Simon Says Die

the bleeding.”
    â€œAh, hell.” Pierce looked down at his shirt in disgust. Blood was soaking through and spreading toward his pants. “That was my best shirt.”
    Logan stepped over to the dryer snugged up beneath the stairs and grabbed a small towel folded on top. He tossed it to Pierce.
    He caught it, nodding his thanks as he pressed it against his stitches and slid to the floor. He leaned his head against the wall, taking in slow deep breaths as the fire in his ribs began to fade. “Just give me a minute. Then I’ll get back up and whip your ass.”
    â€œNot in this lifetime.” Logan chuckled and slid down to sit beside him. He waggled his jaw back and forth, running his fingers along a bruise that was already starting to form. “What’s going on around here? You were supposed to take care of my sister, and here you are her worst enemy, basically accusing her of making everything up.”
    â€œHell if I know. Maybe I’ve been talking to Lieutenant Hamilton too long. Nothing adds up.”
    â€œThat’s because you’re looking at everything the wrong way. There are always patterns. But you have to have an open mind to see them.”
    â€œI’m trying.”
    â€œTry harder.”
    Pierce blew out a long breath.
    â€œTell me what happened,” Logan said. “From the beginning. Don’t leave anything out.”
    Pierce related the details of the shooting, the notes, the phone call. He told Logan about the missing yardman, the vandalism in the backyard. He even told him what Madison had said about the divorce coming through after Damon’s death. He ended with Tessa’s rendition about what happened at the motel. He pulled the towel away from his ribs. The bleeding had slowed to a trickle, so he tossed the towel on the floor.
    â€œSo, she divorced the bastard, huh.”
    â€œBastard? You knew what a jerk he was, and you didn’t do anything about it?”
    â€œNot much I could do except make sure Madison knew she had someone to turn to if she’d ever admit she’d made a mistake.”
    â€œTessa painted Damon out to be some kind of saint.”
    Logan snorted. “On paper, sure. But in person, there was always something slimy about him.” He rolled his head on his shoulders and looked at Pierce. “I thought you cared about her?”
    He stiffened. “My feelings for your sister are irrelevant.”
    â€œThey’re relevant to me. I want to know your intentions where she’s concerned.”
    â€œMy intentions?” he asked, incredulously. “My intentions are to keep her out of jail, to straighten out this mess, to find the truth.”
    Logan waved his hand in the air, much as Madison tended to do. “I’m talking about personal stuff here. Do you still care about her or not? Because the way you were acting upstairs, I have to say it doesn’t seem like you care one damn bit.”
    â€œI took a bullet for her. That’s all the answer you need.”
    Logan sat silently for several minutes. “I need to know she has an ally on her side when I leave.”
    â€œLeave? You just got here.”
    â€œYes, but I can help her more by going back to New York, maybe even to Montana where you FBI guys traced Damon’s roots. Unlike you, I’ve never doubted my sister. If she says Damon abducted her, then Damon abducted her. The only way to clear up this mess is to figure out why he faked his death, see what game he’s playing. To figure that out, I need facts, more puzzle pieces.”
    â€œYou and your puzzles.”
    Logan shrugged. “That’s my talent, figuring things out. You’re more the bull in a china shop kind of guy. If I can trust you to look after her, then I can focus on my own strengths.”
    He raised a brow. “I thought you said I was treating her like an ass.”
    â€œYou were. That’s why I reminded you of your manners.” He climbed to his feet and offered Pierce a hand.
    Pierce took it, grimacing when his ribs squeaked in protest.
    â€œYou have to protect her, keep her safe,” Logan said.
    â€œShe owns more guns than I do. I doubt she’d like the way you’re portraying her like she needs me.”
    â€œShe does, you know . . .”
    â€œDoes what?”
    â€œNeed you.” Logan headed toward the stairs. He stopped on the third step. “Only God knows why, but she seems to care