Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) by Kaylie Hunter (novels to read for beginners txt) 📕

“Sounds good. See you later.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” Kelsey asked.

I looked back to see her point at Bones, but then hesitate when she looked at Wild Card. She pointed at Spence instead.

Spence and Bones bumped fists before turning to me.

“Great. More babysitters,” I muttered as I followed the path to the driveway.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

CHARLIE

Tuesday, 4:25 p.m.

First stop, Miami County Hospital, where I found Sharon in her closet-sized office. Her office door was open, and I spotted Sharon behind her desk, staring at her computer. I rapped two knuckles on the door, startling her.

She glanced at me, then behind me at Bones and Spence. “Come in. Just you. And close the door.”

Bones and Spence wandered down the hall in opposite directions as I entered the office and closed the door.

“Did something happen?” I asked her. “You seem upset.”

“After you left, I kept thinking about Terri and remembered something.” Sharon glanced back at the door as if expecting it to open any moment.

I pulled the single guest chair out, turning it so I was facing the door, before I sat. “What did you remember?”

“Let me first explain why I didn’t remember back then.” She sat behind her desk and ran a hand through her short choppy hair. “Terri was one of those rare creatures who never dwelled on bad things. She had the ability to shrug things off, erasing them somehow so they didn’t affect her. I think that’s how she stayed so cheerful all the time. Others gravitated to her, feeding off her positive energy.”

“Got it. Terri was all rainbows and sunshine.”

“Exactly,” Sharon said, nodding. “Except for a brief moment… the day she died.”

Now we’re getting somewhere, I thought as I leaned toward Sharon.

“And it really was a brief moment, or I would’ve remembered sooner.”

“What did you remember, Sharon?” I asked, pressing her to get to the point.

“We were here. At the hospital. I walked into the breakroom and found her leaning against the wall. She was shaking. She seemed terrified. I asked her what was wrong, and she waved off my concern, saying she had a bad patient. That was all she said. I tried questioning her, but she never explained. She left the breakroom and about an hour later I saw her laughing with another nurse.”

“Any idea what patient could’ve spooked her?”

“No.” She glanced back at her computer monitor, frowning. “Terri was my friend. She was a friend to everyone she met. It’s the reason I’m about to do something I’ve never done during my twenty years on this job.” She stood, leaned over, and turned her computer monitor toward me. She looked up at me as she picked up a water bottle. “Detective Harrison, I need to walk to the end of the hallway and fill my water bottle. If you leave before I return, good luck with your investigation.”

She walked out, closing the door behind her.

After staring at the door for a beat, I turned my attention to the monitor. “Damn, Sharon,” I said, grinning as I saw the list of Terri’s patients the day of her murder.

The list contained each patient’s full name, social security number, address, and phone numbers. I pulled my phone and took a picture. I was tempted to click around on Sharon’s computer and see if I could find the reason for their ER visits, but Sharon was already breaking a few very serious federal laws. I didn’t want to press my luck. I turned the monitor back toward Sharon’s side of the desk before walking out of the office.

I was passing the cafeteria when both Bones and Spence appeared out of nowhere, flanking me.

“Get anything?” Spence asked.

I clicked the gallery icon on my phone before handing my phone to him.

Spence continued walking as he looked at the image, until he suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Shit! Is she trying to get arrested?”

I glanced around to make sure no one heard him.

“What is it?” Bones asked, moving next to Spence.

I huddled with them, and whispered, “Sharon told me that one of Terri’s patients spooked her the day of her death. Whoever that was, is on that list.”

“If we find something, it can’t be used as evidence,” Spence said.

“I know. But right now, it’s all we’ve got. I’ll worry about tying the pieces together for a court case after we catch the bastard.”

“Works for me,” Bones said.

Spence looked up at the fluorescent ceiling lights and sighed. “Fine. I’ll start running the names when we get back to the car. Anything specific I should look for?”

“Criminal records, mental instability, anger issues, and, or, a hand injury.”

“Basically, everything and anything then?”

“Pretty much.”

~*~*~

I drove. Bones rode shotgun. And Spence click-clacked on his laptop in the back seat. Beast was back at the mansion, swimming with Jager and the kids. After chasing our bad guy in the park, he’d earned himself some playtime.

According to the text I’d received from Kelsey, my next appointment was with Mickey McNabe at Benny’s barbershop. I’d considered arguing with her, but I was afraid if I fussed too much, she’d meet with him herself. And she wasn’t the only one who felt better with one of us staying behind to keep an eye on the kids. Neither of us would survive something happening to Nicholas again.

I pulled into the parking lot of a Winn-Dixie, the supermarket of the south, on the way to Benny’s, telling the boys to wait for me. I jogged inside, finding what I was looking for in aisle four: a chopping knife and a cutting board. Five minutes later, I was back on the road, having tossed my purchases to Bones.

Bones looked inside the bag and smirked. Benny was plugged into all-things crime related in the greater Miami