Page 50 of Viktor

“Shh,malyshka. I’ve got her. She’s going to be fine.” He turned to the nurse. “Call security and the police. Now.”

Nurses rushed her, and she was pulled away from Viktor, who picked up Delia and followed. She was hustled into a wheelchair and taken to the ER. The next half hour flew by in a blur as she was poked and prodded and asked what happened. X-ray was an even worse nightmare. Not only was she prodded again, it caused her wrist and her back to scream in outrage. By the time she was taken back to her room in the ER, she wanted nothing more than her own bed and some Icy Hot patches.

Such was not the case, though. The police showed up. The officer was Carl Dillinger. His brother worked with Roger at the garage, so she held no hope he’d do more than a cursory look into this.

“Sara Jane.” He came over and inspected her injuries. “You look like you tangled with a wildcat and lost.”

“I feel like it.” She grimaced when she accidently leaned on her left side, which was purpling up nicely.

“Want to tell me what happened?”

“I’d like to know that myself.” Up until now, Viktor had been quiet, letting the doctors and nurses work. He looked fit to be tied. At least he was keeping Delia calm. The little girl kept trying to climb on her, but he deftly distracted her each time.

Carl eyeballed Viktor up and down, his brow furrowing. “Who are you?”

“This is Viktor. He’s…” She pursed her lips, trying to figure out what to say. She hadn’t actually hired him.

“I’m Viktor Kincaid of Kincaid Security and Investigations. I’m her personal security.”

“Fat lot of good that did her.” Carl scratched his nose and turned back to Sara, dismissing Viktor.

Sara saw him flinch. He was going to blame this on himself when it wasn’t his fault. She should have listened to him and stayed put instead of running from her feelings. If she had, none of this would be happening.

“What happened?”

She pulled her attention from Viktor and back to Carl. “I was pulled into the stairwell by a man wearing a ski mask. When I fought him, he hit me in the face. I kicked him so hard in the nuts he should be singing soprano for a month.”

Carl’s lips tilted up. “Smart girl.”

“I tried to push him away, but he caught me as he fell, and we both went down the stairs. Viktor came running when he was dragging me down the stairs. He took off, and Viktor took care of me.”

“You didn’t go after him?” Carl looked over at Viktor, who stood rigid and stone-faced.

“No. Sara’s welfare came first.”

Carl nodded, wrote a few things down. “Did you know him, Sara?”

“Of course, she knew him,” Viktor spat. “It was Roger.”

Carl’s eyes narrowed, his lip curving into a snarl. “Now, what evidence do you have of that?”

“It wasn’t Roger.”

“It was,” Viktor argued, but she shook her head.

“No, it wasn’t. I was married to the man for seven years. I think I’d know his voice.”

“He spoke to you?”

She nodded. “I slammed my head back into his. I’m pretty sure I broke his nose, because he said…” She broke off and gestured toward Delia. “I’d rather not repeat what he said in front of my daughter.”

Carl flipped a page in his notebook and handed it to her. “Write it down.”

She did as he asked and gave it back.

He read it, his eyes going hard. “You don’t have any idea who this was?”

“Oh, I know who’s responsible.” She flexed her shoulder to alleviate some of the soreness. “Roger is responsible for this.”