Dirty, Reckless Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 3)

She grimaces and cuts her gaze away. “The baby. They had to revive her at the scene, and the baby was in distress, and they were losing Ellie. They tried to save them both, but . . .”

The baby. The words hit me with the force of a wrecking ball. The baby she was terrified to have but was driven to protect. The baby that made her push me away and give Colton another chance he didn’t deserve. She’ll be devastated. If the assault doesn’t kill her, that news will.

“She’s not conscious. We just have to take this one step at a time,” Teagan says. “One hour, one minute at a time. The doctors are doing everything they can to get her stable. And the detective . . .” Her gaze shifts to a spot over my shoulder, and I follow it, turning to see a tall, solemn-faced man walking toward us through the corridor. I’ve known Ben Huxley for years, but the sight of him here now makes my stomach churn. What is happening?

“What is he doing here?” I say softly. “Why isn’t he out looking for whoever did this?”

She looks away. “They’re trying to find Colton.”

“Good. Why the hell isn’t he here?”

“I don’t know.” Teagan squeezes her eyes shut. “But I’m afraid they think Colton was the one who . . .”

No. I’m shaking my head as I turn my attention to the detective at the end of the hall. “Colton’s a sonofabitch and an idiot, but he wouldn’t hurt Ellie. He wouldn’t do this.”

Teagan squeezes my arm. “Just talk to the detective. The best way you can help Ellie right now is to tell Ben everything you know.”

Ben lifts his chin. “We can do it in the cafeteria. We don’t have to go far.”

I throw one last helpless glance over my shoulder to the intensive care unit before nodding. I don’t like leaving, but standing here and doing nothing will make me crazy. “Sure.”

Teagan squeezes my arm. “I’ll call as soon as I hear anything. I promise.”

“Thanks.” I turn to the detective and offer him my hand. “Wish I could say it’s good to see you, Huxley. But considering the circumstances . . .”

He shakes my hand. “Same,” he mutters. “Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

I nod, and we fall in step down to the cafeteria. The space is utilitarian at best, with long tables and benches just to the left of the food area and way too many fluorescent lights for this hour of the morning.

Ben hands me a cup from the self-service counter before grabbing one for himself. “When did you get here?”

“A few minutes ago, maybe.” I fill my cup with light brown liquid from the vat labeled regular coffee. I need something strong right now, but this looks like it has the flavor and caffeine content of water mixed with a couple of drops of brown food coloring.

“You got here fast,” he says.

“Carter’s team was dispatched to Ellie’s place.” Ben’s familiar with my brother’s position with the Jackson Harbor Fire Department, so I don’t have to explain. “He called me as soon as she was in the hands of the hospital staff.”

Ben pays for both of our coffees, and I follow him to a table in the back corner. When we sit, he holds up a small a

udio recorder. “You okay with me recording this conversation?”

I blink at him. “Should I have a lawyer or something?”

He arches a brow. “Do you need one?”

I shake my head and wave to the recorder. “Whatever. It’s fine. Record to your heart’s content.”

“You and Miss Courdrey are close?”

“You’re going to act like you don’t know shit about my life now?”

He waves to the recorder. “For the record?”

I blow out a long breath. Tendrils of steam rise from the cup, and I watch them tangle before they disappear into the air. “Yeah. We’re friends.”

“And her fiancé, Colton McKinley—you’re close to him, too?”

Fiancé. That word still does a number on me. She might as well have taken the diamond from him and shoved it right into my heart.