Chance Collision Read Online Free PDF Page B

hospital.”
    Jared nodded. “Sounds good.”
    Sergeant Stein was talking to Nikki when Pete returned to the hallway. Chloe made eye contact with him before he reached the two women.
    “I’m going to see who saw what,” she said. “Let you know what I find out.”
    “Thanks,” Pete said.
    Nikki offered a wobbly smile when their gazes met.
    “Relax,” he said. “Just talk to me like you’d tell your best friend what happened.”
    “I hate to sound like a cliché, but it happened so fast.” She shook her head, scrunching up her nose.
    He wanted to reach out to her, reassure her, but he made himself stand still, prove his attentive police professionalism. Andi always had him talk to witnesses first. She said he was better at it. Calmer. She considered herself too insistent.
    “What do you remember?” Pete asked gently.
    “Dark clothes. Two handguns. I don’t know what kind, I’m sorry. They were loud. And big.”
    “It’s okay. I wouldn’t expect you to recognise the guns.”
    She made a face, looking away. “I work in a police department, you’d think something woulda stuck.”
    Pete grabbed her hand and squeezed, smiling slightly.
    Nikki’s brown eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away.
    Good. After the small touch, he wanted to hold onto her. “It’s fine. Just tell me as much as you can, all right?”
    She sucked in a breath. Her full breasts rose and fell and it took all he was made of to not stare there. “Oh, no,” she whispered.
    “What is it?”
    “You’re using that tone…” Nikki closed her eyes.
    He frowned. “What tone?”
    “That ‘ You’re-a-witness-and-I-can’t-see-into-your-head’ tone. Coaxing, candy-from-a-baby stuff.”
    Pete laughed, he couldn’t help it. He wanted to kiss her hand or hug her. “Well, darlin’, you are a witness.”
    Nikki’s eyes locked onto his face and she paled. “Oh. God. I am .”
    She wavered on her feet and he caught her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pinning her to his side. “Jared! A chair. Quick.”
    Jared dashed to grab a seat from down the hall, but not before Pete felt Nikki’s side against his ribs, the curve of her perfect ass against his thigh. She was warm and supple. He wanted to turn her in his arms, pull her close and take her mouth.
    Knock it off. She works for your boss. More than that, she’s a witness in your new case.
    Pete rested his hands on her shoulders after he pressed her into the chair. He couldn’t pull away just yet. Not until he knew she was all right.
    She stared up at him, expression lost. Nikki trembled beneath his grip.
    “I’ll get her some water,” Jared said, disappearing towards the nurses’ station.
    “Take a breath. You’re okay,” Pete said.
    Nikki nodded. Her tongue darted out to moisten her full bottom lip and his mouth went dry.
    Tearing his gaze away, he made himself meet her eyes—and keep his gaze there. Your mind out of the gutter would be good, too. “Better?” he asked, but it was more of a croak.
    “I think so,” she breathed.
    Taking a step back, Pete forced his hands to his sides.
    Jared arrived with a paper cup. He pressed it into Nikki’s palm and she muttered thanks as she took a sip.
    “I’m gonna wrap up with Neil,” Jared said, thumbing towards the room. He didn’t wait for Pete or Nikki to answer him.
    “Let me know when you’re ready to talk,” Pete said. Experience had taught him the less pressure, the better. It made witnesses remember more, helped them open up.
    Once again she nodded, but she wrapped both hands around the paper cup and held it for dear life. “I’m okay, really.”
    “Good. Slow and easy, just talk to me.”
    Nikki cleared her throat. “Gram and I were talking to Maria after she’d given Gram her evening meds. These men rushed in and there was a burst of light in the hallway—that’s what caught my attention even before I heard the gunshot. Maria dropped like a sack of potatoes. Then they were gone. In a black