tage groaned open, a shaft of hars

, her eyes s

s. Hurri

ith something she cou

ha

r, his large frame

her eyes open, was a mask

at happened to y

d over her, as i

ly distressed. Th

throat too dry to speak, h

d this to you?" His voic

e her broken hand, his to

. Didn't pull aw

n had done a professional job? Tha

e space, his eyes narrowed.

le

You're burning up. We need

o his arms. She wa

trong, efficient, th

daylight, he kept murmuring, "It's oka

word was a

through the city, he

tell me. Who were they?

oking out the window at

throbbing counterpoin

k. "Was it about money?

ence was a wall, and he kept

nd, the one that wasn't br

m. I swear to you. Th

a conviction that, once

ust sound

private hospital

in, barking ord

doctors, nurses

ed her, given her pain medication, and set her

rp edges of the pain, but he

his usually immac

octors said... your hand... it's a bad break.

face. "They said it was

ooked at him.

less smile tou

d, her voice raspy.

. "What do

voice gaining a little strength. "To cause the most d

ting the words

for long. Can't teach. Can't even wa

ce was pal

er voice flat. "Such attention to deta

all room. "I don't unders

, Ethan," she said,

pacing. Loo

ear whisper, "as they were leaving... he had his c

as very

leased. The target is neutralized

n's face. He looked like he'd been str

profound wearines

r himself with his own men. Or perhaps it was a

ou, isn't it? Ethan Caldwell. Of the Caldwells

deny it. H

facade of the down-on-his-

osed h

t a powerful entity who had crushed her like an insect, all

he cheap, store

er of help in that dark alley, had

had systematica