Page 71 of Every Which Way

“You can get some rest.” Maizie lifted her chin.

Kenna felt her lips twitch.

“So can you.” She pinned Kenna with a stare. “Stairns and I will find Bruce. Tomorrow, we can figure out what to do next.” She looked exasperated.

Kenna’s phone rang. She reached all the way back to the bedside table and grabbed it. Jax was calling. “Hey.” She held the phone to her ear and found her shoes by the bed.

“Ramon got stabbed?”

“Yeah, can you believe he didn’t stop it?” She had to cough.

“Poison, really?”

“I ate like four fries.”

“To be honest”—he sounded as exasperated as Maizie—“that’s a miracle.”

Kenna’s mouth dropped open. “I…”

“Tell me I’m wrong.” He paused. “I’m glad you’re all right. That could have gone very badly.”

Fine, she couldn’t argue with it. She’d have dusted off that whole basket of fries if they’d been there any longer. “We’ve lost all our leads, and a bunch of people needed medical help. It did go badly.”

“I’m gonna hand in my notice tomorrow. I’m done being in Phoenix.”

“Don’t quit over one bar fight. You’d be throwing away your career.”

“My heart can’t take this, Kenna.” He sounded like he might be joking, but only a little and likely only to keep himself from getting overwhelmed by the fear.

“I’m good, just banged up.” She had to cough again, but the meds the doctor had given her started working right away, so she was only a little short of breath. “Ramon is okay. He just needs to sleep. If your mom and your sister are fine, then we’re good.”

Stairns walked back over to them, talking on his phone. “Got it.” He hung up. “Bruce is fine. But I can’t believe Miller walked you into that.”

“It was my idea,” Kenna said. “I can’t blame a guy for being mad that he got duped by a beautiful woman. She’s a professional at this.”

“This woman gets away a lot. It’s time to lock her down.”

She didn’t explain that the woman was a genetically superior asset of a deadly organization…but she was thinking it. Kenna ducked her head. “I love you.”

“Mmm. Love you, too.” He hung up.

“He’s mad. Kind of.” She lowered her phone, aware it wasn’t that he was angry with her for getting hurt. More like angry with himself for not being here to help. She’d be reacting the same way if he was out working cases miles from her. Even if he had a team of capable people watching his back.

Stairns said, “Bruce will meet us back at the campsite. Said he has something to show you.”

“Let’s get out of here.” She kicked her foot so her shoe slid on all the way and stood while also watching Ramon get up to assess his ability to move around. “How are you? Apart from the split lip, you look like nothing happened. I’ve got a swollen face.”

“Practice? Not like it’s the first time I’ve been stabbed.”

Yeah, she’d seen the scars on his upper body. Even the doctor had blinked at the sight of them.

“I need a caramel milkshake.” Kenna slid her arm through Maizie’s. “Are you driving?”

“Um, no.”

“Whatever the doctor gave me, it’s good stuff.”

Maizie chuckled.

---