Free Fatal Deception by Marie Force Page A

else in this entire hospital who can give me some stitches and send me on my way?”
    “Trust me when I tell you that you want the right guy for this job. When he’s done, you’ll barely have a scar. I’ll be back. Sit tight.”
    “Sitting tight is not her strong suit,” Malone muttered to the doctor’s retreating back.
    “I heard that,” Sam said.
    Her mentor, who was tall and brawny with wise gray eyes and close-cropped silver hair, sent her a smug grin.
    “I can’t sit here and do nothing.” To Freddie, she said, “If I can’t get to HQ, I’ll bring HQ to me. Get everyone over here right away. Tell Jeannie to bring a dry-erase board. And if they can get out of there without alerting Hill as to where they’re going, that’d be good. Hurry.”
    As Freddie scampered off, Malone shook his head. “You’re too much, Holland.”
    “I’ve got shit to do and a deadline today.”
    “What deadline?”
    “Fundraiser for Nick’s campaign tonight. It’s a big deal. He reserved me weeks in advance.”
    Malone hooted with laughter.
    “What the hell is so funny?”
    “Wait’ll he gets a look at your face. Can I be there for that? Please can I?”
    Sam attempted her trademark scowl, but that made the cut hurt like a son of a bitch, so she resorted to the old standby and gave him the finger.
    “Don’t let Stahl see you disrespecting a superior officer that way,” Malone said of Sam’s nemesis. “He’ll convene an IAB hearing.”
    “Let him. It was worth it.”
    A nurse came into the cubical, carrying implements of torture.
    “What’s that?” Sam asked, immediately on alert and anxious.
    “I’m starting an IV so we can get some fluids into you.”
    “My mouth is working fine.”
    “That’s the truth,” Malone said.
    Ignoring him, Sam said, “Get me a bottle of water. I’ll drink it right down.” Anything to avoid another needle.
    The nurse held up the bag. “This is more than water. It’s electrolytes that you need because of the blood loss.”
    “Get me a sports drink. I don’t want that.”
    “Doctor’s orders.”
    Sam crossed her arms tight across her chest. “No IV.”
    The nurse glanced at Malone, who shrugged. “There’s not much point arguing with her when she’s in this—or any—mood.”
    “Lovely,” the nurse said on her way out of the room.
    Sam nearly swooned with relief when she realized she’d dodged the IV bullet. A familiar whirring noise from the hallway had her sitting up straighter on the bed as her father turned his wheelchair into her cubical. Her stepmother, Celia, was right behind him.
    “We came as soon as we heard you were here,” Skip said, grimacing at the sight of her injury.
    Sam was glad to see them but suspicious nonetheless. “And how did you know I was here?” she asked, even though she knew exactly how they’d heard.
    “I can’t reveal my sources,” her father said. He came in as close as he could get for a look at her face.
    In deference to his paralysis and his concern, Sam leaned forward to give him a better view.
    He winced. “He gotcha good, huh?”
    Shrugging, Sam said, “I got him better.”
    “I had no doubt, baby girl.”
    “She’s giving the nurses a hard time,” Malone said, probably in retaliation for the bird she’d sent his way.
    “I don’t need you ratting me out to my dad,” Sam said. “Isn’t it time for your morning donut break?”
    “Oh,” Malone said, his face lighting up, “donuts. Can I get you anything?”
    The others demurred, and he said he’d be right back.
    “Don’t rush on my account,” Sam called after him.
    “Why are you giving the nurses a hard time?” asked Celia, a nurse herself.
    “They want to stick me full of unnecessary needles.”
    Skip laughed at her petulance. “You look like you did at twelve when you crashed your bike and they wanted to give you a tetanus shot.”
    “Didn’t need it then, don’t need it now.”
    Celia reached out to brush Sam’s hair back from her forehead