Page 35 of Burke (The Haven #2)
“I was here a little sooner,” he declared, with a smug look on his face. “But since you were handling it so well, and getting information out of him in the process, I didn’t want to ruin it.”
From the bed, Shirley whispered, “Is it over?”
The doctor immediately walked closer. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know if I am or not,” she said. “Honest to God, I really just want to get the hell out of here and get back to the Haven, where I’m safe.”
“Lucky you for having a spot at the Haven,” Detective Martin said, looking over at Burke now. “Timber’s got quite a place there.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Do you know Timber?”
“I do, and we go way back. I was out there with him dealing with some trouble that happened a couple months or so ago,” he replied, with a small smile. “And, if you’ve got a way of staying out there long enough to get yourself healed and to get your life together, take it.”
“I was hoping I could stay for a little bit longer,” she replied, “but I couldn’t risk bringing this trouble down on their shoulders.”
“You can bring all the trouble down on their shoulders that you need to,” Richard stated, with a laugh. “I’ve got to tell you, they’re well prepared to take on all that trouble and to ensure none of it comes back to anybody.”
“And is that good or bad?” she asked on a sigh.
“It’s good, and those are all damn good people,” he added, with a big grin. He looked over at Burke. “You tell Timber that, as far as I’m concerned, we’re free and clear on this one.”
“That would be good,” Burke replied. “She needs a place to rest up before any more shit hits the fan.”
“I still need a statement.”
Burke nodded. “A statement you can have.”
“Are you sure about that?” she asked, as she looked from one to the other. “Honest to God, I’m feeling a little bit on the rough side for giving statements.”
“It’ll be more from him this time, but we’ll take your statement too,” Richard replied. He walked closer, grinned at her, and said, “If you’re over at the Haven, I’ll see you around. I go up there quite a bit.”
“That’s nice to know,” she replied, studying him. “I hadn’t realized Timber had good friends in the area.”
“He has a lot of good friends,” he confirmed, “and he’s a really good friend to have.”
She nodded. “He’s been a huge help, letting me stay there.”
Then he stopped and stared at her. “Oh my gosh, are you the one who’s been tormenting him with the whiteboards?” She flushed, and Richard started to laugh. “Oh, I am so happy to send you back there. Anybody who can get that guy organized…”
“He was doing pretty well before I got there,” she protested. “It’s just,… he’s got so many projects on the go that things were starting to slip between the cracks.”
“Oh, yeah. That’s a great way to put it.” And he chuckled, looked down at the man still unconscious on the ground, and whistled. “Dang good thing you’re not out there kicking us around,” he shared, turning to look at Burke.
Burke smiled and explained, “The prosthetic is one of Kat’s, and it delivers one hell of a kick.”
Richard looked at it with admiration. “You guys could use a few more like that too, you know?”
“I know,” Burke agreed, “and we’re working on it. Just need to get through insurance, and sometimes that’s a little easier said than done.”
“I hear you there,” Richard noted. “Anyway, I’ll take this guy downtown. Before you head back tomorrow, I need you to stop in for statements.” He stopped, looked at both of them. “Agreed?”
Shirley nodded. “Yes,… agreed.”
He looked back over at Burke, who nodded and replied, “Will do.”
“She stays here overnight though,” the doctor added firmly.
“That’s fine,” Burke acknowledged, “but I’m not leaving her side.”
“Yeah, I figured as much. I’ll have a cot brought it.”
With a sigh, the doctor headed off, and, in a surprise move, Richard grabbed Frankie, gave him a hard shake, and said, “Get your ass on your feet.”
Now that he was handcuffed and wouldn’t go far, Frankie opened one eye, saw who it was, and glared at him. “No fucking way did I get dropped by an amputee,” he snapped.
“But you did, you absolutely did.” Richard laughed. “Plus, your girlfriend is waiting for you in jail.”
“She ain’t my girlfriend,” he snapped.
“That’s not what she says.”
“I don’t care what she says,” Frankie yelled. “That woman is a nightmare. And to do that to her sister? Shooting her in the back? None of that has anything to do me.”
“That’s not what she’s saying.”
“Yeah, you want to stay a long way away from her. If I had the smarts, I would have run when I had the chance. I just wasn’t sure about this one,” he shared, as he turned and glared at Shirley, still lying in the hospital bed.
She just glared right back at him. “Yeah, I’m still alive. And I’ll still be alive whenever you get out of prison again,” she added. “So, don’t be thinking any more shit about coming after me.”
“I wasn’t,” he said. “I just wanted to get the hell out of town and to get away from all of you. You are all psychos, every freaking one of you. Do you have any idea what their dad’s like?” He twisted to ask Richard.
“No, but if you want to tell me about it, feel free.”
“Yeah, well, he’s one of the worst.”