The Epilogues: Part I: Badge of Honor (The Potentate of Atlanta Book 6), Hailey Edwards [year 2 reading books TXT] 📗

enough onto Milo’s plate, I texted him to check the box nearest the restaurant for a surprise. The past three weeks, he had been helping me cover routine patrol so I could train and work cases that required my immediate oversight. I owed him big for bending over backwards for me.

The doctor held up a finger to Bishop then shoved through the ICU doors to the ward beyond.

“Reece ought to have the footage to analyze within the next half hour,” I told Bishop as I joined him. “Teens whose parents can afford to eat in places like that will have the newest phones. The video and sound quality ought to be excellent.”

“A kid with an ear for news and a blog for a platform ought to have a good eye too.”

“We can hope.” I reeled my thoughts back from Neely to focus on Cruz. “Where are we with this?”

“The good doctor is about to sign off on the transfer to a private hospital. We’ve got an all-para EMT team standing by to transport Cruz to the Faraday. We should have him secured within the hour.”

Torn on whether to press my luck, I decided to ask, “Can we see him before then?”

“Dr. Carpenter says Cruz has been asking for you. I don’t think we could avoid seeing him, frankly.”

“He’s tough, and I don’t mean for a human.”

“Maybe he’s got a distant warg relative,” Bishop mused. “That would explain his temper and his devotion to his mate.”

Humans didn’t mate, which Bishop knew, so he was attempting to distract me. I let him. Happily.

“Hmm.” I played along. “I’ll have to ask Neely if Cruz goes furry during the full moon.”

Please let me have the chance.

Or not, now that I thought about it.

There were things I didn’t need to know about Cruz Torres. His body hair density was one of them.

The doctor reappeared, launching chills down my nape, and indicated we should follow.

“Ms. Whitaker,” the vampire said when we fell in step with him. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“I appreciate you taking such good care of my friend.”

Cruz wasn’t technically my friend, but he was as friendly toward me as he got, which was close enough.

“Not at all.” He smiled, displaying straight white teeth. “I mated a warg, and she talks of nothing but the changes you’ve implemented in the city to improve the quality of life for shifters. It is I who am in your debt.”

Surprise must have shown on my face. Wargs ran hot, but vampires ran cold. Theirs was a rare pairing.

“Human friends set us up on a blind date,” he explained. “They didn’t know what we were or why it was a bold idea.” His voice softened. “Allie and I hit it off, but I doubt I would have followed up had she not started appearing at the hospital each night during my dinner break. She had set her cap at me, you see, and she gave me no choice but to love her back.”

“You have my sympathies,” I teased. “I was allowed few choices with my mate as well.”

Luckily, Midas and I were both stubborn and willing to fight for one another. It sounded like Allie had been ready to go as many rounds as it took for her man too.

“You must get asked this all the time—” he rubbed his nape, “—but would you take a photo with me?”

Vampires didn’t fangirl or fanboy over much of anything, but I could tell this meant a lot to him. Probably because his mate would flip over it. And I didn’t know what to do with that.

I wasn’t a celebrity to pose with. Not even the potentate yet. I was just me.

“Sure.” I pulled on my tour guide persona—handiest summer job ever—to produce the perfect smile. “A quick photo op never hurt.”

Bishop snapped the picture on the doctor’s cell while I cheesed it up for the camera.

“Let me show you to Mr. Torres’s room. I want to be on video chat with Allie when she sees this.”

He guided us to a small room with a glass front wall I hadn’t noticed then left, already dialing his mate.

“They’re printing Team Hadley shirts, you know.” Bishop held the door for me. “The trial is a spectator sport.”

Until he mentioned it, I hadn’t framed the doctor’s interest in that light. He might be getting an earful from his wife thanks to the public nature of the gauntlet. But merch? I did not want to see my mug on a mug, commemorative shirts, or hats.

“Ugh” was the best response I had to that. “Can it be over already?”

Our chatter had roused Cruz, who opened his bloodshot eyes at our approach. “Have you found him?”

His face was purple and swollen, but one of his knees looked like it had swallowed a watermelon.

“Not yet.” I kept a respectful distance. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“You ought to have video.” His snarl would do a warg proud. “There were traffic cameras six feet away.”

“We would like to hear a firsthand account of the events.” I strove for calm. “You might have noticed something the cameras didn’t pick up on. There was no audio. Did they say anything to you?”

“The first man out told his partner ‘there he is’ and aimed straight for my husband. The second man was on me before I could reach Neely.” He gestured to himself. “He made sure I couldn’t come after them then whispered, ‘Hadley would be smart to reconsider her career choices.’”

No wonder he had been so hot to see me prior to his transfer. This was my fault, and he wanted me to know it.

A lead weight settled on my chest that made it difficult to get enough air. As much as I wanted to duck into the hall for a breather, it would be a reprieve from Cruz’s accusing stare I didn’t deserve.

The ransom demand I had been expecting to receive for Neely had just fallen into my lap.

Someone wanted me out of the running, probably the same someone