Free Darkness Follows by J.L. Drake Page B

I asked as I moved closer to Emily. “Was she crying?” My stomach twisted as I glanced at the time. Had I really been gone forty minutes?
    The nurse stood up and collected her things. “We made it clear she was not to have visitors until at least tomorrow.”
    “Wait!” I cut her off. “What visitor?” I felt my mouth go dry.
    “I don’t know who he was, but whatever he said to her certainly upset her enough that she was sobbing as he left. She doesn’t need any extra stress right now. It will set her back.”
    I blocked her path as she tried to walk by. “What did this man look like?”
    She huffed when she realized I wasn’t going to move. “Tall and big like you. Um, I’m guessing another officer ’cause he got by Charles. He whispered something to her right before he left that really upset her. You need to talk to your guys, because that can’t happen again.” She pushed around me and left. I caught the door before it closed.
    “Charles, did you let someone in here a few moments ago?” I asked the security guard, and he stiffened when he saw my face.
    “Yes, sir, but he had a badge and said he was on the case. I said no at first, but he said he could come back with my supervisor and make things worse. He knew who you and O’Brian were, so I thought it was fine. He was in and out in, like, seven minutes.”
    “Did he give you a name?”
    “He did, but I don’t recall it. I was more interested in the badge. He was around 5’7”, a hundred ninety pounds, with black hair and a medium build.”
    “Do you remember the badge number?”
    “Thirty-six something. I’m sorry. Is Miss McPhee all right?”
    I shook my head. All our badges started with thirty-six. “Yeah, she is, but from now on, no one gets through this door without my personal say so. No one . You understand?”
    Charles nodded, and then stepped back against the wall.
    I paced the hospital room like a caged tiger. After I questioned a few others in the hall, I was able to identify Emily’s visitor. Why was Matthews in here to see her without saying anything to me?
    Finally, after a few hours, she started to wake. I sat down next to her. I brushed her hair away from her face.
    Her blue eyes found me. Damn, my breathing hitched every time I looked into those eyes of hers.
    “How are you feeling?” I asked and studied her face.
    “Like I’ve been kidnapped, beaten, jumped off a cliff, and bruised by rocks. So, not that bad.” She shrugged and tried to smile.
    I rolled my eyes at her comment. She always deflected her pain. “Wanna tell me why Matthews paid you a visit? And why he upset you?”
    Her eyes went wide and dropped toward our joined hands. I could tell she was nervous. She licked her lips. “He…he just wanted to see how I was and to offer the Witness Protection Program. But I don’t want to leave anyone I love and everything I know. Don’t make me!”
    “No.” I rubbed her arm. “I’d never let that happen. You think I’d let you go?”
    She slowly closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she fell back to sleep.
    I was pissed that Matthews would even go there right now. Why not talk to me about it first? I pulled out my cell as soon as I was out the door and dialed Matthews again. It went straight to voicemail.
    Fuck!
    ***

Lasko
     
    I pushed the dirty brass key into the door and turned it as my stomach did the same.
    “Well, well, look who came back,” my trashy neighbor said as she bared her lipstick-stained teeth at me. “Christmas came early this year.” She flipped her jet black hair over her shoulder to show off a black eye and a visible hand print around her neck. Her black and blue choker made my tongue heavy with need.
    My erection grew at the sight of it. I wished I’d made those marks on her. My fingers flexed around my bag. They ached to give her a matching eye. Emily’s face popped up, and I shrugged off the memory that clawed at my brain to compare the two women in my life. Emily’s scent filled