn’t mean that I’m okay with you pushing yourself like you’re doing. But I get why you are. It’s because this is who you are. And you shouldn’t change, not for Dani and not for me, no matter how much I want to wrap you in bubble wrap and keep you healthy.’

  The suspicion in his eyes softened to a gratitude so raw and so . . . vulnerable that it made her eyes sting. ‘So,’ she finished before he could say anything that would turn that stinging into an instant waterfall, ‘you couldn’t have stopped her, because Dani is who she is too. Now put on your game face and get in there. Deacon’s going to need us strong, because he was falling apart on the phone.’

  Decker’s throat worked as he tried to swallow. ‘So was Diesel.’

  ‘He cares for her. Diesel, I mean.’

  ‘He followed her around with his eyes yesterday when he thought no one was looking.’

  He was stalling, Kate realized. But why? Was he afraid that the others would blame him for not stopping a headstrong doctor from responding to a call? Yeah, she thought. That was exactly it. New friends. Finally a circle he belonged to after being alone for so long. Kate wouldn’t want to risk it either in his place.

  ‘They won’t blame you,’ she murmured, and he did smile then, ruefully.

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Because I’d feel the same way. Diesel called you, Decker. He brought that file to you. He obviously trusts you. So go in there and be a friend.’ She hooked her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss that she’d intended to be a peck. But he deepened it, made it tender. Then touched his forehead to hers.

  ‘Thank you,’ he whispered, and it was her turn to try to swallow.

  ‘Just walk fast. If this was a way to lure us all here, he couldn’t have done much better.’

  ‘I thought of that too.’

  She grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling it far enough from his body to see that he was wearing a Kevlar vest. ‘Just making sure you’re all suited up. Go on in. I’ll be right behind you as soon as I park the car.’

  He did what she asked, leaning on his cane as he closed the distance between the car and the ER’s double doors at a half-jog that made her sorry she’d been such a bitch to him earlier. He really was feeling better, and he did know his own body.

  But dammit, she wanted a chance to get to know it too, and him landing himself back in the hospital would put a severe cramp in her plans. Because she had plans.

  She found a parking place at the far end of the lot, recognizing a few of the vehicles as she ran past them. Deacon’s SUV, of course. Marcus O’Bannion’s Subaru. He would have brought Scarlett, who’d be here for Deacon too. And Adam’s beat-up Jeep. She’d seen it that morning when he’d called her and Deacon to Eileen Wilkins’s murder scene. Of course Adam would have rushed here. He and Deacon and Dani had grown up together. Cousins. Family.

  A part of Kate’s heart hoped that they’d be her family if she ever ended up here in the ER. That she wouldn’t be like Decker and have no one. At least Decker has people now, too.

  She ran a little faster as she approached the door. She wasn’t going to make herself an easy target if this was a trap. Because McCord’s partner had to know by now that they were searching. He’d killed four people – that they knew of. He was going to show up on law enforcement’s radar sooner or later.

  The ER waiting room was already halfway full. Closest to the door, Meredith sat next to Adam, her normally serene expression full of trepidation.

  Oh God. This was bad.

  Deacon sat hunched over, elbows on his thighs, his white head hanging low. Faith had her hand on his back, rubbing big comforting circles.

  Diesel Kennedy stood near the window, staring out at nothing. Decker had planted himself next to the tattooed man, leaning up against the wall. Saying nothing. Just being a friend.

  Kate straightened her spine and walked up to Deacon, cr
ouching in front of him so that she could see his downturned face. ‘What happened? Have you heard anything?’

  A wag of that white head. ‘No, not yet.’

  ‘She was stabbed in the abdomen,’ Faith murmured. ‘And hit on the head, hard enough to knock her out for a few minutes.’

  Not good. Kate squeezed Deacon’s knee. ‘Was she conscious when Diesel brought her in?’

  ‘He said so. But the doctors took her straight into surgery. I didn’t see her.’

  ‘Diesel was with her when she was attacked?’

  ‘Yes.’ He swallowed hard. ‘I worried she’d get the flu or some weird disease working in the ER.’ He looked up, his bi-colored eyes devastated and wet. ‘She can’t get sick. She thinks she’s superwoman, but even a cold could make her dead.’

  Kate took Deacon’s hands in hers. ‘She’s strong, yes?’

  Deacon nodded grimly. ‘Too damn strong.’

  ‘She is your sister,’ Kate said lightly. ‘If there’s a way for her to be fine, she’ll make that happen. And we’ll help her. Got it?’

  ‘Yeah.’ One side of his mouth lifted sadly. ‘But you of all people know it doesn’t work out sometimes.’

  Kate’s throat thickened. ‘I know. But Dani getting stabbed isn’t the same thing as Johnnie dying from a brain tumor, and you know it. You need to get hold of yourself. She’s going to need you strong when she wakes up, so you make sure you’re strong by then. Capisce?’

  Faith kissed his shoulder. ‘I couldn’t have said that better myself.’

  ‘Thank you. All right now.’ She crisped her voice. ‘Special Agent Novak, I need you to put on your cop hat for a minute. I contacted your lieutenant and she’s gone to supervise the scene herself. Just in case this wasn’t a routine mugging gone wrong. Do you know of anyone who’d want to hurt your sister?’

  Deacon closed his eyes. ‘She had hate mail, all sent to County. People who didn’t want her spreading “her AIDS”. A few threatened to sue. None of the mail went to her apartment.’

  ‘Actually . . .’ Faith bit her lip. ‘It did. She didn’t want to worry you.’

  Deacon’s head whipped up to stare at his fiancée, his expression going from numb to furious in a heartbeat. ‘What in the hell, Faith?’

  Faith pressed her fingertips to his mouth to halt what would have been very angry words. ‘I heard about it just yesterday morning at our breakfast at Bailey’s house. I told her that she had two choices – to either let us hire security or to move back in with us. Either way, I told her she had to tell you by tonight or I was telling you myself. I figured I could give her a few days to do it herself, since she was at the safe house. Caring for Decker was supposed to be a two-fer. She got some supplemental pay and free bodyguards. I should have known she’d leave if she got a call.’

  Deacon pulled Faith’s hand from his mouth and kissed her palm. ‘I’m sorry. I should have trusted you before I got mad.’

  ‘Yeah, you should have,’ Faith said, ‘but I’ll cut you some slack since you’re upset.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have cut him any slack,’ Kate inserted, and Deacon huffed a laugh.

  ‘Yeah, you would have. You’ve already cut that big lug over there too much.’ He jerked his head in Decker’s direction.

  Kate lifted her brows. ‘Pot. Kettle. So shut up. I’ll get the threatening emails or letters from County. I’m sure they kept them to cover their cowardly asses.’ She patted Deacon’s knee. ‘I’m going to talk to Diesel now. I don’t want you to follow me. You’re too invested.’

  He narrowed his eyes at her. ‘God, I forgot how bossy you are.’

  She winked at him, then smiled at Faith. ‘I was just tenderizing him for you, Faith.’

  ‘Appreciated.’ Faith stood up when Kate rose from her crouch, pulling her into a hard hug. ‘He’s going to try anyway,’ she whispered in Kate’s ear. ‘Don’t let him investigate Dani’s case, please. It’ll destroy him. Especially if . . .’ Her voice broke. ‘You know.’

  If Dani dies. Maybe not from blood loss or the stab wound, but from an infection later. It wouldn’t matter. She’d still be gone.

  Kate patted Faith’s back, feeling the other woman draw a deep breath as she struggled not to cry. ‘I know,’ she whispered back. ‘He was my partner. I know he’s got a fucking hard head.’

  Faith stepped back, wiping her eyes. ‘I’m really glad you’re here.’

  ‘Me too.’ Kate looked up at Faith, then over at Meredith. ‘Although I think if we bring in one more redhead, we’ll set the whole place on fire,’ she added dryly.

  Meredith lifted her chin. ‘Mine is auburn.’

  ‘So, like, red?’ Kate put her hand on Deacon’s shoulder without even looking at him, pushing him back in his chair when he moved to stand. ‘God, were you always this predictable? I said stay the hell here, Novak. I meant it. You trust me, right?’

  Deacon scowled. ‘Yeah. But I’m not liking you much right now.’

  ‘I can live with that. Stay. Here.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Stubborn men. They all need goddamn keepers.’

  ‘Hear, hear,’ Faith said.

  ‘No argument from me,’ Meredith added.

  ‘Hey,’ Adam said defensively. ‘I didn’t do anything.’

  Just friends, my ass, Kate thought. Adam was a goner and she wondered why he was fighting it so hard.

  ‘Yet,’ said Meredith. ‘Kate, I’m available if you need me.’

  ‘Because Diesel is barely keeping it together?’ Kate murmured. It was true. The man was holding himself so tight, so still, that he looked as if he was about to break. ‘I can see that. I’ll ask if I need you.’ She looked around the room. ‘Where are Scarlett and Marcus? I saw Marcus’s car in the parking lot.’

  ‘None of us got lunch, and it’s likely to be a long wait, so they went to get coffee and some food,’ Adam answered. ‘From someplace that’s not a hospital. Just in case the asshole who tried to kill Decker has minions here too.’

  ‘Makes sense,’ Kate said, ‘although it’s batshit crazy that we have to even think it. Adam? You’re on Deacon duty until Scarlett gets back, okay? Do not let him leave this hospital, even if you have to tie him to the chair.’

  Adam gave her a little salute, but the gesture was a sad one. ‘Yes, ma’am.’

  Deacon leveled her a glare and Kate shrugged it away. ‘You were planning your escape,’ she said. ‘Don’t even try to deny it.’

  ‘Your aunt and uncle are going to need you,’ Faith said softly. ‘And your little brother most of all. Greg doesn’t need a big bad cop right now. He needs his brother. So let Kate do her job. Please.’

  He closed his eyes, shoulders sagging in defeat and despair. ‘Okay. I’ll stay.’

  Kate squeezed his arm. ‘Thank you.’ She went over to Diesel. ‘I need to ask you a few questions,’ she said softly. ‘Can you come with me? We’ll find a quiet room. Decker can join us if it makes you more comfortable.’

  Diesel looked over at her, his dark eyes steely and cold. ‘You don’t have to be gentle with me, Agent Coppola. I don’t freeze up with cops. Doctors, yes. Cops, I just don’t like.’

  Kate smiled at him. ‘Sometimes I don’t either. But I promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to make this right.’

  He faltered then, some of his control crumbling. ‘For Deacon.’

  ‘And for you. But especially for Dani.’ She put her hand on his tattooed forearm and gave it a light squeeze. ‘Come on. Let’s see if we can find some coffee, and you can tell me a story.’

  Twenty

  Cincinnati, Ohio,

  Friday 14 August, 5.50 P.M.

  Decker followed Kate into an empty family conference room, making sure he stayed one step behind Diesel Kennedy, because the man looked like he would bolt any second. He shut the door and sa
t next to Diesel, bumping his shoulder as a show of support. Diesel had been deathly white when he’d shown up at the door to the safe house, but now he was almost gray. Sweat covered his forehead and he was trembling.

  He wore a T-shirt with the Ledger’s name on the back and the name of a kiddie tee-ball team on the front. Decker remembered that Diesel coached kids in his spare time, because sometimes kids just needed attention from an adult who genuinely cared. But it was a different shirt than he’d been wearing a few hours earlier, and Decker wondered if he’d changed because he’d been covered in Dani’s blood.

  Dani’s HIV-positive blood. Decker could hear Dani’s voice in his mind, not quite steady as she’d informed them of her risk. Then Trip’s voice, gentle and modulated. I guess we should make sure you don’t bleed then, huh, Doc?

  Decker could only pray that she’d be okay, for the sake of the mental health of everyone on the team. But right now, he focused on Diesel’s mental health. And it was not looking good.

  ‘Give me a minute,’ Decker murmured, and left the room, leaning heavily on his cane. His energy was draining. He needed to eat. He’d do that after they got Diesel squared away. He flagged down a nurse and got a stack of paper barf bags. They would do.

  When he got back to the room, Diesel was panting. Kate had pulled her knitting from her bag, as well as the slim stack of paper that Deacon had given her during their morning meeting. She was calm and collected and Decker found himself fucking proud of her.

  ‘Here.’ He gave Diesel one of the bags. ‘Breathe.’

  With a nod of thanks, Diesel obeyed. Decker eased his body into a chair while Kate knitted away. ‘Can you teach me to do that?’ Decker asked her.

  ‘Of course. I have extra needles and yarn back in my luggage. You’ll be knitting in no time.’ She paused long enough to push the stack of paper in front of Diesel. ‘I don’t care if you make lousy paper airplanes, but you need to fold a lot more than I do right now.’

  No longer panting, Diesel put the bag aside and sat back in his chair, eyes closed. ‘I hate hospitals.’