Dark Legacy by Jen Talty (reading books for 4 year olds .txt) 📗

punched the throttle. Even with all the lights, the campsite was hard to see through the lush trees and the people milling about.

Jackson shivered. Who went camping in April when the night dipped well into the forties? “Slow down,” he said as he maneuvered around to the other side of the boat. A flag floating in the water over an innertube caught his attention. “There are divers in the water.” He pointed. “And that’s a New York State Trooper SCUBA team boat.”

“I see it. Another body, maybe?”

“Could be. I can’t imagine a woman coming out here in April alone. Besides, we still have the new boyfriend that no one can find.”

“Could be a double homicide. Or maybe a murder-suicide case. Either way, if that’s our girl, our job is done,” Katie repeated.

“We might as well go home and wait for confirmation.” Jackson sat down next to Katie. He had no idea how he was going to tell Shannon. The even bigger question was whether he should wake her up tonight. He glanced at his watch—three in the morning.

He should wait. But for how long? If the cops released any information, it would hit the news pretty quickly, and Shannon was the kind of woman who paid attention to the news.

Katie kept the boat at a low speed as they maneuvered around Long Island and headed back toward Jackson’s place.

“Before I forget, I got a call from Bengal. He’s got a couple of new cases for us.”

“Funny. I met the son’s girlfriend earlier. She happens to be Shannon’s half-sister.”

“Small world,” Katie said. “Bengal’s kid doesn’t want anything to do with working for his father.”

“How do you know that?”

“He’s been spending a lot of time talking with Jacob about being an ADA.”

“I’d rather do work for the DA’s office, but we need the money.” One thing he’d learned over the last year was that he couldn’t always pick and choose his cases. He no longer had a rich wife.

Thank God. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the money. That said, living with her had turned out to be pure hell. And that was before she’d broken his heart by cheating on him while he was in the hospital after nearly dying from a gunshot wound.

“Thank Jacob for the use of the boat,” he said as he jumped onto the dock.

“He doesn’t know I borrowed it.”

Jackson should be shocked, but it was a typical Katie move. “Great. We just stole the assistant district attorney’s boat,” Jackson said and then pushed the bow. “See you in the morning.” The moment he turned, he noticed that Shannon’s lights were on. He started to head up the stone path to her cottage when the door flew open. Shannon raced toward the side of the house in jeans and a long sweater. Her hair looked as if she’d spent the day on a motorcycle going a hundred miles an hour without a helmet.

“Shannon,” he yelled. “Wait.”

She gasped, skidding to a halt. “Shit, Jackson. You scared me. I’m sorry. I’ve got to run. Some problems at work.”

“I’m sorry about your patient,” he said as he jogged to where she stood.

She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose with a puzzled look. “How did you know?”

“Katie called, and we drove up to Long Island to check it out. It looks like they are treating this as a suspicious death.”

Shannon’s eyes narrowed. “On Long Island? I’m sorry, but I don’t follow. I’ve got a crisis at Saratoga Hospital, not Long Island.”

“Oh, shit.” Jackson scratched the back of his head. “I thought you knew I was talking about Belinda. They found her body at a campsite. I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, God.” Shannon took in a long, deep breath as she braced herself against the side of the cottage. “Jesus. That’s terrible.” She breathed in and out slowly and methodically. “What happened?” she asked.

Gently, he ran his hand up and down her arm. “We don’t really know. The police are investigating.”

She stiffened her back. “I’m not going to wait for the police to come to me,” she said. “Do you know who I should contact?”

“I don’t know if the sheriff’s office or the State Troopers are running point, but I can find out and let you know by mid-morning.”

“I’d appreciate that.” She fiddled with the key remote and unlocked her car. “I’ve got to get going. I’ve got a crisis in Saratoga. Call my cell, okay?”

“Sure thing.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re trembling.”

“I have another patient in crisis. It’s a lot to handle right now.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Keep me in the loop about Belinda?”

He pressed his lips against her forehead. “I can do that.”

“I really have to get going.”

“Do me a favor and text me when you get to the hospital.” He took a chance and stole a quick but passionate kiss before watching her race up the path and hop into her vehicle.

When his divorce had become final, he’d sworn off women.

After kissing Shannon, he decided to amend that statement and make it just rich women.

Shannon pushed open the doors toward the holding tank and raced through the hallways, her heart pounding against her chest.

“Hey, Kent,” she said at the main doors.

Kent had been the one who called. He had sounded shaken but assured her that he was just fine. He gave her weak smile and nodded somberly.

“How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay.”

“If you need to talk, I’m always just a phone call away.”

“I may take you up on that.” Kent let out a long, slow breath, looking her directly in the eye. “By the time I got to the nurses’ station, Dr. Franklin was on the floor, and Gretchen started stabbing herself. I lunged toward her, but she plunged the scissors into her neck. Blood went everywhere. I tried to save her.”

“I know.” Shannon squeezed his biceps. “Nothing more anyone could have done. Any news on Dr. Franklin?”

“Last I heard, he was in surgery, but no one seems very optimistic. It’s a bloody mess in