Kansas City Cover-Up. Julie Miller

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СКАЧАТЬ was supposed to be paying attention to. She needed to get away from this man and get a good night’s sleep to recharge her energy and ability to concentrate.

      “No rush. I just need to call my partner and let him know my status if I’m going to be much longer.” That part was true. Jim had already texted her twice, asking if she was still with the reporter and if everything was okay. He’d gone house hunting after work with his wife, but would be there pronto if she needed him. He’d also pulled up Danielle Reese’s case file and wanted to get her up to speed on the dead-end investigation. “I can go outside to make my call.”

      But the ER doctor stopped her before she reached the hallway. “Hang on a sec. I have some information for you, too, Detective Watson.” Olivia stepped back into the treatment bay and made a point of watching Dr. Rodriguez-Grant roll the tray table out of her way and cross to a stainless steel counter to retrieve a prescription pad. “Are you up to date on your tetanus shot, Mr. Knight?”

      Gabe nodded. “My work takes me out of the country sometimes, so I’m current.”

      “Good.” The petite doctor jotted a note on the prescription pad and tore off the top sheet. “Take the full round of antibiotics and see your doctor in about ten days to remove the stitches. Of course, if it shows any signs of swelling or infection in the meantime, come back and see me.”

      He took the prescription note the doctor handed him and stuffed it into the front pocket of his jeans. “Thanks.”

      The doctor tucked her short, dark brown hair behind each ear and peeled off her sterile gloves before addressing Olivia. “If you need an official statement from me, Detective Watson, that was definitely a defensive knife wound. Something with a short, thin blade—or else we’d be in surgery reattaching tendons and ligaments instead of mending skin and muscle. I can send the official medical report for your files if you need them.”

      “I’d appreciate that, ma’am.” Olivia quickly noted the information on her phone before reaching into the pocket behind her badge. “Here’s my card.”

      The doctor smiled as she tucked the business card into her lab coat. “I know the address. My husband and brother both work for KCPD.”

      A snort of derision turned her head to the man sorting through the bundle of clothing at the examination table. Was that aggravated huff a response to learning he was surrounded by KCPD fans? Or merely a frustrated testament to the stained jacket and one-sleeved shirt that had been cut apart to gain access to the wound?

      Olivia turned back to Emilia, answering with a genuine smile to distract the other woman from Gabe’s possible rudeness. “I know your brother A.J. He’s a very well-respected leader at the Fourth Precinct.”

      “Thank you. My husband, Justin Grant, is on the bomb squad—”

      A knock on the outer door stopped the conversation and a blond nurse peeked through the gap in the curtains. “Dr. Grant? We have a girl in Bay 2 who’s having an allergic reaction to something she ate. She’s breathing on her own, but the hives—”

      “I’m on my way.” She was already following the nurse to another ER bay when she glanced back to Gabe and Olivia. “Excuse me.”

      “Of course.” Suddenly, Olivia was aware of how small this curtained-off area was—and that she was alone with the department’s archenemy, Gabe Knight, a man who got under her skin and into her head far too easily for her peace of mind.

      Several seconds of awkward silence passed before Gabe pulled on what was left of his white shirt. “Do I need to call a cab, or will you give me a ride back to the paper?”

      “Can’t wait to write an exposé about me letting the perp get away? Or allowing you to get hurt?”

      The dark brow over his right eye arched, his cool demeanor easily deflecting the accusations. “I was thinking more along the lines of retrieving my car from the parking garage and driving home. I jogged over to Kober’s building from the Journal as soon as the police bulletin came through. It was just a couple of blocks from my office.”

      “Do you check up on every cop in the neighborhood? Or did I just get lucky that you’re my responsibility today?”

      He inhaled deeply, drawing her attention to the expanding hills and hollows peeking through the open front of his shirt. Really? She couldn’t maintain a polite distance, or a sneering disinterest in whatever testosterone he was exuding for even two seconds? This man was the enemy of KCPD. That made him her enemy, too. Right?

      He pointed to the bandage wrapped around his left forearm. “This is on me. I thought that fool was going to hurt you. After seeing Dani the way I did, knowing I should have done something more, I...” The sharp angles of his cheeks and jaw softened with a wry grin. “Guess I had a caveman moment.”

      “Caveman?” As tempted to laugh at the apt description of his earlier interference as she’d been tempted to reach out to him when his eyes had darkened at the memory of his murdered fiancée, Olivia eased up on the self-recriminations and settled for smiling in return. That was probably as good an apology as she was going to get from him—and more of a concession than she’d expected. “Me no need Og’s help,” she teased. “Me carry big gun.”

      “You carry big attitude.” No denying that. And then he extended his hand across the examination table. “Thank you.”

      “For what?” Although her instinct was to reach out to accept a proffered hand, her caution around this man left her fingers hovering in the air.

      But there was no hesitation when Gabe closed the gap between them and wrapped his hand firmly around hers. Olivia’s pulse leaped as if an electrical connection had just been completed. Instead of pulling away, her fingertips squeezed around the breadth of his palm. His skin was as warm as she’d imagined, and the heat of his grip seeped beneath her skin and lit a slow, easy fire that licked its way up her arm. “For listening to my side of the story. For not leaving me there in that alley to bleed. I know holding KCPD accountable hasn’t made them my biggest fan.”

      “Any cop would have brought you to the hospital. We don’t stop to evaluate whether or not we like you if you’re threatened or hurt. If someone needs our help, we do our best to deliver.”

      “I’ll remember that next time we meet.” Gabe’s gaze dropped to where they still held on to each other.

      Next time? Olivia quickly pulled her hand away. Was that anxiety or anticipation crawling along her spine? She supposed another encounter with the bullying reporter was inevitable, since he’d made it clear he intended to dog the Cold Case Squad’s investigation into his fiancée’s murder. Didn’t mean she had to cling to him as though...as though she liked touching him. Still, if he could make the effort to be a little more civil and respectful, then she would do the same.

      Appreciating the unspoken truce, Olivia pulled her keys from her jacket pocket and headed for the door. “I’ll drive. Finish buttoning things up and meet me out in the waiting room.”

      Olivia strode down the hallway, flexing her fingers down at her side to alleviate the tingling awareness that lingered, determined to leave Gabe Knight and his blue eyes, warm skin and bothersome words behind her. Whatever was out of whack with her libido this evening would surely go away once she got a good night’s sleep. But she’d only inhaled a couple of cool, reviving breaths when she heard the commotion out at the information desk in the lobby. “Oh, no.”

      She СКАЧАТЬ