Hank stood at the door, his hat in his hands.“’Lo, Kennedy.”
Kennedy waved her fingers in greeting.
Hank shifted his gaze to Quin, his eyes sharp.“Mind if I go over some things with you?”
Hell yeah he minded.But if he turned Hank away now, the guy would just keep showing up.Plus, Quin wanted to find out more details.
Kennedy hiked up her eyebrows and nodded at the chair near the bed, her expression clearly screaming, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Hank didn’t put up a fight about it, just snagged the chair and dragged it to the other side of the bed.“Cody is alive.His back is broken.Bullet wound, too.And it seems like Josie also did a number on him—mild concussion, stitches to his bicep from the axe, and a hole in his cheek and neck.”
Quin balled his good hand into a fist.“Glad he’s in pain.”
Hank closed his eyes as if pretending not to hear him.He opened them again.“We’re having our detectives check into the company’s finances to prove he was embezzling, but as of right now he’s admitted to everything in Josie’s statement.And he ain’t sorry about it neither.”
A ball of relief unwound in Quin’s chest.He wouldn’t have to fight to prove his case.Cody had been caught and the evidence was stacked against him.“So he’ll be tried for Liam’s murder?”
Hank patted the bed.“Let’s take it one step at a time.But based on Cody’s statement, yeah.He’ll get his day in court.We also found out he has an unregistered blue Dodge that he keeps in a garage on the company’s property.”
There was way too much evidence for Cody to get away with anything.The fucker would burn.“Good.”
“What about the fire at Rocco’s bar?”Quin asked, unable to stop the question from barreling from his lips.
Hank’s face loosened into a rare smile.“Believe it or not, I’m glad to have you off the hook for that.To be honest, I had my doubts about the anonymous tape showing what looked like you running away from the blaze with a gas can.”
“You had your doubts and still had a warrant out for my arrest?”
He shrugged.“Unfortunately, my personal opinion don’t matter much.Not when there’s evidence and you had no alibi.”Hank waved his hand.“Anyway, I told Cody the tape looked doctored and he admitted to framing you—probably because arson is the least of his worries now.”
Quin dragged in a breath through his nose.This whole time.Eight goddamn months he’d been away because of Cody.Time he could have spent with Josie.With his family.He opened and closed his fist.
Kennedy pressed her fingers to his wrist.“What matters is your name is clear now and you can move on.Cody can’t do the same.”
He nodded.The anger would take time to dissipate.“Do you need anything else from me?”
“Nope.Just get yourself better.”Hank nodded at Kennedy.“You take care, now.”He stood and left the room.
Kennedy stood as well.“Now that I know you’re going to live I think I’ll head home.I’ll find Josie and send her back in.I hope I didn’t scare her away.”She leaned forward and kissed his forehead then squeezed his good shoulder.“And Quin?”
“Hmm?”
“Next time call me, for fuck’s sake.”
He chuckled as she left the room.One thing was certain—he wouldn’t piss off his sister unless he had to.
***
Josie kept thephone to her ear and her back against the wall next to the vending machine.The fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room made her feel as if the last three hours had been a dream—or a nightmare.
“I just can’t believe it,” Dez said, her voice wispy through the earpiece.“All this time it was Cody.”
“Trust me, no one is more stunned than I am.”
“And anaxe?My god, what a beast.How on earth did you get away?”
Josie lifted her fingers to the vacant spot at her chest.“My citrine pendant.”
Two seconds ticked by.“I don’t understand.”
