Page 87 of Her Dom's Secret Past

“Understood.”

“I’ll meet you at the hospital. We also need to know what happened with Miss Rowley, get a statement from her.”

I nodded as I climbed into the front seat, and we took off. Thank goodness it was normally only a five-minute drive, but we made in three and a half—sirens blaring loudly, cutting through the silence of the night. I followed the stretcher into the Emergency Department. I’d heard the ambulance driver call ahead to say they were bringing Anabelle in which meant the staff were prepared as we went in the door. I stayed close to the wall, out of everyone’s way but where I could keep my eyes on my Anabelle. I was more determined than ever not to ever let her out of my sight again.

I groaned, flinching and shaking my head in agony when they removed the sheet covering her body. She was already black and blue as if she’d been used as a punching bag. Her face was a Technicolor mess. One man was actually looking between her legs and swabbing. I cried silently inside,please don’t let that monster have raped her, but I knew Carruthers would have if given half a chance. Riley had bragged that he had. My only hope was he’d lied when he said he’d killed her. I was hoping that meant he’d lied about the rape as well, but to tell the truth, I doubted it. I knew what the pair of them had been like.

One of her beautiful breasts had a large bruise with the imprint of fingers on it and I knew who would have done that. I wished I’d put more slugs into his fucking heart instead of only one. A technician wheeled in a portable machine, did an ultrasound, and then left.

“Okay, let’s get her up to CT. I want a full body scan.”

I pressed myself tight against the wall as they gathered equipment together and pushed her past. Knowing they wouldn’t let me in the scanner, I grabbed the man who’d be examining her legs. He had been writing something up.

“Tell me she’s going to be okay?”

“And you are?”

“Her partner.”

“She’ll live. Nose is broken and I wouldn’t be surprised if her cheekbone is as well. She’s been badly punched about and I’m concerned there may be internal injuries from the blunt force trauma to her abdomen and chest. The ultrasound showed bleeding in her belly, and I need a clearer picture from the CT scan. It will also show the broken bones. Her feet have been cut and once she’s back, we can treat her and clean her up.”

“Was she raped?”

“I won’t know until we get the results back from the rape kit, but she has a cigarette burn on each side of her labia majora.”

I groaned again as he continued. “They’re not too deep but will be excruciatingly painful because of the nerves around the area.”

“Why is she unconscious?”

“She was sedated by the paramedics because she was hysterical, in a huge amount of pain, plus she was fighting them.”

He touched my arm in sympathy and left the bay. I couldn’t think straight. I hoped those bastards rotted in hell. Inspector Clemson came in with Cooper. He spoke with one of the staff before they came to me.

“She getting scanned?” Cooper asked.

I nodded.

“She going to be okay?”

I nodded again.

Clemson held out my jacket.

“Your phone has been going crazy.”

“Thanks.”

I pulled it out and checked the screen—seven missed calls.

Five from my old boss and two from Charlie—I rang Charlie.

“John? John, is she…?”

“She’s alive. I’m at Gosford Hospital. They’re scanning her at the moment.”

“We’ll be there.”

I hung up. I didn’t want to ring my boss with Clemson and Cooper around. Cooper nodded and said, “You knew they’d be killed.”

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