Chance Collision Read Online Free PDF Page A

She was fine. It’d been confirmed by Sergeant Stein, the officer in charge of the scene. But still—she’d been in the damn room.
    Calm down.
    The scene was secure. One vic, shot twice, probably already on her way to the hospital. This was clean up, canvass and find out what happened. Investigate.
    He’d done it a million times.
    Pete slammed the car door shut and plastered on his game face, meeting Cole’s partner, Detective Jared Manning, in the parking lot. The guy had an evidence kit slung over his shoulder.
    “Don’t think you’ll need that. CSI’s already on scene.” Pete thumbed the white van with Crime Scene Unit displayed on the side.
    The younger man shrugged. “Thought it might come in handy.”
    Pete nodded and they fell into step, heading into the long L-shaped one-storey building. “Thanks for showing up since Andi’s out.”
    “No problem. Cole’s out, too, after all. It’s a boy, did you hear?” Jared asked.
    “Yeah. Cole sent me a text.”
    “Too bad the kid’s arrival is overshadowed by this crap.” Jared gestured to the chaos inside the rehab centre.
    Jared’s expression was grim as they arrived at the room where the shooting had gone down. He yanked blue booties on over his shoes and nodded to the two crime scene techs already processing the scene.
    Glancing from the doorway, Pete saw a pool of blood on the floor, glass everywhere.
    Damn, would the woman even stand a chance with all that blood?
    Marion was snapping away with her high-tech digi cam, her navy Crime Scene Unitwindbreaker rustling with her movements. The yellow lettering caught his eye, distorting as she paused to push up the long sleeves. It was a warm evening.
    Cole’s partner went inside, appearing to do a visual sweep. He had a keen eye, so Pete let him do his thing. They both needed to note what they could, in addition to getting the lead tech’s take on everything.
    Doctors, nurses and other gawkers swarmed the hallway outside, talking over each other. They’d need to clear everyone out, weed through who’d seen what.
    Nikki stood close to Sergeant Chloe Stein. Their heads were bent together as they spoke, Nikki leaning into the shorter woman when Chloe put her arm around her. Nikki’s back was to an elderly woman on a gurney against the wall just down from the room. Two nurses were hovering at her bedside, their expressions concerned, voices low and urgent.
    “I will not.” The slight woman crossed her arms over her thin chest and glared hard enough to make Pete twitch.
    “But, Mrs Jenkins, please—”
    “I will not leave my granddaughter.” Mrs Jenkins scowled.
    Pete’s feet carried him closer of their own accord, just as Nikki pulled away from the sergeant.
    “Gram, I’m fine. Please let Rebecca take you to a new room.” She spared him a glance, but nothing more. Her fear was glued to her grandmother.
    Rebecca, the taller of the two nurses, sighed, her shoulders relaxing. She was a curvy, attractive black woman with short hair. When she glanced at Pete, she flashed a smile.
    “I’ll go with you,” Nikki said to Mrs Jenkins. “Be right back,” she told Chloe, but her gaze finally raked Pete.
    He inclined his head as the sergeant told her to take her time. Pete let Nikki handle getting her grandmother resettled without protest. He’d speak to her when she was back. She probably needed the breather anyway.
    “Detective.”
    Pete swung his head around, meeting Sergeant Stein’s blue eyes. “Chloe.”
    She squared her shoulders. “The staff took Nikki and her grandmother out of the room before I made scene with Ricketts, or I would’ve told them to hold tight. Gram’s and Nikki’s clothing appeared clean, but you might want Neil to do a thorough check. Blood spatter on the bed sheets—I told the nurses not to touch anything. Nikki recounted what she could, and I’ve had dispatch put a BOLO out for the car. The vic was rushed to the hospital, stable, but I told the docs you’ll likely