Target on the Mountain by Elizabeth Goddard (the chimp paradox .txt) 📕

She eyed him as if to ask if it was okay that she called him by his first name. He smiled and gave a slight nod as he entered the room. He had known the Petersons for years—there was no need for formality with them.

Sheryl caught his arm, preventing him from going farther. She leaned in and spoke in a low tone. “I’m so glad you’re here. She’s not ready to listen. The doctor wanted to keep her another day. But she’s planning to leave anyway. Can you talk some sense into her?”

Tori stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed. Next to the bed, she swayed a bit. Ryan rushed forward and caught her. He assisted her to the bed, where she should have stayed.

“I heard you lost a lot of blood during your fight with a waterfall,” he said, his voice coming out gentle and caring. Not exactly what he’d been going for. He’d wanted to make it clear to her—to both of them—that he’d finally left their relationship in the past.

She lifted her gaze as if just now realizing he was there, that he’d been the one to assist her to the hospital bed. “Ryan. What...what are you doing here?”

Really? He’d been told that she’d asked for him. Maybe someone had made a mistake.

“I need to run an errand.” Sheryl pursed her lips, still upset with her daughter. “I’ll be right back. Ryan, please keep her in this room until I get back, okay?”

He nodded, but he couldn’t promise anything. Sheryl disappeared and left Ryan and Tori alone in the room. It shouldn’t feel awkward but it did.

“What were you thinking, taking that waterfall?” he asked. “Kayaking alone and going over the falls?”

Was she so devastated from the news of her sister’s death that she had a death wish of her own? No. The Tori he’d known before would never take her own life—no matter what.

He fisted his hands, controlling the fury over her choices and fear for her safety that he had no right to feel. Swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought of what could have happened.

He was over her. Had been for a long time. But apparently the emotional equivalent of muscle memory hadn’t gone away. When she was putting herself in danger, it was his instinct to worry.

Dumb instincts.

And he was done playing games or wasting time. “Why did you ask to see me, Tori?”

But he had a feeling he knew exactly why. Tori was here to find the person behind four murders, behind Sarah’s murder, and as lead detective on this investigation, Ryan was about to get swept up in Tori’s fast-moving current.

TWO

Ryan Bradley. Detective Ryan Bradley is in my room...

Blood rushed to her head.

Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, Tori squeezed her eyes shut and breathed steadily. She had to regain her composure and stop her head from spinning. Enduring the guy’s pensive gaze hadn’t been in her plans for the day. She’d asked to see him? She didn’t remember that part.

Tori focused on what had happened, mentally replaying images from her fight to survive the crushing falls. The helplessness as she tumbled through the air while water enveloped her. That suffocating, painful, drowning feeling of trying to catch enough air to live while unable to stop the force that could dash her against the rocks. All of it thrashed around in her thoughts even now.

Goose bumps rose on her arms.

Then she remembered... One of her last thoughts had been about Ryan. Her whole life—her decisions, mistakes and regrets—had flashed in her heart, and some of those biggest regrets revolved around him. No way could she tell him any of that here and now, if ever. She was embarrassed that she’d asked for him...but now that she thought of it, it was good that he was here. They did need to talk—not about her feelings, but about facts. But not here. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

He studied her, obviously trying to decide if she was coherent or was suffering, both physically and emotionally, too much to think clearly.

He crossed his arms. A sentinel complying with her mother’s demands to keep her here? “I don’t think they want you to leave yet,” he said.

Ah. He’d made his decision—the wrong one—and had sided with her mother. Tori didn’t want to waste time at the hospital. She needed to find out who had killed her sister and why.

Then he shifted his posture, shoving his hands in his pockets. The way his jacket bunched up, she could see his department-issue weapon at his belt. “We can talk here,” he said. “I’m assuming you want to talk about your sister’s murder.”

Amazing blue-green eyes stared down at her. His dark blond hair was slicked back and made him look far more serious than she remembered. He sported a Vandyke beard now, as was the style. In spite of herself, warmth flitted over her as she looked at him. How had he gotten more attractive since she’d seen him last?

Though maybe what really attracted her was that Ryan had that look of someone who knew what they were doing. The experiences of life shone on his face along with an intensity he hadn’t had before. Not really a hardening, but more the look of someone focused and determined, who knew what he wanted and how to get it.

Just being in the room with him was almost too much.

A shiver ran through her.

She steadied her nerves and pushed to stand. “Yes. What I have to say has to do with Sarah, though not in the way you might think. But first you should know that I’m leaving. I’ve asked for discharge papers. I’m waiting on those now. Mom was wrong about them keeping me—she’s the one who thinks I need more time here, not the doctor. So I’m leaving and I don’t want to talk about my sister here.”

His frown wasn’t unexpected. He