A smile lifted the corners of my mouth. “I’m trying.”
“Do more than try.” Then he put me in the backseat of a car. Seconds later, something soft was pressed against my side. “Just hold on, Harper,” he pleaded again. “Just hold on.”
I wanted to hold on, but this was too much. Everything faded to black.
Chapter 35
When I woke, pain radiated everywhere. I let out a loud moan and within seconds, James was standing over me, worry on his face.
“It’s okay. You’re safe.”
I glanced around and realized I was in a hospital room. It took me a few moments to remember what had happened, and I panicked. I tried to sit up, but James held my shoulders down.
“Harper,” he said, gently. “You’re safe.”
“They’ll find me here. They’ll kill me.”
“Who?”
“Keith. Brad Huffington.” I continued to fight against him, sending a shooting pain through my side. “The Little Rock police. They’ll figure out we know they’re involved and kill me.”
He leaned in closer. “Do you think I’d let that happen? You’re safe. They think your name is Amber Beachum.”
I stared up at him in confusion. “But I was stabbed. There would be a police report. Someone will want to interview me.”
“The Feds took over the case.” When I still looked confused, he said. “I called my handler. They took care of it. I checked you in as Amber Beachum, and they told the LRPD they’re in charge of your case and the LRPD isn’t to get anywhere near you.”
“Why would they do that?”
“Because I asked them to. And they owe me.”
I closed my eyes. “What did it cost you?”
“Nothin’,” he said, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Now stop worrying. I didn’t go to all that trouble of gettin’ you out of there to just let you die in a hospital.”
I looked up at him, tears swimming in my eyes as everything came rushing back.
He softly cupped my cheek. “It’s over. Nicole is dead. So is Gerald Knox.” He made a look of disgust. “And I had nothin’ to do with his death. The state police and the Feds took him out when they surrounded Knox and his men during the exchange.”
I let that sink in for barely a second before I asked. “What about the girls?” My stomach twisted with anxiety.
“Safe.”
“And Wilhemina? Do we know about her?”
“At Knox’s private club. I guess the women lived there so they never left the premises.”
He looked into my eyes. “Sorry about Knox. I know you wanted to kill him.”
“Turns out Nicole was the mastermind,” I said, closing my eyes. “She just let her husband and son take the credit.”
We were both silent for a long moment before I said, “I think she hurt girls in that room.”
He didn’t say anything, just waited to see if I’d continue.
“She said she hadn’t played in a long time. Then she said she was used to girls younger than me.” I opened my eyes. “She was a sadistic… evil…”
“She’s dead. You killed her.”
