Flashback (Kendra Michaels #11)

Dear heaven.

“Pauley?”

“Any idea where he is?” Lynch asked.

“Somewhere on the far side.”

Still holding his automatic, Lynch held up his phone with the other hand to light their way across the dark garage. Finally, between two parked cars, they found Pauley’s bloodstained body.

“No!” Kendra knelt beside him. He was alive. Bleeding and struggling to breathe, but alive. She turned back toward Lynch. “Call 911! Now!”

Lynch was already on it, she realized. He finished the call and cut the connection. “There’s a first-aid kit in the trunk of my car.”

He bolted for his Lamborghini.

She made a face. “Of course there’s one in the Lamborghini. What did I expect? Doesn’t every luxury car have its own first-aid kit to take care of the needs of its owners?”

“No.” He scowled. “Only the ones whose guests don’t check in with me and tell me that there might be a problem requiring it.”

Considering her situation, she decided it was the better part of valor not to argue the point. Instead she started to bandage Pauley’s shoulder.

She could hear the ambulance sirens now. “I should have let you know before I came down here. But it seemed perfectly safe. It was Pauley…”

“And after all, no one else could be down here waiting for you.” He held up his hand as he added caustically, “At least no one you couldn’t handle? Let’s not talk about it right now. I’m a little irritated. I just want to make sure Pauley is okay.” His lips tightened. “And I want to get that wound on your neck taken care of so I don’t have to look at it any longer. It’s a very potent reminder that I should have been here with you. It can’t happen again, Kendra. Not like this. It hurts too much.” He raised his phone light and waved it toward the EMTs, who were approaching with their work lights. “But let’s get Pauley taken care of and then go after the bastard who did this to him. Then I’ll worry about the brand-new wound that murderer gave you.” He helped her to her feet and then pushed her gently over to the EMTs. “I’ll find the garage lights, then stay with Pauley until you get to the hospital. But you should give Perry or Breen a call while you’re in the ambulance. They’re going to want a report on this little incident. I’ll meet you at the ER. Okay?”

“Of course it’s okay,” Kendra said curtly. “I was going to call Perry the minute I got the chance. You should have realized that. I’ve been a little busy lately.”

“I’ve noticed.” He turned away. “All the more reason to have that talk I mentioned as soon as possible. But get that wound taken care of first. I’m going to ask for a report on it as soon as I arrive at the hospital.”

“Is that a threat?” Kendra’s brows lifted as she got into the ambulance. “It had a few uneasy overtones of that.”

“No, the threat is over for the time being,” Lynch said. “I believe both of us have had enough of that today. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve had enough for the next decade.” He was heading for his car. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”

CHAPTER

12

Lynch didn’t arrive at the ER until over two hours later and Kendra was filled with relief when she saw him get off the elevator and come toward her. “Pauley is going to be fine,” she told him quickly. “Though they’re not going to let him leave here for a few days. I tried to reach you but you weren’t answering your phone.”

“I was doing a little research,” Lynch said. “Something occurred to me that I’d run across a couple of times in the past and I decided I had to check it out.”

She was frowning. “That had to do with what happened to Pauley?”

“Probably not. But one thing led to another.” He took a step closer and examined the bandage on her throat. “And this?”

“Just a bruise.”

“You’ve been taking a beating on this case.”

“I’m still standing.”

“Has Perry or Breen been here?”

“Yes, I called Perry as soon as I got here and gave him a complete report… just as I told you I would. That garage should be crawling with the police as well as FBI by now.”

He touched the bandage. “What did Perry say when he saw this?”

“What could he say? I survived it, didn’t I?” She shrugged. “Did you expect him to assign one of his men to permanently follow me around? He’s already gone that route. Not at all practical.” She suddenly grinned. “Much more reasonable for us to bring the bastard down ourselves, don’t you think?”