Page 62 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)

I rub at my eyelid, and my finger comes away sticky with blood. My stomach turns again. “I don’t remember.”

“This area of the state park isn’t regularly patrolled. What made you want to come out here?”

I don’t know. “There was a spring…”

He nods. “And then you wandered off the path?”

My clothes are covered in leaves and dirt. There’s some in my hair.

“I fell,” I correct. “I’m sorry, I really don’t feel good.”

The detective frowns. “The paramedics should be here soon. I just need your contact information.”

I give it to him, and he tucks the paper into his back pocket. Once his attention is off me, I can breathe a bit easier. Well—until my line of sight lands on Natalie again.

“She’s been missing,” I say faintly. “And now she’s… Is this related to Amber Huck?”

He frowns, patting my shoulder. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal. Let me escort you back up the hill, and you can wait for the paramedics with one of our officers.”

“Does Taryn know who it is?” I ask suddenly, latching on to his arm. “I can’t be the one to tell her.”

He shakes his head once. “I know you were friends with Natalie, but I’m going to ask you to keep it between us for a little while. It’ll help our investigation.”

Lie for them, in other words.

“I… I guess.”

He puts one hand on my back and propels me up the hill. Taryn waits with an officer, and they both stand at our arrival.

“Take them down the trail for me, Sal?” the detective asks.

The uniformed officer nods and leads the way down, moving slowly—probably for my benefit. The ground keeps tilting.

Taryn holds on to my arm, keeping me steady.

We make it back down to the reservoir, then through the trees to the parking lot. The detective’s car sits off to the side, and front and center is a waiting ambulance. The medical examiner’s large van pulls in just as the EMTs approach us.

“That’s a nasty cut,” one says. “How about you take a seat here and we get this cleaned up?”

I nod and let them escort me to the back of the ambulance. They dab at my forehead, and I close my eyes.

“Skylar,” Taryn says.

“What?” I mumble.

“Your phone is ringing.”

Oh, shit.

I crack one eye open long enough to glance at the screen. Jake’s name scrolls across the top, a goofy picture of him under it.

I silence it and stuff it back in my pocket. I’ll deal with him later.

“The good news is, you don’t need stitches.” The EMT presses on a bandage and offers his hand, helping me stand. “How hard did you knock your head?”

“I don’t know.”

He grunts. “Okay, well, you could have a mild concussion. Do you have someone who can stay with you?”