Free A.W. Hartoin - Mercy Watts 04 - Drop Dead Red by A.W. Hartoin Page A

like chum for sharks. I’m gonna—”
    The closing of the door cut him off and a second later Jack arrived, breathless and holding a donut. “What happened? You okay?”  
    “We’re fine.” I told him what happened and mentioned that the security footage might help, but I doubted it. That guy knew what he was doing.  
    “He was waiting for us, wasn’t he?” Brittany was chewing her blunt fingernails.  
    “I suspect he was waiting for me.”
    Jack gave me the once over. “Yeah, probably. I got to call your dad.”  
    “You know him?”  
    “I retired two years after he made detective. Hell of a cop. He is going to be pissed.”  
    “You could call Chuck Watts. He’s less likely to lose it.”  
    “That’s not what I hear, but I’ll call him.”  
    Raymond came in, huffing and puffing. “He’s long gone, but that bastard was definitely waiting for a victim. There are six cigarette butts next to the pillar. One’s still burning. He didn’t want to miss you.”  
    Not a comforting thought for me or for Brittany, who’d begun to shake. I needed to get her out of there.  
    “What do you need from us?” I asked. “It’s been a long night. We’re worn out.”
    “We need statements. The cops will want to talk to you,” said Raymond.  
    Jack turned around and held out his phone. “Chuck, for you.”  
    Ah crap.  
    “Hi,” I said.  
    “Do not leave. I’m on my way,” said Chuck, breathless.  
    “Are you running?”  
    “Damn straight I’m running.”  
    “We’re fine. Nothing happened.”  
    A car door slammed. “It could’ve.”  
    “But it didn’t. I need to sleep.”  
    “Do not leave.”  
    My phone yelled Dad’s ring tone and everybody stared at my purse for a second and then started to laugh.  
    “Did you call my dad?” I asked Chuck.  
    “No. Stay there.” He hung up on me and I groaned.  
    Raymond and Jack were still laughing.  
    “Tommy Watts is your Vader,” said Jack.  
    “He is an omnipresent force.” I reluctantly pulled out the yelling phone.  
    “I can see that,” said Raymond.  
    I leaned on the cold concrete wall and said, “Hi, Dad.”  
    “Good. You’re off work. Get over to Children’s ASAP.”  
    “What is it this time?”  
    “Ameche called me. There’s a situation. Handle it and check in later.”  
    “Where are you going?”
    “Quincy. I got a lead on the Abbott kid.”  
    I had no idea who the Abbott kid was, but at least Dad wouldn’t be showing up and throwing a hissy fit. “Okay. You nab the kid and I’ll go to Children’s.”  
    “On it.” Dad hung up and I heaved a sigh of relief. I couldn’t deal with Dad after the shift I’d had. I was full up on screaming.  
    “I have to go to Children’s,” I told Raymond and Jack.  
    “Chuck wants you here,” said Jack.  
    “Tell him it’s for Ameche. He’ll understand.”  
    “I doubt that.”  
    Brittany shook more violently. “Can I go with you? I don’t want to stay here alone.”  
    “You’re not alone. Raymond and Jack are here. The cops will be here in like, two minutes. You have to give them a statement.”  
    “I’m a terrible nurse,” she wailed.  
    That was out of nowhere, not that I could exactly argue with it. “You just need some seasoning.”  
    “Did you need seasoning?” she asked hopefully.  
    “My dad is Tommy Watts. I was sneaking peeks at crime scene photos when I was six. I came to nursing preseasoned.”  
    “I know who you are.”  
    “You do?” I was genuinely surprised. Brittany had shown no sign that she recognized me at all.  
    “You grew up on Hawthorne. I live on Longfellow. My parents are live-ins for the Strahans. I’ve always known about you.”
    “You hid it well. Most people can’t. There’s hope for you yet.”  
    “Huh?”  
    “The key to nursing is a strong stomach and the ability to hide what you really think. You can do that.”  
    “I screamed in Mrs. Silverstein’s face,”