Seamus gave Snookie’s hand a squeeze and headed for the door. “Keep pressure on the wound.”
Alarmed, Charlotte grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”
“I have to help Declan. We need to nip this in the bud.” He slid from her grasp and disappeared around the corner.
Charlotte looked at Snookie, who rolled her eyes. “Men.”
“No kidding.”
“Always leaving you when you’re most shot.”
Charlotte bit her lip, staring at the ever growing crimson stain on Snookie’s upper chest. “I’m going to get a towel. Two seconds.”
She shot across the hall to the bathroom and grabbed a stack of towels from the closet. Dropping the bulk of them on the floor beside the bed, she hovered over her patient with one in hand.
“This is going to hurt,” she said.
Snookie nodded. “Hold on a second. Help me roll over a little. Did it come out my back?”
With Charlotte’s help, Snookie rolled to her side, releasing a stifled scream. Charlotte ducked to examine her back.
“No. Nothing there.”
“Damn. It’s still in there.” Snookie let out a breath as Charlotte eased her back to the bed. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Charlotte laid the towel on the wound and pressed, gently at first, and then with growing force. Snookie whimpered and looked away.
“So you’re FBI?” asked Charlotte, trying to distract her from the pain. She hoped it might also distract her from the living room. Who knew what Declan and Seamus were about to do? Who knew who lay in wait outside? It could be Jamie with an entire team of snipers.
Would it be too much to hope she’d taken her shot and left?
The muscle in Snookie’s jaw bulged as she bit against the pain. “Retired yesterday. Figures.”
“Retired?”
“Yep. Except for this last Jamie thing.”
“You and Seamus—”
Snookie released a laugh that sounded more like a snort. “Kinda. Used him to get to you two. Figured you might be a target.” She smiled. “He is adorable though. And just my type.”
“Really?”
“Yep. The terrible idea type.”
“Why didn’t you just talk to us?”
“Wasn’t sure how much you two knew. Didn’t want to spook you. That went well.”
Charlotte nodded. “Hey, do you have a phone up that skirt? I don’t know if they remembered to call 911 now that they’re in commando mode.”
Snookie shook her head. “Phone’s in my purse out there.”
“I should go get it.”
Charlotte lessened her pressure, preparing to leave. Snookie grabbed her wrist. “No. It isn’t safe.”
Declan popped into the room. “How’s it going?” He moved to Snookie’s side and covered Charlotte’s hand, asking her to remove the towel.
“Good. I could use a second opinion,” said Snookie, flashing a smile at Charlotte.
“Is it Jamie? Is she gone?” she asked as he gently lifted the towel.
He peered at the wound as she uncovered it. “We’re going outside to look. That’s what I came to tell you. Did this go through?”
“No,” said Snookie, her fists clenched against the pain of Declan’s inspection.
“Okay. Keep pressure on. Doesn’t look like it hit anything too serious. You’ll be okay. We’ll be back as fast as we can.”
“Did you call 911? Neither of us have a phone.”
“No. I will—”
“Declan, let’s go!” roared Seamus from the other room.
“Gotta go.” Declan grabbed Charlotte and kissed her on the lips, lingering a moment as if he didn’t want to leave. “Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid.”
She looked into his eyes. “Says the guy going outside to hunt the serial killer.”
He pecked her again on the head before striding out of the room.
Charlotte returned to pressing Snookie’s wound.
“You two make a cute couple,” she said.
“Thanks.” Charlotte heard something in the hall behind her. “Oh, he’s back—”
Before she could turn she saw Snookie’s expression change to one of surprise, her gaze locked on something in the doorway.
Charlotte whirled.
A woman stood at the doorway, a gun in her hand raised and pointed at her.
She wore a dust mask over her face, but Charlotte knew exactly who she was.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“All packed?”
Stephanie nodded and rolled her suitcase to the front door of her office. She allowed herself one last look around the lobby.
My lobby.
My law firm.
She sighed.
Jamie put a hand on her shoulder.
“Let’s go.”
Stephanie poked her head through the front door to find the wind whipping the rain into sheets. The palm trees bent, fronds stretched in one direction like hula girls frozen in one position.
She shut the door. “Can’t we wait until the hurricane is over? It’s stupid to drive now.”
Jamie shook her head. “Nope. I’ve already stayed too long.”
“We’ll be soaked.”
“That’s part of the fun.”
“Do you even know where we’re going?”
“Of course I do.”
Stephanie chewed her lip. “And you promise me you’ll leave Declan alone if I come with you?”
Jamie sighed. She seemed annoyed by the questions. “I promise. You’re making the right decision. You’ll see.”
“And you didn’t hire anyone else to kill him while we’re gone?”
“No. You took care of Vince.”
Stephanie frowned.
That’s why I’m so tired.
It had taken her hours to dispose of the body.
Stupid Vince.
She recalled her discussion with Declan and frowned at her mother.
“What about the person you were setting up?”
Jamie suddenly seemed very interested in her luggage. “Hm?”
“Don’t play stupid. I know about the WITSEC you were going to frame for Declan’s murder.”
Jamie sighed. “Oh, her. Okay. You got me. She was backup, but I’ve abandoned that plan. I wish I’d never started it. Killing people and trying to make the deaths look like accidents—pain in the butt.”
“But what if she follows through?”
“How? She doesn’t know anything.”
Jamie looked genuinely confused.
Stephanie wasn’t sure if she’d seen that before. “Nothing?”
“Well, I’m sure she thinks
