Page 147 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)

Over a month. “But I seem to be missing more than that in my memory…”

“I have some of it documented. We questioned you in the hospital. I have that interview transcribed, if you’d like.”

There’s no doubt that I do. I don’t remember being in the hospital at all. “Yeah.” I clear my throat and finish off my drink. “I do want to see that, actually.”

He frowns. “If Dr. Penn would think this is a bad idea…”

“No!” I press my lips together, then say, “She might say that. But I’m tired of living in the dark. I’d like to see what you have.”

“They’re in my car.” He stands and gestures for me to lead the way outside.

I hold my coat and hat and follow him around the corner. I slip a bit on the iced-over sidewalk, and he grips my elbow. I shoot him a thankful smile.

“How far away did you park?”

“Just up here. There was a parking garage… I’m going to write off the expense anyway, so why not?”

I nod. “Better than having to parallel park in the snow.”

He grins. “Exactly.” He glances over and taps his forehead. “That’s healing well.”

I touch the scab. “Yeah, it doesn’t really hurt anymore, either.”

“How’d it happen?”

I shake my head. “I fell down a slope. It’s when I came across Natalie’s…” Just Natalie. That separation is something I still struggle with, obviously.

“You’re a brave young woman,” Jim remarks.

We head down the stairs of the parking garage. It’s all underground, and the entrance itself is no bigger than a driveway. It’s meant to blend into the rest of the buildings, to not look like a garage.

There are only three levels, and it appears he parked all the way to the bottom.

“Here she is,” he says, unlocking a silver sedan. “My pride and joy. When you get older, you can appreciate the little things. Cars, the roof over your head, like that.”

I nod slowly. “Right.”

“I have two boxes,” he says. “One’s in the back seat on the driver’s side, and the other is up front. You mind grabbing the back seat one? We can go back to the cafe and go through it all.”

“Sure.”

I pull open the door and grab the box. It’s lighter than I was expecting—no weight to it at all. I set it on the seat and lift the lid.

It’s empty.

My internal alarm blares to life, and I spin around.

Detective Masters is right there, and he forces me against the vehicle. His hand covers my mouth.

“Easy,” he says. “Just a pinch.”

I notice the needle in his hand too late.

Too late. Too late.

He inserts it into my neck and presses down on the plunger.

Familiar ice spreads through my blood, and a conversation with Liam from just yesterday jumps to the front of my mind.