Fatal Series 00 - Fatal Destiny

gonna be pissed at me for getting you hurt this week.”
    “I imagine he’ll join me in thanking you for making sure I didn’t get killed.” She looked up at her ashen-faced partner. “Tell me you’ve got Gardner in custody.”
    “On his way to HQ as we speak.”
    “Is Captain Malone here?” Sam asked.
    “In the waiting room.”
    “Go get him for me, will you?”
    “Sure.” Freddie reached into his coat pocket, withdrew Sam’s phone and handed it to her. “Found it after the paramedics carted you away.”
    “Oh good. I was wondering where it was.”
    “I’ll send Malone in.”
    Sam closed her eyes and focused on remaining as still as possible to calm the relentless pounding in her head. The doctor had ordered a CT scan to confirm the concussion, which Sam had told him was a waste of time. He’d also indicated the need for five or six staples to close the wound. Fabulous. She wondered if Tinker Bell had ever had a bride with staples in her head before. The thought of asking her would’ve made Sam want to laugh if her head hadn’t been pounding.
    Captain Malone stepped into the room. “This is beginning to be a disturbing pattern, Lieutenant. I’ve heard they’re giving you a frequent-flyer card.”
    “That’s very funny. Ha. Ha.”
    He smiled and leaned in for a closer look at the injury. “At least it won’t show in the pictures.”
    “For which I’m grateful. Listen, I need you to do something for me.”
    “As always, Lieutenant, I am at your service.”
    “I have to tell you something that has to be handled with the utmost discretion. The career of a colleague and friend hangs in the balance.”
    His expression turned serious. “Understood.”
    She told him about Gardner’s threats toward Faith Miller and the rape case that had never been prosecuted. “The victim was nineteen at the time and refused to testify. She’s older now, and he’s locked up. Someone needs to talk to her, compel her to testify.”
    “I’ll see to it.”
    “Bring Forrester in on the new charges,” she said of the U.S. attorney. “I don’t want Gardner sliding through again.”
    “He took a shot at two cops and just missed you both,” Malone said. “He’s not getting away with that.”
    “You’ll take it right to Forrester?”
    Malone nodded.
    “Let’s nail him on the whole package this time.” As Sam’s burst of energy began to fade, she closed her eyes to seek relief from the relentless pounding. “I also want to know where he was on December 28, 2008.”
    “We’ll find out,” Malone assured her.
    “His buddy Simmons too. Someone left that stuff about my father’s shooting in Reece’s house. I want to know who.”
    “You take it easy. We’re on it.”
    Sam looked up at him. “There’s something about this Gardner guy. I’ve never had such a strong feeling about any suspect since my dad was shot.”
    “If he did it, Sam, we’ll get him.”
    She appreciated the fierce tone of his voice. She wasn’t the only one who desperately wanted to catch her father’s shooter. He had a police department full of friends who’d like five minutes alone with the person who’d condemned him to life in a wheelchair. “Thanks.”
    “Get some rest,” Malone said. “I’ll check on you later.”
    Sam heard the captain exchange greetings with Nick in the hallway and braced herself to deal with her furious fiancé.
    Nick came into the room and stopped short as he took a visual inventory of her and the blood-soaked coat on the chair next to her.
    Sam held out a hand to him. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”
    He stepped forward and wrapped his fingers around hers. “I heard it was a very close call.”
    “Nah, he missed by a mile.”
    “I’m not finding this funny.”
    Sam brought his hand to her lips. “I know, babe. I’m sorry.”
    “If there’s any upside, at least you’ll be out of work the rest of the week.”
    “But I still have stuff to do before—”
    “On the way over here I had to talk myself out of picking a big, fat fight with you the week of our wedding. But if you so much as think about going back to work, there’s gonna be a really big fight. You got me?”
    “I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but you’re extremely sexy when you’re pissed.”
    He took a deep, rattling breath and looked up at the ceiling, presumably to keep from throttling her.
    Sam smiled at his show of restraint. “I didn’t get all freaked out when Andy’s elbow