Page 77 of Long Past Deadly

Whit snarled.

Alanna’s temper erupted. “Are you out of your mind?”

Her angry shriek startled Whit.

Brucker dived and disarmed him.

The tussle exhausted the man, and he dropped back, wheezing.

She stepped to the cot. “Are you not in enough trouble already?”

“You can’t be here.” The old man’s hoarse voice ripped a ragged hole in her heart.

“Tough. I am here. Search him, Frank.” It hurt to make the request. This man had protected her in the past, but covering everyone in the room was critical. They were her team. “Jesus, Whit, you have enough problems without shooting a cop. What are you doing?”

“You can’t be here,” he interrupted. “He’ll find you.”

She stepped to the bed and leaned closer. “I’ve got news for you, old man. He’s already found me and tried to kill me and a friend of mine. I will hunt him down, and I am going to end this. You either help me or get out of the way.”

Whit’s eyes widened, and he licked dry lips. The bloodshot orbs, pale face with graying whiskers, and shaking hands were more symptoms of a serious medical problem. “No, no.”

“Yes, yes.”

Drucker finished his search and came up empty handed. “Is that your only weapon?”

Whit’s eyes darted to the bedside table. Frank saw it and pulled the drawer. Hunting knife.

“What do you bet this knife is from the fight?” Frank slapped on an evidence glove.

Alanna shook her head. The knife was Whit’s standby. Always had been. “No bet. It’s Whit’s.”

“I’ve got to test it. We’ll get it back to you.”

“You’re leaving me undefended.” Whit coughed and groaned. “He came at me.”

Alanna paused to calm herself. “You won’t be defenseless. While you handle your medical, there are people – friends of mine – who will keep you safe.”

“And it starts with me.”

Alanna turned to find Cait Hunter standing in the doorway, her medical bag in hand. “Dr. Hunter.”

“Are you done interrogating?” Her disgust was written all over her face. She was always about the patient.

“Not interrogating. Talking this man out of doing something stupid.” She stepped away, avoiding Whit’s gaze. This was not the man she knew. Older, sicker, and more defensive. Those things didn’t add up in her mind to what she knew of him.

Frank bagged the two weapons. “Howdy, neighbor. Good to see you.”

“Frank, I saw you this morning in the driveway.”

He chuckled. “So you did. I don’t like meeting you like this. Hunt know?”

“No, and he doesn’t need to until I tell him.”

Frank grinned. “Deal. I’ll take this and go, Williams. I’ll catch up to you.”

“Thanks, Sergeant. Charges?”

“Delirium. Let’s drop it. The man has enough troubles.”