By the time the doctor came to the waiting room, Luke, Hector and Lee had been joined by Eddie, Lee’s brother Hank (also a cop) and four men that worked for Lee: Vance, Darius, Mace and Bobby.
Lee had pulled in the boys because if Hector (or Luke, for that matter) went gonzo at whatever news they were going to get, they were going to need manpower to lock them down.
Lee had recruited men who, it turned out, had a strong ethic about women and how to treat them and an even stronger ethic about how they felt about men who didn’t treat them right. This wasn’t on the job application but, bottom line, it was the only kind of man Lee would have in his employ.
This was a situation that could blow his men apart. It had happened before and they knew the drill but it had never been this bad.
What he wasn’t prepared to see was Jet walking in with Indy, Roxie, Ava and Stella. He wasn’t prepared for it but when Jet smiled at Eddie and he realized Eddie had arranged it, he was glad for it. Nothing soothed the savage beast like a woman’s touch. His wife Indy’s crew (known as the Rock Chicks) would likely be busy that night.
Indy walked straight to him, put her arms around his waist and kissed the underside of his jaw. Usually this worked like magic but Lee didn’t feel soothed.
She tipped her head back to look up at him and whispered. “It’ll be okay.”
“Yeah,” he said but he didn’t agree. She hadn’t seen the tape. Fuck, but he’d never forget what he saw on that tape.
“It’s always okay,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.
“You don’t know who this is,” Lee replied.
“Yes I do, but Lee…” She hesitated because she didn’t want to say what she was going to say next then she continued, “You have to know, Daisy doesn’t think much of –”
Lee looked down at Indy. “Hector does.”
Indy’s head jerked at the shortness in Lee’s tone.
Then she got closer. “Is there something I don’t know?”
“There’s something no one knows. No one knows why he pulled out of the DEA after that job. At least no one knew until today, until she walked into my office.”
“Do you think he had a thing with her?” Indy whispered.
Lee turned to her. “Did you see her?”
Indy scrunched her nose, looking uncomfortable. “I saw her in the reception area. She’s gorgeous but she was cold as ice. Do you know they call her the Ice Princess?”
Lee shook his head and ignored her last comment. “I saw her too. I also saw Hector watching her the entire time I spoke to her.”
“Was it intense?”
Was it intense?
Hector never gave anything away, anything that was personal.
He gave it away that afternoon. He couldn’t take his eyes off Sadie.
“It was intense. Tonight when he got to her, Hector wouldn’t wait for an ambulance. He picked her up and made Luke drive them here.”
Indy’s eyes grew wide. “Was that smart?”
“No.”
“Holy crap,” she whispered as her eyes slid to Hector.
“Doctor.” They heard Stella say and everyone turned as the doctor walked in wearing scrubs, a white lab coat and an unhappy expression.
“Anyone here for Sadie Townsend?”
Everyone looked at everyone else except Hector who said a sharp, “Yes.”
The doctor looked at Hector as Stella moved close to him. “Are you her partner?”
“Yes,” Hector lied, bold, bald-faced and without hesitation.
The doctor’s face changed and it wasn’t a good change. “We need to go somewhere and talk.”
“Say it,” Hector snapped.
The doctor’s face scanned the crowd then his eyes went back to Hector and said, “Sir, I think –”
“Fuckin’ say it!” Hector barked, his body rigid, his face filled with fury and the doctor took a step back as Stella took another step in, getting close, putting her hand on Hector’s arm and keeping it there.
“I don’t think you under –” the doctor began.
Lee got close to Hector. So did Eddie and Darius. Hank, Vance, Mace and Bobby closed ranks. Luke was already close. The doctor took this in and his body relaxed.
“Just say it,” Shirleen appeared by the doctor and she was speaking quietly. Lee hadn’t even noticed she arrived. This was unusual for Lee Nightingale, there wasn’t a lot he didn’t notice but that night his mind was on other things.
“You’re amongst Sadie’s friends,” Shirleen went on, also bald-faced lying and also without hesitation.
The doctor looked at Shirleen, she smiled encouragingly but he said, “We have a policy –”
“Ain’t no policy when there’s friends,” Shirleen interrupted. “We all gotta know. We’ll all eventually know. Just tell it like it is.”
The doctor sighed, pulled his hand through his hair and looked at Hector.
“She’s been beaten badly.”
“I guessed that.” Hector voice was sharp and impatient.
The doctor nodded and went on, “Five broken ribs, a broken wrist, dislocated shoulder, severe concussion and multiple cuts and contusions. She’s had to have a deep cut on her cheek stitched. She’s been admitted.”
The doctor stopped, his back went straight and everyone held their breath.