“She’s funny,” the one with the dark hair said.
“That’ll be all, Deputies,” he dismissed them as if they had no more relevance than a gnat.
“You’ll need to go to the hospital for those injuries,” Micah said after he watched the deputies frown before walking off.
I glanced down at my arm, covered in the bandage Micah placed on it as soon as he saw me. The perp had had a knife, and during our scuffle, he managed to cut my arm. I didn’t feel it at the time, but the adrenaline was starting to wear off, which meant I was beginning to feel the pain of my injuries. That also included a sizeable welt on my cheek from being punched.
“Fuckers. Should’ve never been called in the first place,” Micah growled as the deputies left out. “Jodi, this is more of my team that you haven’t met yet. Manny, New Guy, and you know Bass.”
“Nice to meet you.” Manny tipped his hat in my direction.
“New Guy is also known as Micahael,” the third tallest one said.
I waved at Bass, who gave me a sympathetic smile. I was about to ask Micah what they were doing there, but he began handing out orders like a drill sergeant.
“Manny, I want this place looked over with a fine-tooth comb. We both know those deputies didn’t do shit. Anything you find, bag it so we can have our people look it over. There’s blood on that floor from that son of a bitch. Swab it so we can get it to the lab. Bass, you size the entire property up for the right type of security system. New Guy, don’t get in the fucking way.”
The three of them moved with precision as if they’d done this routine on many occasions.
“Those deputies are shitheads. We’re going to the hospital to get you checked out,” he said, turning to me and lifting my arm to examine it.
I shook my head. “It hurts like a mother, but I’m pretty sure it’s a superficial cut. It doesn’t need stitches.”
He pierced me with his gaze. “I’ll see about that.” His voice was so low.
“What does that mean?”
“I have a guy I call on for things like this.”
“What guy?”
He shook his head. “We’ll need to pack up some clothes for you. You’re not staying here.” His hand went to the small of my back as we moved back to the house for me to gather some clothes for the next few days.
Though I didn’t know where I’d be staying, the last place I wanted to remain was in my grandfather’s house. Whoever it was that’d attacked me could come back, or get someone else to return in his place. I shivered at the thought.
“I don’t know of any hotels in the area,” I said out loud.
“I know a place,” Micah quickly responded.
Chapter Eighteen
“Is this your place?” Jodi questioned as I pulled into the driveway in front of my home.
I glanced over to see her staring ahead, almost wide-eyed. I wanted to take pleasure in the fact that she seemed to be in awe of my home, but I harbored too much guilt. I’d felt it earlier in the night as I left her place to help Manny. I didn’t want to leave. Truthfully, that’d feeling had been occurring more and more as of late. I rarely wanted to leave her side when it was time for me to go to work. Thus, I’d chalked up my feelings earlier in the night to nothing more than what I'd already been feeling. Yet, it was more profound than that.
If my senses hadn’t already been all fucked up, I would’ve realized it sooner. I felt something was off before I left her.
I glanced down at her bandaged left forearm. Taking her arm in my hand, I pulled it to me, examining the bandage. “Does it hurt?”
“A little, but McNamera said that would go away. I’m happy I was right about not needing stitches. Having a scar there would suck.”
I’d taken Jodi to my office and called in a doctor friend of mine. He was actually a client with a well-known practice in the area. Jodi was correct in her assessment of the knife wound she’d received. Dr. McNamera was able to clean up the cut and bandage it. He prescribed some pain pills if anything got too bad. But it wasn’t the cut on her arm that was the worst part.
I almost had to make myself avoid looking at her to control the rage that bubbled through my veins. She’d received a punch to the face. Her cheek had begun to swell and bruise before we left her property. Again, McNamera said it wasn’t cause for concern. The asshole hadn’t broken any bones. But fuck all if it didn’t piss me off to see the bruising.
“Are you going to stare at my arm all night, or are we going inside?” she questioned, breaking my descent into a guilt spiral. “I’m pretty sure Hound’s dying to get inside.” She glanced over her shoulder, looking toward the backseat at Hound.
I opened the door and got out, letting Hound out first before moving around to open the door for Jodi.
