Page 83 of Critical Doubt

"Please, please don't tell me you or Ryker have been hurt," Abby implored.

"It's not me, or Ryker." She gripped the phone more tightly. "I don't know how to tell you this, Abby. But Paul—Paul is alive."

"What? What did you say?"

"He's not dead, Abby. I just saw him."

"You're crazy, Savannah. Why are you saying this?"

"Because it's true. Did you see his body, Abby? After he fell off the roof? Did you see him at the morgue?"

There was a silence at the other end of the phone and then Abby said, "Chief Tanner told me I shouldn't see Paul, that his face was messed up, and it would haunt me for the rest of my life."

"So, Chief Tanner saw him?"

"And Todd. He agreed that I shouldn't see him."

That meant both Chief Tanner and Todd had helped fake Paul's death.Why?

"There must be a mistake," Abby continued. "You just saw someone who looked like him."

"Abby, I know you don't want to believe this, but it was Paul. I talked to him. He told me to tell you he was sorry, that he did it for you and Tyler."

"Sorry?" Abby echoed. "For what? For pretending he was dead? For leaving me and Tyler to grieve him? Is that what you're trying to get me to believe? He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't hurt us like that. How could that be better for us?"

She could hear the bewilderment and pain in Abby's voice, and it broke her heart. "I don't know why he would do what he did. I think he's in a lot of trouble."

"Why didn't you ask him why he did it? Where is he now? I need to see him. I need to talk to him."

Abby's question brought her immediately back to the present. "He was shot, Abby. Ryker and I are at the hospital with him now. Paul is in surgery."

"No. No. That can't be. Now you're telling me he's hurt?"

"Yes, and maybe I should have waited to tell you, Abby, because it's serious. He's in critical condition. I don't honestly know if he's going to make it."

"Oh, God."

"I'm sorry, Abby. I thought you should know."

"What hospital?"

"St. Anne, near Chesapeake Beach."

"That's near where Ryker lives. What are you doing there?"

"It's a long story. I'll text you the address. You can come now, or I can call you when we know more."

"No. I'm coming now. I can't wait, but it's going to take me a few hours. I'll have to get a flight."

"Do you want me to help you figure that out?"

"I'll get my mom to make arrangements. Who shot him, Savannah? Who shot Paul?"

"I don't know, but I think Paul knew him. He tried to save Ryker and me, Abby."

"Save you?" Abby echoed. "I don't understand. I'm so confused."

"You're not alone. We can talk when you get here. Can someone come with you? I don't want you to be alone."