A Shot in the Dark (Dark #1)

by J. G. Sumner

  “The big jump was coming up, and he was planning some new trick to wow the sponsors. He wouldn’t even tell me what it was. He went up the jump and as he was going in the air, it looked as though his front tire was broken. Next thing I know, he’s flying through the air detached from his bike. He hit the ground with his bike landing on top.”

  Miller finished scribbling before looking up from his notes. “When you say it looked like the tire was broken, what do you mean?”

  “It looked like the tire was completely detached. Although I know that couldn’t be right, because he’s religious about checking his bike thoroughly before a race.”

  Officer Miller continued taking notes. “Does he check his bike by himself? Or are there people who help?”

  Rebecca took a sip of her coffee. “Mostly he does it himself. But he has friends who ride with him and they all kind of do it together.”

  “You mentioned you saw Skyler with his friends checking out his bike. Was there someone there you didn’t recognize?”

  Rebecca paused. “Not that I can recall. It was just his same group of five buddies.”

  “Do you know their names?”

  “Danny Sanchez, Tyler Rollins, James Acebedo, Ryan Stevens, and Tony Lafferty. He’s known them all for several years. They all started riding about the same time.”

  “Are they all about the same skill level, or is one maybe not as good as Skyler?”

  “No, I think they’re all about equal. Skyler is definitely more of the risk-taker than the rest of them. He does the big air jumps and stunts that wow a crowd.”

  “Do you think any of them might be jealous of Skyler or maybe not happy there were sponsors to see him?”

  “I don’t think so. They’re all good kids. Those boys are like brothers. They practically live at my house. They have a special bond. I think they’ll be friends for life.”

  Officer Miller put his pen down. “Is there anything else you can think of that just didn’t seem right that day? Is there anything else that might be helpful to this investigation?”

  “Nothing really seemed out of the ordinary besides the wheel detaching from Skyler’s bike. I mean, how does that happen? I don’t know if this would be any help, but…” She got up and headed to the closet holding extra linens and Skyler’s belongings.

  “I was looking through his things and I came across this card. It looks like it’s from one of the sponsors that were there. I don’t recognize the name. I’m not sure if it would help you much, but you’re certainly welcome to it.”

  Rebecca pulled out the card and handed it to the policeman.

  He glanced at the card. “Do you mind if I keep this?”

  “No, not at all. If I had it my way, he’d never get on a bike again.”

  Miller slid the card into his pocket. “Thank you for your time. If you can think of anything else, please don’t hesitate to call me.” He took one of his cards out of a gold holder and handed it to Rebecca. “I’ll also be stopping by periodically to check up on Skyler’s status. If anything changes with him or if he wakes up, I’d appreciate if you’d call me.”

  Rebecca smiled. “I will. Thank you.”

  Chapter 8

  Laney

  Laney had a rough day; dealing with Rebecca and Skyler had been emotionally draining. All she wanted to do was be alone and have a really stiff drink. As she walked out of the ER toward her car, she took a deep breath while trying to process everything that had happened. There was an ambulance that passed by just as she got to the car. The medics blasted their horn, causing Laney to jump, bringing her back to the here and now. She looked at the ambulance to find the medics waving at her.

  Once she got to her silver BMW 325, she opened the driver’s door and slid into the black leather seat. I love this job, but sometimes it’s too much. One more day and I’ll be off for four days. I can’t wait.

  She’d had a stressful day, but it got better when she got to O’Sullivans Irish Pub. She pulled her car into the one open space in front.

  It was a quaint place that smelled of spilled alcohol and greasy bar food. It was also a happening spot on weekends with a live Irish band. On Sunday nights, most of the patrons returned home to ready themselves for the week ahead. That meant that the bar was usually empty during week nights, with the exception of big events like St. Patrick’s Day.

  She settled in at the bar. As its name suggested, this pub had an Irish flair. There was no shortage of Guinness signs and multiple pictures of everything Irish.

  The bartender was anything but stereotypically Irish. In her mid-twenties, she had bright pink hair, multiple ear piercings, and a full tattoo sleeve on her left arm.

  She immediately walked over. “Hey, Laney! What can I getcha?”

  Laney smiled. Taylor could brighten the worst days. “How about a shot of Patron shaken with a slice of lime?”

  “Sure! Anything else?”

  “Make that a double.”

  “Rough day?”

  “You could say that.”

  “No worries,” the bartender said breezily. “I’ll have it right up for you.”

  After a couple of minutes, Taylor rounded back over to Laney and poured the contents into a small tumbler and produced a lime wedge on the side.

  “Anything to eat?” Taylor placed a napkin under the chilled glass.

  “No, thank you. This will do for now.” Laney took a sip of the icy-cold liquid. Breathing in a sigh of relief, she finally felt like she was unwinding.

  “Would you like another?”

  Laney rolled her head from side to side to work out the kinks. “No, thanks. How about a Grey Goose and soda instead?”

  “Coming right up. Should I ask what happened today or do you want to be left alone?” Taylor grabbed the bottle of Grey Goose and began measuring.

  “I’m not quite ready to talk about this one. Another time.”

  Laney stared at the television on the wall, scarcely noting the ESPN announcers talking about the day’s football games. She was oblivious to the man slipping onto the barstool beside her. She probably would have ignored him altogether, except the wonderful smell of his cologne made her tune in.

  It was the same smell that permeated the Abercrombie and Fitch stores. Oh God, I love that smell. She felt warmth grow between her legs and was startled out of her thoughts when he turned toward her.

  “You should probably eat something if you’re going to drink like that.”

  Laney turned her attention toward the familiar voice of the wonderful-smelling man and was shocked to see Dr. Stone sitting next to her.

  “I’m sorry?” She felt her face turn red, embarrassed by her body’s reaction to him.

  “It’s never good to drink on an empty stomach.”

  It was bad enough he was a pompous ass at work, but there was no way he was going to boss her around outside of the ER.

  “I didn’t realize I asked for your professional opinion.”

  He held his hands up like she had just bitten his head off. Laney instantly regretted what she said.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…it was a rough day.”

  The bartender appeared with the Grey Goose and soda. Taylor stared at Stone but he didn’t even seem to notice. I can see why everyone is smitten for this guy. He’s pretty hot…in an asshole sort of way.

  “And what can I get for you?” Taylor nearly crawled over the bar as she was getting his order.

  “I’ll have what she’s having.” Stone gestured at Laney’s drink.

  “Do you have a name?” Taylor asked with a grin.

  Now looking caught off guard, Dr. Stone turned his attention away from Laney and replied, “Josh. My name is Josh.”

  Taylor redirected her attention toward Laney. “Is this good-looking man your date for the evening?”

  Laney looked at the doctor and then back at Taylor and retorted, “Absolutely not.”

  “What a shame. A good-looking guy like this one will be
snatched up quickly. One Grey Goose and soda coming up. Will there be anything else? A menu? Maybe my number?”

  Laney looked up from her drink, stunned. She had never actually seen Taylor act this way toward any of her customers.

  Then again, Stone seemed to not even have noticed the bartender had asked for his number. As the shock wore off, Laney could see how handsome he really was.

  His deep blue eyes were the color of the Caribbean. His dark brown hair was short and perfectly manicured. He had perfectly chiseled features and his lips…so darn kissable. He was out of his scrubs and dressed in jeans and a tight-fitting black silk T-shirt that accentuated his biceps and unbelievable pecs. How have I missed this for so long?

  “I’m good for now,” he stated without batting an eye. It was as if getting asked for his number was an everyday occurrence for him. Maybe it is.

  “Let me get you some dinner,” Taylor offered.

  Laney directed her attention back to Josh. “No, thank you. I’m not hungry. No offense, but I prefer to be alone after a rough day at work.”

  Laney pushed aside the tequila she was no longer interested in, took a long sip of the vodka soda, and stared at him. His eyes made her breath hitch. What am I thinking? I have this gorgeous guy next to me, and all I can think about is being alone and drowning my sorrows into this glass. What is my problem? Laney, you know he’s a jerk.

  Maybe that’s just the way he is at work.

  Laney decided to get back to the conversation outside her head. “I’m sorry. I’m being selfish. Your day wasn’t any better.”

  He flashed a smile that would’ve swept any woman off her feet. But she wasn’t willing to give in that easily.

  “No problem. If you want to be alone, I understand. But I hope you’ll decide otherwise. And call me Josh. We aren’t at work.”

  Taylor walked up with his Grey Goose and soda. Laney took a sip of her drink and began stirring it with the little cocktail straw. She squeezed the lime to distract her from the fact that Dr. Stone, the surgeon with a reputation for being an asshole, just told her to call him Josh. It didn’t feel quite right.

  “For what it’s worth, you did a great job in there today.”

  Was he really paying her a compliment? “Thanks. You too. You saved his life!”

  “We both saved his life. He wouldn’t be here without you pounding on his chest to keep his heart going. And by the way, I really liked that move where you straddled Skyler on the gurney doing CPR while rolling into the OR. If the situation weren’t so horrible, it might have been comical.”

  Her cheeks flushed. She wasn’t used to compliments, especially not from someone she found so attractive yet so repulsive at the same time.

  Dr. Stone—Josh—was actually being kind. Why was he being nice? He’d been an ass up until now. Perhaps the alcohol was clouding her judgment.

  Laney downed the glass of water Taylor had set down when she wasn’t looking before pushing aside her barely touched alcoholic beverages, threw down some money on the bar, and stepped out of her chair. She couldn’t get out of there fast enough. If she stayed there much longer, she might get into some trouble.

  “Thanks for the company. I have to go. I’ve got to work tomorrow.”

  Josh stood up from his chair and grabbed her arm just as she turned to walk away.

  “You just ordered two drinks that you barely touched and you didn’t have anything to eat. How about you stay and I’ll buy you dinner?”

  “No, thank you. I’m not interested in spending time with you tonight. I’m tired and I just want to be alone.”

  “At least let me get you an appetizer. It won’t take that long and you’ll be back home and in your bed before you know it.”

  More annoyed than ever, she responded, “I appreciate your concern, but I’m okay. I’ll hit a drive-through and grab something to eat.” She headed out the door. Laney looked back over her shoulder to see Josh Stone with his mouth hanging open. He was shocked—probably because someone had said no to him.

  She unlocked her BMW with her key fob. Just as she was starting to pull away, Josh knocked on the driver’s window.

  “What?” Laney demanded as she rolled the window down.

  “How about I drive you? If you’re that tired, maybe you shouldn’t drive.”

  “I told you. I have to work tomorrow. I don’t have any way of getting my car to get there.”

  “I could pick you up in the morning.”

  Laney scoffed. “Good night, Dr. Stone.”

  “Please drive carefully.”

  She pulled away and drove off down Grand Avenue. In her rearview mirror, she saw Josh getting into his car. Way to go. You have to work with this guy. And really, how often do you get a hot guy asking to buy you dinner, let alone drive you home?

  She turned on the radio and settled on a station playing “Blow Me” by Pink. The lyrics seemed to fit today—something about having a crappy day. “I guess that about sums up my day,” Laney muttered to herself, eventually singing along to the song.

  Before she knew it, she had come to her exit. Her apartment complex was nice and private with garages for each unit. The neighborhood was in an upscale area; a place where she felt safe living alone. The apartments were more like condominiums, and there was definitely a family feeling to the area.

  She pressed the button on the remote and waited as her garage door opened. In her rearview mirror, she saw another car slowly drive by—a black Porsche. Nice car!

  After parking, she slung her purse on her shoulder and walked up the steps toward her apartment. She unlocked the door and entered.

  A glance behind her told her the Porsche was idling.

  ***

  Josh

  Josh couldn’t let Laney leave by herself and not make sure she got home safely. So what choice did he have? He decided it would be best to follow her home. It was the right thing to do.

  When he pulled up at O’Sullivans, he’d been looking for her car. He had seen her there before with a group of nurses she worked with, and he knew she drove a BMW. He found a parking spot right behind her car. He was especially glad now, since this made it much easier to catch up with her and follow her home.

  As they merged onto the highway, Josh figured there was no way she was going to stop and get some food. Laney clearly wasn’t very fond of him, but he was surprised by how quickly she blew him off when he offered to buy her dinner.

  Previously, when he had seen her at the bar with her friends, she was laughing and having a good time. He remembered thinking that her smile was infectious, and he found himself wanting to join in on whatever conversation they were having. She always appeared to be carefree and happy. He wanted to be the one to make her feel that way.

  That was the day he knew she was someone who was worth pursuing. Since then, he’d been watching her, studying her. She would be someone who understood his schedule and wouldn’t be so upset if he had to miss an event from time to time.

  So he followed her, making sure she was all right. He had no idea where she lived, and it was important to stay close. Fortunately, she only made a couple of turns before pulling into her complex.

  Her apartment was toward the front. He waited on the street until she pulled her car into the garage and watched as she walked up the stairs. He made sure she was safely inside before parking right in front of her apartment.

  He watched as some lights came on shining brightly through the windows before going off a few moments later. When Josh was sure Laney had to call it a night, he began his own drive home hoping against all odds that he could find a way to make her fall in love with him.

  ***

  Laney

  Laney woke up with her head pounding. She turned to look at her clock. It read 4:45 a.m. Maybe not eating anything last night was a bad idea.

  Rubbing her eyes, she shuffled to the bathroom. She popped four ibuprofen and swallowed them with some water before heading into the kitchen, where she started the Keurig.
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br />   As the coffee brewed, she waited, searching for answers from the previous night. What was he even doing there? I’ve been there a hundred times and never run into him. And did he ask me to call him Josh? Oh crap, I hope I wasn’t too rude. I have to work with that guy. I should’ve just sat there and had something to eat. I did say I just wanted to be alone. Oh damn, I’m sure he was just trying to be a nice guy. I’ve got to apologize.

  The coffee had finally finished brewing so she grabbed her cup, added sugar, and headed back into the bathroom, where she turned on the shower and began to undress. She looked in the mirror. Geez, I look like crap. I really need to hit the gym.

  She sipped at her coffee before getting into the shower. Once there, she stood for a long time, trying to wash away the fatigue.

  After several long minutes in the shower, she felt a little more awake, so she stepped out and dried off. Hoping to start her day off right, she grabbed a pair of red scrub pants and a white scrub top with a design of various animals. Once she had dressed, she looked at the mirror again. Well, if this top doesn’t create a lighter mood, I don’t know what will.

  After she finished her coffee and packed her lunch and snacks for the day, Laney grabbed her keys, purse, and lunch and headed out the door. As she stepped out on the doorstep, Laney was surprised to find a treat. On the doormat was a Starbucks cup and a small bag. She stared at them for a second before her curiosity got to her. She opened the bag.

  “What the—” Nestled within was a cranberry bagel, a small container of plain cream cheese, cream, sugar—and a note:

  I know you didn’t stop to get yourself food last night. I’m also sure you aren’t feeling too great this morning. Please eat this. I didn’t know how you liked your coffee, so there’s cream and sugar in the bag. Have a nice day at work.

  ~Josh~