Page 17 of One Last Storm
Across the room, Caspian had started to wail.
Flynn turned, spotted Hazel standing now, her arms around Caspian, her eyes wide. Oh?—
She headed over to her, knelt in front of her and pulled her close. “Shh. It’s okay.”
“That woman is really hurt.”
Caspian still whimpered, and Flynn put a hand on his head. “I know. But she’s here, in the hospital?—”
“What happened to her?”
And Flynn just couldn’t say—a bad man beat her. And frankly, maybe Hazel had seen this before. But the little girl didn’t need to drag up old memories, reignite nightmares. “She’s just…hurt.”
Just then, the orderly came back with a blanket and a plastic wrist identifier. He put it on the woman, still weeping, covered her with the blanket and wheeled her back into the ER.
Flynn’s gaze fell on Dawson’s hard-edged look. Uh oh.
She gripped Hazel’s hand as Dawson walked back to them.
“I got the address.”
“We need backup,” she said.
“No time. He’ll move again. Who knows if he’s even going back there.”
“He’s armed, for sure. And he has a child.”
Caspian had walked over, set himself next to Hazel, who put her hand on his head.
“Flynn.” Dawson said. “I need you to stay with Hazel.”
She stilled, caught her breath. “Don’t, Dawson?—”
“I have to. This might be our only chance.”
She winced, hating that he was right.
Outside.
“His daughter is only five years old.” Dawson said.
“Okay, but wait for backup.”
“I will,” Dawson said quietly.
Aw, but she knew him. “Seriously.”
“That little girl might not have time for backup.”
Flynn’s chest burned. “Dawson, this man is unpredictable. Violent beyond…well, you saw Rosa. And…others.” She sighed, but she got it. They’d been tracking him, building a case against Ravak and his network for nearly a year. She looked down at Hazel, her brown eyes looking up.
And only saw Kiana, at least in her imagination.
“Six months of surveillance, Flynn. I know how he thinks, how he moves.” Dawson’s voice dropped. “But I also know that if we wait, Kiana is dead.”
“This could turn into a hostage situation.”
“Not if I get to him first.”
