Her grip tightened.“What do you mean they won’t—she’s my sister.”
“They’re limiting visitors,” I stated.“She coded.They’re running labs.Tox screen.They’re trying to figure out what’s in her system.They put her in ICU because the ED is crammed to the hilt.No room for her and better care upstairs.”
Nita blinked hard, her throat bobbing as she swallowed a sob.“Where’s Lamonte?”
“In surgery,” I said.“Trauma unit down the other hall.Bullet near an artery.I was waiting for you.”
Her face went white.“Oh my God.”
“I’m trying to get updates,” I said.“They’re moving fast for both of them.”
Nita’s gaze dropped to my sleeves, to the dried blood smeared along the cuff.Her hand flew to her mouth.“Dante.”
I looked away.I couldn’t handle the look in her eyes, like she was seeing the aftermath stamped onto me.
“How bad is it?”she asked, voice small now.“Are they going to make it?”
I stared at the floor, jaw clenched so hard my teeth hurt.“Bad enough.”
Nita’s breathing turned ragged.“Was it him?”
I didn’t have to ask which him.She knew and so did I.“Yes.”I nodded.
A sound came out of her that didn’t even feel human, more wounded animal than woman.“I knew it,” she whispered fiercely.“I knew he wasn’t done.Char said he’d been coming around again, showing up places—she downplayed it.She always downplays it like if she says it small enough, it won’t be real.”
Anger flared in my chest, hot and sharp.Not at Char.Never at Char.At the man who kept crawling back into her life like a parasite.
“At the apartment,” I said, voice low.“He was,” I paused.My stomach rolled.
Nita’s eyes narrowed.“He was what?”
I wasn’t sure I should share this part, but this was Nita and Char didn’t keep secrets from her sister.She needed to know how bad the situation was.I met her gaze and forced myself to say it.“He was on top of her.Trying to take her clothes off.”
Nita’s face twisted, rage and horror battling for dominance.“Oh my God.”
My hands clenched into fists.“He charged Lamonte.There was a struggle.I was doing CPR.Then, I’m not sure what happened my back was to them.My focus was Char.”My throat closed around the next words.“He got Lamonte’s weapon.”
Nita inhaled sharply, eyes flooding.“No.”
“He fired,” I said, voice rough.“Hit Lamonte in the neck.”
Nita sagged like her bones had turned to water.I caught her elbow before she fell.She pressed her forehead into my shoulder for one second, a brief collapse, and I stood there stiffly, letting her use me because it was the only thing I could offer her.
When she pulled back, her face was wet with tears.“Did you, did you get him?”
“I fired twice as he ran,” I stated.“I don’t know if I hit him.Everything happened fast.I had to get back to compressions on Char.”
Nita’s jaw set.“They’ll find him.”
They had to.Because the alternative, him out there, breathing, moving through the city while Char lay in ICU fighting for life, was something I couldn’t let my mind touch.
A nurse approached again, this one older, eyes tired but kind.She looked between us.“Officer Verdone?”
I straightened.“Yes.”
“We have an update,” she said.“The ICU patient is stable.Still unconscious, but stable, getting stronger every minute so we are pretty confident whatever was in her system is leaving it.We’re waiting on the tox screen to identify what it was and better adjust treatment.And the surgeon for Officer Lamonte is asking for you.”
My pulse spiked.“Where?”
