Cover Me Boxed Set: The Complete Trilogy by L.A. Witt

Author:L.A. Witt [Witt, L.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lori A. Witt
Published: 2014-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 3

After some time had passed—a few minutes, I guessed—Nick helped me to my feet and led me to the other side of the club. I was lightheaded, so I dropped onto a barstool. Maybe it was a good thing I hadn’t had a chance to eat earlier. Though I couldn’t feel my stomach enough to know if I was queasy, it was a safe bet I’d have gotten sick by now.

Maybe. I’d forgotten how to feel anything, so my body had probably forgotten how to puke, too.

Nick put his arm around my shoulders. “You okay?”

I didn’t speak. There were no words. There were simply no fucking words.

“I am so, so sorry, Brian,” he whispered. “I know it’s not much consolation right now, but it was quick. He didn’t suffer. Probably never even knew what hit him.”

I gave enough of a nod to let him know I’d heard him. I wasn’t even sure if I comprehended the meaning of the words right then. My mind tucked them away somewhere, and the only thing I could think was Max is dead. Max is dead. My partner’s dead. And my God, I wished the bartender was there, because I needed a drink. Badly.

Nick stayed with me while the forensic photographers documented the fresh crime scene. Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved. I might have even forgotten to breathe a few times.

I hadn’t heard Avery return, but when I looked up after a while, he leaned against the doorframe, staring blankly down the hall toward the alley where Max had been killed.

I gritted my teeth just in case I suddenly remembered how to get sick. “What happened?”

“Don’t know.” Avery rubbed his eyes. “I don’t fucking know, man.” He blew out a sharp breath. “One minute, we were talking, and the next, someone came out the back and shot at us. Kessler went down, and the guy took off.”

“Did you get a look at him?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“How the hell did he get in here?” I ran a shaking hand through my hair. “Was he just waiting around ’til he had a clear shot? Hiding in the club somewhere?”

“I don’t know.” Avery shifted his weight. “We swept the place twice.”

“How thoroughly?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you questioning my ability to do my job?”

“I’m asking how the fuck anyone misses an armed gunman at a murder scene.” I balled a fist, not sure if I wanted to put it through a wall or a skull. “Every fucking shell casing is accounted for, and someone misses an armed goddamned suspect?”

“Hey, calm the fuck down,” Avery snapped. “I told you, we swept the place. How the fuck this guy got past us, I have no idea.”

“So, what?” I growled. “He just came wandering back to kill a cop? Out of the blue?”

“How the hell should I know?” Avery snarled.

“You were there, Kent, not me.”

“Well maybe if you’d been there, you might’ve seen something.”

I flew to my feet and lunged at him, fist raised, but Nick caught my arm and shoved me back against the bar.

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