Free Forsaken by Sarah Ballance Page B

kind of personal experience with paralysis—but I’ve got nothing.”
    “Immediate family? Wife? Girlfriend? Did you check all of them?”
    “I’m still looking, but he doesn’t have any family I can find thus far. That nurse, however, would like to speak to him. Seems he stopped calling her after Colt’s transfer.”
    “Not surprising,” Gage said. “Probably just used her to break the rules. What’s Tom’s address?”
    Maverick’s gaze sharpened. “What?”
    Gage stood, then leaned down and planted his hands on the desk. “Address,” he said, less of a question this time. “Where do I find Tom Rigby?”
    Maverick raised his eyebrows. “ You don’t find Tom Rigby. Stay out of it.”
    “Stay out of it, hell. This is Riley’s life we’re talking about here.” And Billy’s memorial .
    “You’re too close. Back off. I’ll make some phone calls. You—and Riley, I might add—are both wanted by the law. You won’t be able to accomplish a thing if you land behind bars.”
    Gage gritted his teeth. “Fine. I’ll stay out of it.”
    Maverick sighed and leaned backward, the chair squeaking in protest. “You’re not doing her any favors by getting involved, Lawton.”
    Gage took a couple of steps in retreat and raised his hands in mock surrender. “I said I’d stay out of it,” he said, making a far too casual play for the exit.
    He was halfway there when Maverick called his name. “Do me a favor?” he asked.
    “What?”
    “When you find Tom Rigby, should you find he’s got anything to do with what happened to Billy, don’t go killing him.”
    Gage hid a smile. “Oh? Why not?”
    “The nurse. She just had a little boy. She’d like to tell him he’s a father.”
    He paused. No wonder the nurse remembered Tom. Grinning, he looked back at Maverick. “No worries, man. Those may be the last words Tom Rigby ever hears, but you have my word he’ll hear them.”

Chapter Seven
    The bed shifted, jolting Riley awake.
    “Gage?” She peered across the dark, windowless room until she saw him dragging on his jeans. He hopped on one foot, swearing when he nudged the wall with his wounded shoulder.
    “Go back to sleep,” he said. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
    Riley sat, fumbling to free her legs from a tangle of sheets. “Nuh-uh. You’re not leaving me here.” Especially not after the night they’d spent together on the small, squeaky twin bed… not having sex.
    After disappearing with Maverick, something changed with Gage. He had just walked into the room and without a word crawled into her bed and pulled her close—a gesture she hadn’t expected after all of the brooding he’d accomplished in the doorway. But rather than question him, she just breathed in his nearness and melted at the feather-light strokes of his fingertips on her face. She’d fallen asleep in his arms, and had no intention of waking in the morning without him, whenever morning was. “What time is it?”
    “Early. I’ve got to go see a guy, and I want to catch him before he’s got a chance to get any coffee in him. People don’t tend to lie as well when they’re half asleep.” He paused as she stood. “Get back in bed.”
    “No way.” Riley pulled on her jeans without issue, passing him a smug look in the dark. She doubted he saw it, but it felt good anyway. “You’re not going anywhere without me. This whole mess is more my problem than yours.”
    He went still. “What makes you think my going to see a guy has anything to do with you?”
    She glared, tugging on her shoes without breaking the scowl. “Don’t insult me. You’re not going to do anything until you figure out who did this to your brother.”
    Gage moved closer, not stopping until his lips brushed her ear. “What if I’m more interested in figuring out who did this to you?” he asked in a whisper that had her back to thinking about tangled sheets.
    Warmth wiggled through her, but it had nothing on the feeling of triumph his words gave