Page 19 of Engaging the Deputy

“Olivia Brooks,” she snapped, no doubt thinking he was faking his confusion. “She’s back in town. Why would you take her out to Starling?”

“I have no idea. I don’t remember anything. I have a concussion.”

She studied him with squinted suspicious eyes. “You don’t know if she’s the one who coldcocked you?”

“No.” He frowned, making his headache worse. “I didn’t even know she was back in town.”

“You were with her at the bar the other night,” Krystal snapped. “You’re telling me you don’t remember that either?”

He could understand why she was suspicious. “I guess it’s a major concussion since I lost three days of memory. You didn’t happen to be out there at Starling, did you?”

Krystal laughed at that. “Why would I want to hurt you? Whose idea was it for you and Olivia to go out there together?”

He groaned and pointed to his head. “You probably know more about it than I do.”

“I know you cheated on me,” she said and pulled a pout.

“We aren’t together, so it’s not cheating.” He wished he’d rung for a nurse the moment he’d seen Krystal beside his bed. “I can’t do this right now. I’m supposed to be resting.”

She stood abruptly but stayed standing over him in a way that made him nervous. “Did you know that they didn’t find Dean’s body in the rubble left from the tornado? No one knows what happened to him.”

Had someone mentioned a tornado? “Dean’s missing?”

“Haven’t they told you anything?” She sounded both surprised and delighted. “You know you were all out in Starling on Halloween night when the tornado hit, right?” She didn’t give him time to answer. “Dean, Jenny, Emery, Rob and a couple of young girls. Then you don’t know that Rob is dead.Murdered.Seems someone pushed a wall over on him.” She made a pained face.

He felt as if she’d dropped an anvil on his chest. What the hell had happened out in Starling that night? “Rob was murdered?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

He knew that Krystal had never liked Rob or Dean, especially since Jenny was married to Krystal’s brother, Tom. “You sure you weren’t out in Starling that night?”

Krystal smiled. “If I had been, then the head count would have been much higher. Olivia Brooks among the dead or wounded.”

“Excuse me,” a female voice said as the hospital room door opened. A nurse stood framed in the doorway. “Mr. Ryan needs his rest. Only family can visit.”

“I’m his girlfriend,” Krystal said, meeting his gaze as if daring him to argue otherwise.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to leave,” the nurse said.

Krystal kissed Cody on the mouth before turning to walk out the door.

“Are you all right?” the nurse asked him.

“Fine.” It was a lie. He wouldn’t be fine until he remembered everything about that night.

* * *

Cody was conscious. Olivia felt weak with relief after the call from Emery with the news. She cared about her former best friend, boyfriend and neighbor. She’d been so afraid for him. She felt a second wave of relief. His being awake meant he could tell Jaden who had attacked him. Finally, she would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Before she could rush to the hospital, the deputy called.

“Cody wants to see you. The nurse said you could see him for a few minutes because he is so insistent.”

“I’ll be right there,” she said, anxious to find out what had happened after she’d left him to go for help.

Cody was propped up in bed, his head bandaged. He smiled as she walked into his hospital room, making her think they’d put any nastiness from Halloween night behind them. She realized he was staring at her as if just as relieved to see her as she was to see him. “Did Jaden tell you?”

“He said you wanted to see me. Did you tell him who attacked you?” she asked.

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