Eric sniffed the air in disgust. "You stink Ed. You need a bath."
"I'm sorry..."
"Shut up mate, before I change my mind and kill you right here."
"Not something you should be saying in the presence of law enforcement." The mellow tone of the woman gave Ed hope, his fevered eyes darting to her.
"I need help. I'm bleeding out."
"So, you are." Margo stared at him for a moment before beckoning to the rest of the crew. "Have the EMT's come in. Ed Graeme you're under arrest for attempted murder, aggravated assault, possibly murder of your mother and a list of other felonies." She continued to reel off the Miranda while the first responders rushed in to see to his needs.
"Good job Eric. You have a terrific nose, like a blood hound."
Eric just grinned and rubbed his arm. "I had a vested interest. Let me go and call Oscar with the good news."
He took the call away from the bedroom. Kiara had fallen into an exhausted sleep after they made love for the third time. He was trying to tell himself that she had been the one to instigate the entire thing. But it was not working. Now, thank Jesus, she was out like a light.
Shrugging on the robe, he made his way quietly into his office and pulled the door partly closed.
"This must be good news for you to be calling me this late"
"We caught the bastard."
"What?" Oscar lowered himself into the chair, his knees weak. "How? When? How did you..."
"I followed my nose and my instinct and did some digging. Team effort." He heard the amusement in his friend's voice. "Margo and her cops were on the trail too. We dug into his financials and found a cabin, old rundown piece of crap. He was hiding out and bleeding like a pig."
"Where is he?"
"On the way to the hospital. He might not make it. He has an infection and the fever has gone to his bloody head. Has he..." Oscar closed his eyes briefly. "Did he confess?"
"He was babbling and calling Kiara's name. Saying he was sorry over and over again. It's over mate."
"Not until I see him with my own two eyes."
"Oscar..."
"I need to see him."
"All right, but you'll have to talk to Margo."
"I intend to."
Chapter 11
"It's over?" Kiara reached out blindly to grip Oscar's hand.
"It is," Margo assured her with a smile. "He's in intensive care right now, the infection has spread to several areas."
"Is he-- will he die?"
"The doctors are not holding out much hope."
"It saves me the trouble of killing him myself."
"Oscar--"
"I read his file, the one you sent me. He was a victim," Kiara cut off Margo's warning and had Oscar staring at her in shock.
