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At some point she dozed and only started ahen she heard her cell chilance at the clock and she realized it was four in thelanced down and saw Gail’s nurew curious
She opened the hter than Leah had ever seen the her on the cheek His face was turned away fro shoulders and the military-neat, short, dark hair
Leah was poised to text back a s about hi on his pinky finger The gold e beacon
Bile rose in her throat, and she nearly dropped the phone That was Philip’s ring—the saht as he’d traced the tip of his knife along her belly
Silence coiled around her and tightened as she stared at the picture This was all a game to him He wanted her to knoas close Wanted her to know he could reach any of her friends Wanted her to be afraid Her bones chilled
Hands shaking, she texted Gail Who is this guy?
She waited, one, two, three minutes But no text came back She hit the Call button and leaned forward as the phone rang Four rings and her call went to voice e!”
“Gail, this is Leah Who’s that guy? He looks a lot like erous You need to get away from him Call me”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tuesday, January 24, 7 AM
Alex struggled as he tried to slide his left arm into his shirt Pain shot up his arht in his throat as an oath leaked past clenched teeth
Deke found hi?”
Cutting pain banded his ribs He was almost sorry he’d refused the painkillers when a nurse had offered the He needed a clear head today TooA fuzzy et the job done “I’m fine”
“You don’t look fine”
Positive talk didn’t temper the pain as he slid the arm into the sleeve and slowly pulled it up to his shoulder, inch by painful inch The second ar”
Deke came up behind him, set two cups of coffee down on the side table, and lifted the collar of Alex’s shirt so that he could insert his ar as he reached for the first button and began to fasten it Not as painful, but“Thanks”
“The doctors said you’re supposed to be on pain meds for a few days”
“I’ for the aspirin to kick in” He’d reached for his cuffs and started rolling them up
“Aspirin? I think soer is in order”
“Not today”
“Going to be a tough guy?” Deke sipped his coffee, a grin peeking over the cup
“You’d be wise not to poke the bear today” Alex left the second cuff unrolled as he accepted the warm cup and took a sip “Thanks”
Deke’s aze “Understood”
“This tastes good The nurses wouldn’t give ”
Deke grunted “That’s just not right on so many levels”
A half smile tweaked his lips “A few of them barely escaped with their lives”
Deke pulled up a chair, flipped it around, and sat “I also think the doctors aren’t expecting you to leave so soon Is this a sanctioned escape?”
“No”
“You haven’t been cleared?”
“Cleared enough Bruised ribs, no breaks, and no internal dae And when the aspirin takes hold, I’ll be fine I just need to get ”
“I’ they want you to take it easy for a few days”
Alex set down his coffee and rolled up the second sleeve “It’s not about what they want, it’s about what I need to do”
Deke sipped his coffee If any arguhts on ould like to beat the hell out of you? I’ve theories, but I’m curious about your ideas”
“There’s a long list somewhere”
“Any of Ray Murphy’s pals? Tyler Radcliff should be at the top And the mysterious Philip Latimer”
“Radcliff is laying low, from what I’ve heard He’s taken the week off from work”
“So no one knows if he’s passed out drunk at ho the streets with a baseball bat?”
Carefully, Alex tucked in his shirt and considered the theory “Maybe”
“Do you really think Deidre’s plan to bring Philip Latimer to Nashville worked?”
“So Leah She keeps a journal like she did when her ex-husband stalked her”
“She still keeps notes?”
“She’s the first to admit it’s a bit OCD”
“Yeah”
“I read through the journal yesterday Lots of odd things have been happening to her Al up the heat She thought so her a happy anniversary Someone set up movers to move all the stuff out of her house”
“You think it’s Philip Latimer?”