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“We need an ambulance, right now.”

Vera turned on the interior lights and rushed to the body on the ground.

Nolan Baker.

Fuck. Please don’t let him be dead ...

She touched his shoulder. He groaned.Thank God.

Hope fired through her. She didn’t dare move him until she had a firmer handle on his condition. She crawled around to the other side to see his face and the front of his body. His chest shuddered with an intake of breath.

“There you go. Keep breathing, Nolan,” she murmured.

There was a lot of blood. She grimaced. What she needed was to get a better look at the injuries and see if she could stop the bleeding.

God only knew how long he’d been out here. Could have been hours.

His eyes suddenly flew open, and he screamed.

Vera toppled onto her butt.

Nolan flopped onto his back and screamed bloody murder.

Vera scrambled closer once more. “Nolan, it’s Vera Boyett. We have an ambulance on the way. You’re going to be all right.”

His hands went up in a defensive move as he squirmed and thrashed in pain.

“You’ll be okay,” Vera urged.

Then he flipped onto his belly. His continued writhing had his skin parting ... blood and dirt from the barn floor moving on his skin. A gasp echoed in the air ...hergasp. She watched, her heart pounding, as his movements parted the bloody, dirty lines where his naked flesh had been carved. Words formed ...

I’m coming for you.

The bastard had left a message in Nolan’s skin. Just like with Gloria Anderson ... just like with all the others.

Vera gritted her teeth and pushed aside the feelings that tried to swarm her brain.Focus on the victim.This moment ... this part couldn’t be about analyzing the words. She did what she had to do. As much as she didn’t want to spoil any evidence, she was well versed in this bastard’s MO. The Messenger never left evidence. His minion or a copycat would likely attempt the same. She stroked Nolan’s head gently andtook his hand with her free one and held it to her chest as tightly as she dared.

“You’re safe now, Nolan. We’ll get you to a hospital. Your parents will be there.”

His wailing stopped, and he started to sob.

The anger that welled inside her had her struggling for breath.

She would get this son of a bitch. One way or another.

18

Lincoln Medical CenterMedical Center Boulevard, Fayetteville, 10:50 p.m.

The throng of reporters outside the ER had not diminished. Lincoln County deputies, with the help of Fayetteville’s finest, were keeping them out of the hospital.

Vera could see the parking lot from the small conference room where she and the Bakers had been sequestered. Bent had gone back with Nolan more than an hour ago. What the hell was taking so long? Surely he had been stabilized and questioned by now.

Deep breath, Vee. These things take time.

Nolan’s parents were seated at the long table, and another deputy was stationed right outside the door. The glare Elizabeth kept on Vera prevented her from being able to sit. Instead, she paced, occasionally pausing at the window to peek through the slats of the blinds.

This was her fault. She got that. But it wasn’t like she had asked for any of this. It would be nice to have a normal life, but that was apparently not in the cards.