Emerging through the ICU double doors, Sam gripped Freddie’s jacket to keep from falling down. Her legs had the consistency of cooked spaghetti. “Get on the horn with the lab,” she whispered. “Tell them they have one hour to get me the report on the weapon used on Devon. I already know it was the same gun that did Julian. I just need confirmation. One hour.”

“Lieutenant, maybe you should sit for a minute.”

“Not’til we’re out of this place. Get me out of here without going anywhere near the lobby.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you nail her just now? You’ve all but got her on accessory to murder.”

“Because we still need to sew up a couple of loose ends, and then I’m going to let Preston nail her. It’s the least of what he owes her. All we have to do is find him.” She staggered, and Freddie tightened his hold on her. “Make the call.”

Freddie gripped her arm while dialing the cell phone with his free hand.

Chapter 35

“Where the hell would he go?” Sam asked the minute they were safely in Freddie’s Mustang. Refusing to puke in the hospital parking lot where the press might see her, she fought back a vicious wave of nausea. “You’re sure they checked all the hotels?”

“Everyone within twenty miles of the city. The theory is he wouldn’t go much farther knowing his son was wounded.”

“And Austin couldn’t think of anywhere else his father might be?”

“Only places we’ve already looked.”

Sam punched the door and then instantly regretted it. Gasping from the pain that rippled through her in sickening waves, she closed her eyes and took shallow breaths through her nose.

“Damn it, Sam. You should be in the hospital.”

“Drive. Now.”

“Where to?”

“Out of this fucking parking lot! Before we get snagged!”

“Jeez, you’re bitchy when you’re in pain.”

“I’m always bitchy.”

“True.”

“More so since I quit soda.”

“Very true.”

“So how’s that whole ‘I’m a crazy horn dog after all’ thing going?”

“You’re never going to forget that, are you?”

“Not in this lifetime.” She rested her head back against the seat, pleased that at least something in her life had returned to normal—or what was passing for normal these days. Ever since the moment she first walked into John O’Connor’s apartment and encountered Nick’s grief-stricken face, her life had changed forever. Imagining the news of her long-ago near-abortion whipping through the city, she released a jagged sigh. “So, Nick said Darren Tabor spilled the whole thing to you.”

“Yes. He was actually extremely cool. For him.”