He Hates Me (Hate & Love Duet 1)

I can feel Katya cringing next to me, trying to console me by gently squeezing my forearm. I haven't even had the time to fill her in on everything that's happened.

"We gathered as much," Ramirez mutters. "There were security cameras in the parking lot. We saw the... altercation between you and Dr. Martin."

"Good." I cross my arms defensively in front of my body. "So, what happened?"

"He was attacked moments after you left the parking lot. We have reason to believe you were targeted by a hooded robber last night, the very one who stabbed the doctor and took his stuff. We needed to check with you to see if you'd noticed anything unusual, out of the ordinary. Perhaps someone following you around?"

Ramirez has poised pen over paper, his notebook clutched in his hands as he looks at me expectantly.

"I..." I chew my bottom lip, remembering the feeling of being watched.

It was just a feeling, though – I have no solid proof somebody was actually watching. But now the possibility stretches ahead of me, filling me with dread and fear. Someone tracked us, targeted us. If I hadn't gotten away when I did, they might have hurt me too.

"I don't remember seeing anyone suspicious."

The detective continues by asking me some more questions. He wants to know my relationship with Andrew, whether we'd been seeing each other regularly, how we got to the restaurant. I answer the best I can, but by the end of the informal interview, it's obvious both to me and the detective I won't be able to shine any more light on the case.

"If you remember anything else that could help us, please give me a call."

I glance at the business card he hands me before nodding and pocketing it. Katya and I say our goodbyes to the somber policemen and wait for them to file out of the room. I still have ten minutes before my shift, just enough to catch up with my friends, and Katya has so many questions she can't even wait for the other member of our group to join us.

"Are you okay?" It's the first question to leave her lips when the cops leave, and I nod.

We're joined by Dinah who seems just as shell-shocked as she slides into the plastic seat in the cafeteria across from us.

“What a nightmare, Georgie,” she whispers. “I’m so, so sorry I made you go out with him.”

"You didn't know," I mutter. "Nobody did."

"A killer, so close to home. God, I took the kids to Antonio's just a week ago."

I squeeze her hand to reassure her, but it doesn't do much to help. We're all shaken up by the news of Andrew’s murder, and even though he wasn't a nice guy, the thought that I was probably one of the last people to see him alive tugs at my heartstrings and makes me tremble with fear.

There's a monster preying on the streets, and I just barely escaped his clutches. I should count my lucky stars. Dr. Martin wasn't as fortunate.

The three of us eat our breakfast without saying much. I'm almost ready to start my shift when we're joined by Bill, a nurse that works with me in the ER.

"Hey, ladies," he says, awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Georgie, I heard what happened... I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," I mutter robotically. I don't really feel like talking about it. Bill's sweet enough, but it's not like we're as close as I am with the girls.

"Always here if you need to talk," he adds. "Want to walk together?"

"Sure." I throw away my sandwich wrapper and wave lifelessly at my girls. "I'll see you two later, okay? Dinah, say hello to the kids for me."

"Of course," she nods though her expression is tinged with sadness. The murder has sucked the life out of everyone, not just Dr. Martin.

I follow Bill to the ER. I'm grateful he doesn't try to keep up a conversation, because I'm not sure I could hold it up on my end. I'm working a double shift today, and for once, I'm grateful for it. It's going to be a good distraction from everything that's happened. I realize Bill's started talking, and I push my thoughts to the back of my mind and tune in.

"I wish I'd known he'd asked you out. I knew he was married – all the guys do."

"It's okay. It's my own mistake."

"But it could have been prevented," he goes on. "I'm just sorry you had to find out this way."

"I can't believe someone just... killed him," I say, surprising myself by opening up to Bill. "I was with him moments before it happened. It could have been me, too."

"Thank God it wasn't."

He squeezes my forearm and I manage a weak smile. I don't really like being touched by strangers, but Bill's sweet, and nothing like Dr. Martin.