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“I think so.” Cody forced herself to focus despite an already splendid headache getting worse, and the feeling that very fine needles were being fired at her eyeballs. “The explosive charge was in a briefcase he abandoned on the carriage. He made a sign to me to signal that it would blow. He looked happy about it. Nasty.”

“Alright, good feedback.”

“You got him, you sure?”

“I noticed the tattoo on his neck,” Ellie nodded. “It’s just as you described.”

“Okay, great.”

“Miller, what did—”

“Enough!” Kim rounded on Quinn with enough intensity to make her take a step back. “Cody’s injured and bleeding,” she snapped in exasperation. “I am taking her to the hospital now. You can talk to her when she’s been cleared.”

It was a moment, alright. From the corner of her eye, Cody noticed Ellie bite on her lip. The look on her face was nothing short of fascinated as she observed the two women. Had Cody not been so thrashed, hurt, and bleeding, yes, she would havelaughed out loud. No one dared to bark at Lieutenant Wesley like this in the department. The fact that Kim so easily stood up to her authority was alluring in a way Cody could not really have explained, especially right now… but she felt it in the way her legs suddenly weakened. As Kim tightened her hold around her waist, Ellie stepped on the other side to support her as well.

“Alright.” The lieutenant nodded. “You’re in good hands, Miller. Take care of yourself. Report when you can.”

“Yes, Boss.”

Quinn glanced at Kim and gave her a small salute as she walked off, her expression at once amused and approving. They made their way through the station, and plenty of people, perhaps not so badly injured that they required a trip to the hospital, being cared for by medics on the ground.

“I’ve got you,” Kim murmured when they walked outside in the bright sunshine, and Cody flinched as her battered brain reacted to the light.

“I can drive if you want,” Ellie offered.

Cody opened her mouth to answer before realizing that the question was not directed at her.

“Thanks,” Kim replied. “We’ll sit in the back.”

Though Ellie was extra careful on the road to avoid speed bumps, potholes, and the like, the drive was still a nightmare for Cody. She kept her eyes closed for most of the way and was grateful for her lover’s soothing presence and gentle hold. Ellie got on the phone to warn Janet, who said she would meet them in the ER as soon as they arrived.

“I don’t need a neurosurgeon,” Cody groaned.

“Yes, darling, you do,” Kim countered. “You’re obviously concussed, and your ears have been bleeding.”

“It was a hard blast…”

Kim held her more tightly against her as another bump in the road made her whimper in spite of herself. She brushed aninfinitely gentle kiss over her mouth and delivered a smile that was just as tender.

“I don’t want to start your lip bleeding again, but I needed this.”

“S’okay…” Cody sighed and sank a little deeper in her arms. “I needed it too.”

chapter 29

She drifted off for a bit, thankfully, then came to just as Ellie was pulling up in front of the ER doors. Everything felt a little too bright and a little too loud. Could be a lot worse, though, Cody knew.

“I’ll let you out here and go park the car,” Ellie announced. Then, obviously spotted her partner because her eyes took on the usual dreamy shine. “Hello, Doc.”

“Hello, sexy.”

The famous neurosurgeon, in maroon scrubs with a line of dancing brains around the collar, a pair of black silicon-framed glasses, and a stethoscope dangling from her neck, flashed her a megawatt smile in return. Then she turned to Cody.

“Hi, Detective.”

“Hi,” Cody acknowledged.

Leaning in, Janet laced her fingers around her wrist to check her pulse, and she eyed her critically at the same time.