Page 14 of Carver’s Crusade

“That’s what I wanted to tell you. Min recognized the car that was leaving just before she found Raven. It belongs to Tony Martin; he’s the owner of the gym that resides next door to the dojo.”

“So, this Tony person attacked Raven? Why?” My dad asks.

“We can’t say with certainty that Mr. Martin was the person who attacked your daughter,” Shield says.

I jolt at his statement.

“Mr. Martin has an alibi. He reported his car stolen from his gym's parking lot last night. So we think the person who attacked your daughter was the thief. I was hoping this information might trigger Raven’s memory.”

I shake my head as I ponder his words. Tony set himself up with an alibi. Of course he did—the bastard.

“So, you think Raven was just in the wrong place at the wrong time?” My father asks.

Shield shrugs. “Perhaps. Do you remember why you might have been in the parking lot behind the dojo and the gym late at night?”

I shake my head. “No, I remember going for a walk, and that’s it.”

“Why would you be walking in that area? Your apartment is several blocks away.”

“I often take walks in different parts of the city,” I tell him, honestly. “I get bored if I walk the same path too often. You said that Min found me. I might have been going to the dojo to see if she was there, but I don’t remember.”

“You often walk that late at night?” Shield sounds skeptical. I can’t blame him.

“I know it sounds odd, but yes. The street is well-lit, and there are several restaurants around the area.”

Shield nods slowly. “True. Still seems risky.”

I smirk. “I agree with you. Now. I’m sorry that I don’t remember what happened. Maybe my memory will return after I get more sleep. As I was telling my parents, I didn’t sleep well last night. Hospitals aren’t conducive to a good night’s sleep.”

Shield smiles. “No, they aren’t. Okay, well we’re still looking for who hurt you. If you remember anything, please give me a call.”

“Wait, Raven’s car is missing,” my father says. “Do you think the same person who stole Tony’s car also stole hers?”

“Perhaps. I’ll have my officers be on the lookout for her vehicle.”

Shield hands my father his card before leaving.

I head for my old bedroom. Closing the door, I consider Shield’s statement. Tony Martin covered his actions well. He claimed someone stole his car and then his friends provided him with an alibi. Interesting. Maybe it’s time to look into Tony’s friends. This is the second time at least one of them has provided him with an alibi after he attacked a woman.

CHAPTER 7: CARVER

Riding away from the hospital is harder than it should be. I’m not fooling anyone by saying it wasn’t hard because I didn’t want to leave Raven. Something about the woman calls to me, and I have no idea why. Maybe it was seeing her lying helpless and injured in the hospital bed, but I know that’s not it. Raven was injured, but she wasn’t helpless. No, Raven had kept her wits about her. She was strong enough to lie. She knew what had happened to her. She knew who attacked her, but she refused to say who. Why?

Back at the clubhouse, I shower and change before heading downstairs for breakfast. Tamara sees me and gestures that she’s getting me a plate, so I take a seat next to Byte, who is halfway through his own meal.

“How’s Raven?” Byte asks.

“You know Raven?”

He shakes his head. “Never met her. But I know she works as Athena’s receptionist and office manager. Shield had me searching for her attacker.”

“Any luck?”

He shrugs. “Identified the car that was leaving the parking lot around the time of her attack. It belongs to the gym owner. Tony Martin. Shield said Martin claimed his car was stolen. He did report it missing a couple of hours after the attack.”

“Convenient,” I mutter.

Byte smirks. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Shield called and said the guy has an alibi for the time. Apparently, he was hanging out with a group of friends when someone attacked Raven.”