Page 122 of Dirty Mechanic

His lips twitch, but the movement looks like it hurts. “What happened? How’d I get here?”

I shut my eyes tight, trying to recall the somber morning. The bomb in my head goes off and it all rushes back.

“You passed out before the ambulance came,” I whisper. “They put you in the back with Blake. I passed out in Misty’s ambulance. She lost a lot of blood. You slept all day and night.”

He jerks upright—too fast—and gasps. “Blake? Is he?—?”

“He’s alive.” I squeeze his hand. “Still unconscious, but stable. ICU. They think it’s secondary drowning, but he’s holding on.”

I try to smile. It wobbles.

“And Misty?’ He asks.

“She had surgery yesterday—shattered arm and a dislocated shoulder. They said she came through fine, but she’s probably sleeping now.” I pause, swallowing the lump in my throat. “She hasn’t seen Blake yet. I don’t even know if they’ve told her everything.”

“I didn’t think I’d see you again.” My thumb rubs slow circles against his knuckles. “Not after the river.”

The door swings open with a knock and a click, and Caroline storms in like a warrior, rain dripping from her coat. Her belly appears first, then tablet in one hand, and scowl on her face follows.

“You two are gonna make me earn my damn fee, huh?”

I lift my head. “Why are we cuffed?”

She lowers herself into the visitor chair with the determination of a woman who’s heavily pregnant and over everyone’s shit. A small grunt escapes as she settles. She swipes the rain off her tablet with the cuff of her sleeve. “Because the justice system’s allergic to nuance.”

She tosses a manila envelope on the tray table, eyes narrowed. “Rick Bishop’s lawyer turned in parts of your journal. Pages were found in a plastic bag in the river. They’re using them to build murder charges for Huntz, and possibly Mike Bishop, depending on the autopsy.”

My heart seizes.

“M-Mike’s dead?” Derek’s voice cracks.

Caroline nods. “Pulled from the river around noon. Gunshot to the shoulder, likely drowned. The coroner’s still confirming cause of death, but it complicates everything. They’ll try to paint it as murder. Self-defense won’t be enough unless we lock down every detail. Emma’s getting in touch with Cash Wagner to help out.”

I blink, willing my stomach to stop turning. I didn’t pull the trigger. But part of me wanted to. Part of me still does.

“Misty only fired a warning shot,” Derek says.

“She fired, it hit him, he fell in the water, and then he died,” Caroline says. “ Doesn’t matter if the boat spun him off or if he slipped. Prosecutors love a neat story, and this one’s messy. And Intent won’t matter if the DA’s aiming for headlines.”

I tighten my grip on Derek’s hand. “What about Rick? Where is he?”

“Still missing and on the run. There’s an active warrant and search underway.” Caroline’s nostrils flare. “His lawyer’s stonewalling. Claims he hasn’t heard from him, but I’m not buying it. Technically, attorney-client privilege still applies, even if the client's wanted. I can’t force disclosure unless we catch him or the lawyer screws up.”

I stare at the tablet she’s holding like it’s a weapon. “So we’re being dragged through hell while the guy behind all this sits safe with a lawyer on speed dial?”

She shrugs. “Welcome to the American justice system.”

Derek growls, quiet and low. “Unreal. How long do we have?”

Caroline doesn’t blink. “The hearing’s in five days. Thursday morning at nine. Judge Holloway. Courtroom 2. We’ll file a motion to toss the journal pages for hearsay, lack of context, and chain of custody. But you’ll remain cuffed until the bail’s approved.” She turns to Derek. “Once you’re stable, they’ll transfer you to county. Annabelle stays here under observation.”

She slides the tablet between us. “I need written statements from both of you. Detailed timeline. Everything that happened. Every word said and every threat made. Don’t leave out a damn thing.”

Five days. Five. That’s less than a week to lock down every interaction in perfect order.

I nod. “We’ll write everything.”

Caroline’s gaze meets mine. “You’ll testify to the journal’s disappearance and your relationship with Mike.”