Forgetting Jane Read Online Free PDF Page B

cigarette too, dammit.
    The second he reached his truck, he took out a cigarette he had been saving for an emergency and placed it between his teeth. The tip of his tongue stroked the end of the filter, which gave him the urge to light it. He didn’t, though. The taste placated some of his craving, but it didn’t quell the need for a bottle of scotch—a fifth would do.
    He rubbed at his right shoulder and ignored the pinch of pain that shot through to his collarbone. He leaned against his truck and took in a shuddering deep breath. The thirty-degree wind chill started to settle his taut nerves. He unbuttoned his shirt, leaving him only in a white T.              
    “Why am I here?” he questioned as he leaned back against the truck, with both arms crossed his chest, looking up at the black clear sky. The only response was the stars twinkling above.
    Ever since he was appointed chief, he’d felt out of step. The Jane Doe case made him even more off balance. He hadn’t picked up a drink in three years or a cigarette for a week. Now he was craving both. Desperate.
    He took out a small Bic from his pocket and contemplated on lighting the cigarette. Instead, he threw the lighter inside the truck.
    “Get your head out of your ass, McAvoy,” he said to himself. His job was to serve and protect the people of this town. He needed to keep a level head at all times. It didn’t matter if he was a simple officer or the chief of police. There were no allowances for past mistakes or emotions to get in the way of doing what was important, and right.
    Then why did this case, or Jane for that matter, get under his skin? He knew deep down, if there were a chance to redeem himself…No. There was no room for redemption.
    Self-doubt covered him like Jane’s puke.
    The wind shifted suddenly to the north. It felt colder, harsher than it had, then stilled. An eerie lull filled the night. A tingle ran across his skin. He rolled his broad shoulders back and shifted his head from side to side. The sudden tightness in his neck felt like a warning.
    He was being watched. Elias could sense it. It was the same feeling when he and his unit almost stumbled into a trap in Bagram, Afghanistan. And the same when he stood by the lake.
    Looking around, Eli noticed nothing. He blew out a breath, ignored his instincts, and slid into the truck.
    Chalk it up to no sleep. He shook his head, put the shift in gear, and headed home.

Chapter Five
     
     
    A drenaline ran high in his bloodstream. He waited two long days before he saw Jane.
    He slithered through the hospital like a snake, hiding in the shadows, avoiding the night staff.
    He stepped in Jane’s room and strolled up to the bed. He stared down at her with slowly rising rage. How in the hell did she survive? Who would have guessed you’d make it through. Stubborn little bitch. He lightly touched her cheek; the heat from her puffy cheeks seared the pads of his cold fingers.
    The small overhead light cast a soft glow around her, almost ethereal. She was no angel.
    He grabbed the chart that hung on the wall and read it. Jane Doe . Ha. Wouldn’t they like to know your real name?
    After placing the chart back in its place, he walked to the foot of the bed with great satisfaction in knowing what others didn’t. He reached out and touched her left foot, shaking it gently back and forth. He wanted her to wake up and see him. That first reaction was critical, it set his heart pounding while he waited for her to move.
    She hadn’t moved. Not even a moan. How fucking disappointing .
    He walked to her side and studied her face. “You should have stayed dead and buried. You are nothing but a complication to me,” he whispered, shaking his head.
    The chloroform had never fully worked on her when he dragged her out of her car. He should have smacked her a few times with the shovel: that would have done the trick.             
    Though, she gave him such a thrill when he’d yanked her