Christian relaxed.Ace might be killing his liver with booze, but he could fight if necessary.Brutally.“All right.We’ll talk more about drinking later.”Christian had to get out of there.
“Can’t wait,” Ace drawled.
Dr.May Smirnovslid out of bed and pulled on leggings and a sweatshirt.She moved quietly through the hallway into the main room of her cabin, flipping on the lights as she passed.The fire had burned low, so she added two more logs and stirred the embers until they caught.She reached behind the stacked wood where two guns were partially visible, shifting them into better cover.The others were already stored—one in the locked drawer beneath the sink, the rest where no one would find them unless they had a key and time.
She went to the door and unlocked the two middle bolts, leaving the top and bottom in place.She nudged down the floor bolt she always engaged at night to keep the door from being kicked open and checked the windows out of habit.Everything was still covered.No gaps.
In the kitchen, she opened a bottle of sparkling water and paused.Wine crossed her mind, but that was out.If Amka had a head injury, alcohol was a bad idea.
A knock came.Soft.
May still flinched.
She exhaled, shook it off, and went to the door to unlock the remaining bolts.She opened it just far enough to confirm it was Amka and then let her in.“Come on,” she said.“You’re pale.Are you hurt?”
“I’m all right.I took some Advil.”Amka stepped inside.
That wouldn’t be enough if there were cracked ribs.May bit back the impulse to ask for a pain scale rating and helped her out of her jacket.“Do you want me to prescribe something stronger?”
Amka kicked off her boots and hung her hat on a hook.“No, thanks.I need to keep my wits these days.”
“Sit.”May resisted the habit to check her friend’s vitals.She noted Amka’s pallor and the guarded way she moved while favoring one side.That bruised rib must be hurting her.“I have sparkling water and some hot chocolate somewhere.Are you hungry?”
“No, thank you.Sparkling water is good.”Amka walked into the main room and sat back in the corner of the couch, arms wrapped around herself.
May poured the water and brought it to her.“Here.”
Amka took it with both hands, her fingers shaking.
May sat across from her, cataloging her friend’s breath rates and composure.She tucked one leg beneath her.“All right.What’s going on?”
Amka stared at the glass for a moment.Then she looked up.“I needed to talk to someone.Since you’re my doctor, that means this stays here, right?Confidential?”
May gave a short nod.“It does.”
Amka stared at her, face unreadable, eyes sharp in the low light.“No matter what?”
May took a sip of her drink.“Of course.Always, Amka.If not by friendship, then definitely by doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“So you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to say?”
Awareness crawled up May’s spine.“I promise I won’t say anything unless you’re in danger.Or someone else is.If that’s the case, I have to speak up.”
“The danger is in letting this get out,” Amka said.Her mouth curved into something that might have been a smile but looked more like a pained grimace.
May tilted her head, trying to read more in the expression than Amka was offering.What in the world was going on?She was missing something and couldn’t catch a thought.“Do you know who planted the explosive device?”
“No.”Amka waved a hand.“Of course not.I have no clue.”She blinked, then looked away.“That’s just one more thing to deal with later.”
May sat forward slightly.Wait a minute.Somebody might’ve tried to kill the woman, and that wasn’t her biggest concern right now?“What is going on?”
Amka took a breath, held it, then let it out slow.“Okay.I’m not sure if you heard, but the district attorney decided not to prosecute Flossy for shooting Hank.”
“I heard,” May said.The relief hit faster than expected.“I’m glad.I like Flossy, and honestly, from the medical records I read, Hank was close to dying already.He had to be in so much pain.”
Amka flattened a bruised hand on one of her jean clad legs.“Yes, he was.”
May nodded.“That’s good news, though, right?I mean, I get that the whole town confessed—including me—but she only did what Hank asked.That’s not what’s bothering you?”
