Gauge, page 3
“Is the shooting on there?”
“Partially. You can see a side profile of the man and the flash of the gun, but Gauge is out of view.”
Good. Even though they needed as much evidence as possible to catch the creep who’d done this, she couldn’t bear to watch Gauge being shot over and over again and remain clinical about it.
“Anybody claim responsibility?”
“Nope.”
“What about their enemies?”
“That’s a damn long list. We’d need to set up a database and run queries to find possible candidates.”
She lightly ran her fingers over the hair on Gauge’s forearm. “Your computer expert is currently unavailable.”
He sighed. “We know. That’s why we’re all scrutinizing the video footage. You wanna come watch and help?”
“No,” she said softly. She wasn’t ready to put on her work hat just yet. She just needed a minute to regroup first. At least, that was what she told herself.
The door opened a nurse walked in. “Y’all aren’t supposed to be in here,” she whispered. “The doctor is making his rounds and will be here shortly.”
Axle tugged on Viola’s elbow. “C’mon. The waiting room is right down the hall.”
She didn’t want to leave his side, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She stood on legs that felt like they were encased in concrete, but she managed to figure out how to make them work anyway. Before she left the room, she stopped beside the nurse. “I’m going to be down the hall. I want to know the second he’s awake.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Axle directed her to the waiting area and guided her to the couch by his laptop. “I’ll start it from the beginning.”
She nodded and waited while he set up the video. He fiddled with a few settings and sat beside her.
“Here’s the supply truck.”
Leaning in, she said, “There aren’t any distinct markings on it.”
“Yeah, it’s just a plain box truck. Delivery companies don’t need to advertise their business. They contract with the stores.”
“Do you order through one company?”
“Yes, but cargo usually arrives at a central loading dock. Local delivery drivers complete the shipment.” He shrugged. “Most small businesses don’t have a dock for an eighteen-wheeler or a forklift to unload.”
“Makes sense. Have y’all reached out to the company you ordered from to get the name of the shipper?”
“Bear’s coordinating that with McMillian.”
“Is the sound turned all the way up?” she asked, looking for a volume button on the laptop.
“There’s no audio.”
“Crap,” she said, hunching closer. There wasn’t any movement. The vehicle backed up enough that the awning covered half the truck box, leaving only a small portion of it and the cab exposed. Every once in a while she’d see a shadow of a person, but nothing else. Then she saw the man walk to the driver’s side door.
“That’s him,” Axle said.
He pulled something out. “There’s the gun,” she said.
A couple of seconds later, light flashed from the end of it. Viola didn’t think about what was going on in the garage at that moment. She kept her gaze locked onto the screen. The man jumped in the truck, and drove off, hitting the curb on his way out.
“That’s it.”
“Back it up to where he jumped into the truck. Can you slow down the feed?”
“Yep.”
She waited while he did what she asked. When the video began to play again, she leaned in closer. “Brown hair. Medium build. Looks to be about five-eight.”
“That’s what we estimated. He’s about half a foot shorter than Hunter. He was the closest to Gauge when he was shot.”
“Did Hunter see anything?” she asked, finally looking at Axle.
“Nothing unusual. He ran around the corner to see if there was anything Gauge needed help with, but he knew the truck was already unloaded. He said the guy said something at the same time Gauge shouted for him to get down. Gauge tried to get out of the way, but the guy hit him. Hunter scrambled toward Gauge, yanked his shirt off, and tried to stanch the blood flow. By the time the rest of the crew got over there, the truck was speeding away.”
“He didn’t hear what the guy said?”
Axle shook his head. “He’s been beside himself about that, too.”
Viola blew out a breath. This wasn’t much to go on. “Hopefully, the supply company can provide us with a list of delivery companies they use.”
“Yeah, and let’s hope they don’t hire random dudes off the internet.”
She nodded, but movement out of the corner of her eye had her quickly standing. The nurse stood in the doorway.
“The doctor just examined Mr. Osborne. He’s asking for the next of kin.”
Viola gasped, her trembling hand covering her mouth. Axle squeezed her shoulders. Asking for his family wasn’t a good sign.
“It’s okay. He’s asked that every time,” Axle said.
“I’m his sister,” Viola said without hesitation.
The nurse narrowed her eyes. “I thought you were an officer.”
“I’m an FBI agent just like Duke.”
“Duke,” Axle breathed, and she was pretty sure she heard a snicker.
“You’re the first person to call him by that name,” the nurse said as if she might believe Viola’s story for using his given name. Then she asked, “When’s his birthday?”
“April fourth.”
She narrowed her eyes. “An FBI agent would know that.”
“He has a birthmark on his left hip. Looks like a three-eyed alien. Used to make fun of him when we were growing up. Told him he got abducted, and the little green men branded him.”
“The authorities might know about body markings.”
“But we wouldn’t know that, when he was seven, he hit a grand slam in T-ball, and he got his favorite for dinner that night. Mac and cheese,” Viola said sarcastically. She knew a nurse couldn’t verify something of that nature, but she’d say whatever she had to.
“Every kid loves that,” she said, not skipping a beat. “Are you older or younger?”
“Younger by a minute. Doctor just took him out first, so I don’t think that counts.”
“You’re twins? Don’t look much alike.”
Viola blinked, ready to be done with this game. “Yeah, I don’t have a dick, either.”
Axle coughed on a laugh, and then quickly cleared his throat.
“Fine. I’ll let the doctor know he has a relative here.” She walked off.
“I’m surprised that worked,” Axle murmured.
Viola waved him off. “I was about to storm back in his room anyway.”
When an older man in a white coat walked into the waiting area, Viola didn’t hesitate. “How’s Duke?”
“His vitals are stable. He woke up briefly while I was in the room with him. He’s going to need a lot of rest, but he should pull through.”
Viola felt the tension leave her body as her hand flew to her heart. “Thank God.”
“He’s very lucky. Once he’s coherent and responding well to pain medication, I’ll be able to discharge him. Still too early to say when that’ll happen, but it could be as soon as a few days. He’ll need a lot of help for a few weeks, but we’ll get more into that when he’s ready to go.”
“Thank you so much,” she said, feeling her eyes water. “Can I see him?”
He gave her a short nod. “Make it quick. I’m serious about the rest.”
“Sure thing,” she lied smoothly. Her being in there wouldn’t disturb him from resting. She didn’t wait around for the doctor to change his mind. She bolted down the hall and into Gauge’s room. He wasn’t awake, but his bandage was slightly smaller than the one he’d had earlier. She pulled the small chair even closer to his bed, slipped her hand into his, and rested her head against his forearm.
He’s gonna be fine.
She knew she was allowing her emotions to run wild, so she made a promise to herself then and there.
Today, she would cling to him, feel he was safe and getting better.
Tomorrow, she would put her shields up and keep him at arms’ length. She couldn’t let her emotions from the past cloud who they were today. She was strong. She could do it.
It wouldn’t be the first time she’d have to pretend her heart wasn’t affected by Duke Osborne. With any luck, maybe this trip would become the final closure she needed, so that maybe she wouldn’t have to pretend anymore.
She could finally be over him.
Chapter Four
It hurt to breathe. In fact, everything fucking hurt. Gauge tried to open his eyes, but he wanted to go back to that peaceful place where his body floated among a swirl of blonde hair. It must’ve been a dream. He hadn’t been with a blond woman since Viola. Whenever he’d tried to date someone with light golden hair, guilt would assault him. This dream had felt comforting amidst the agony he was in. His body ached in ways he hadn’t realized were possible. Had he gotten drunk and crashed on the couch? His mouth tasted like cotton.
Beeping sounded in the distance, coming through the fog of his sleep. The smell of rubbing alcohol singed his nostrils. His heavy eyelids fluttered, taking snapshots of his surroundings. He was not on his couch or even in his house. He didn’t recognize this room, but he knew exactly where he was.
A hospital.
He just didn’t know why.
What had happened to him? He felt like he’d gotten hit by a freight train about forty-seven times. Something rested in his hand, so he pushed it. Hopefully a nurse could tell him what was wrong with him. He looked at the corner and saw someone in scrubs huddled in a chair, but a mass of blond hair covered her face. Was he so bad off that a nurse had to stay by his side? His eyelids were getting so heavy again. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a groan. The woman looked up, just as sleep claimed him once more.
This time when he dreamed, there was a face among the fair locks. A face that hadn’t haunted him in years, but had since returned to those otherwise peaceful hours in the middle of the night.
Viola Lane. That hadn’t been her last name when he’d met the feisty blonde at the FBI Academy, but it was her first name that had originally drawn them together. Viola and Duke…straight out of a Shakespearean play. Although, The Twelfth Night was supposed to be a romantic comedy, in reality their love had no happy ending.
Gauge had been the first to introduce her to a fucked-up relationship. She’d had a sheltered life growing up and had fallen hard for him. The Academy had a no fraternizing rule that they’d easily ignored…until they’d gotten caught.
Not wanting to ruin either of their careers, he’d put an end to their affair before they’d gotten too deep, but in the end, it had been much too late. They’d already fallen in love.
As well, he’d taken her virginity.
Worse, she’d never known why he’d broken up with her. He hadn’t been able to tell her they’d been found out. To her, he’d just simply dumped her. A real jerk. She’d had no idea he’d done it to protect her place at the Academy and to keep her reputation from getting dragged through the mud.
When Gauge had been assigned to work undercover on the Bang Shift, the job had given him the distance he’d needed to move on. After his cover had been blown and the team reorganized, the two of them had, technically, worked together a few times. Thankfully, he hadn’t had to actually face her.
Until Brody’s wife, Xan, had her baby shower.
He’d wanted to go to Viola that day. Tell her how sorry he was. It’d been the wrong place for a conversation like that. Did she even care about what had happened all those years ago between them? She’d apparently moved on. After graduation, she’d gotten married. And divorced. It still made his blood boil to think of the pain Dave had caused her.
Pot meet kettle.
Gauge had gotten shitfaced on the day of those nuptials.
Yeah, there was a part of his young heart that he’d lost to her, but seeing her for the first time in so many years, had the memory of his feelings rushing back.
It didn’t matter that she was divorced now. He’d ruined his chance with her. They should’ve waited until after graduation before starting anything, but they’d been young and impulsive.
Shakespeare definitely got it wrong. Viola and Duke were never meant to be together. Their love was a classic tragedy, complete with the death of the hero because with the pain he was in, he had to be on death’s door.
Among the agony in his body and clouds in his brain, it was her he saw. Not only that, but he smelled her, too. She used to wear this candy-scented lotion that taunted him with how delectable she’d taste, and one night he’d discovered how little justice that scent had done her. Her skin was the sweetest he’d ever experienced.
When he awoke again, he was still in the hospital room. He tried to catalog his surroundings better this time.
No light peered through the slit in the curtain, so it was nighttime now.
The nurse remained sitting in the corner.
The pain in his chest was almost unbearable, but now he almost welcomed it as if it was proof he was alive. He looked at the thing in his hand, which he’d thought was a call button, but saw it went to a machine. Ahhh. Pain medication. Must’ve been why he’d gone back to sleep the last time he’d pushed it. He considered waking up the nurse to ask questions, but it was dark. Answers could wait. He was exhausted and hurting like hell. He pushed the button and drifted off into oblivion, barely wondering why a nurse on duty would be asleep in his room.
He dreamed of his nurse and of Viola. He was somehow aware he was in a hospital even as he slept but had meshed the two women into one. He didn’t question why he’d done that, just felt a sense of comfort as he rested deeply. He remembered waking up a few times more, still hurting, but pushed the button before he thought better of it.
Light blanketed him, almost warming him skin in the cold, sterile room. He went to push the button again instead of opening his eyes, but nothing was in his fist. Gauge slowly opened his lids and glanced around the room. A woman in shorts and a T-shirt sat in the same chair, her blond hair draping the side of her face as she read something. She wasn’t in scrubs like before, but maybe he’d just been tripping on the medication they’d been giving him.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice like gravel, his eyes shutting once again as he tried clearing the rocks in his dry throat.
“You’re awake,” she said quickly.
Gauge’s eyes flew open at the voice from his dreams, but he was no longer sleeping. “Vi?” She stood next to him now, her hand reaching out, but she quickly dropped it before touching him. Then she frowned slightly and pushed a button beside his bed. What in the world was she doing here?
“Are you hurting? They took the morphine pump off yesterday.”
“I’m better,” he said. The pain was immense but not as horrible as when he’d woken up the first time.
“Mmm-hmm,” she muttered as if she didn’t believe him.
“Mr. Osborne.” An older lady in scrubs walked into the room. “How are you feeling today? You gave everyone quite a scare.”
“He’s in pain. I want you to give him the shot,” Viola said, leveling a hard gaze at the nurse.
“Mr. Osborne, on a scale of one to ten how would you rate your pain?”
Seventy-six. “About a four.”
She nodded.
Viola scoffed. “Don’t be macho. Tell her the truth.” She faced the nurse again. “I want him to have the medication. The doctor said he could have it when he woke up.” She crossed her arms as if preparing for a fight.
The poor nurse looked at him. Before she could ask again, he said, “More like a nine.” He had no idea how to rate this agony, but since he felt slightly better than before, that seemed like a good guess.
“I’ll be right back.”
As soon as she left, he looked at Viola. “What happened?” And why was she here? Had he asked her that before?
She tapped on her cell phone and brought it up to her mouth. “This is Special Agent Viola Lane with former Special Agent Duke Osborne.” She recited the date and time as she walked closer to him. “Tell me what you remember.”
“Why are you recording me?”
She sighed and killed the recording. “Because I’m investigating what happened to you. I’d like to get your comments saved, so that I can refer back to them while I look into everything.”
“So, you’re not here because I got hurt?” he asked. Damn, why did he feel crushed by that? He shouldn’t be surprised.
Her mask of indifference slipped but only for a second. She’d been affected by his accident, but either didn’t like that she was or was trying to hide it from him.
“Here we are,” the nurse said, walking back into the room. She prepped the syringe and injected it into the IV. “This isn’t as strong as what you’ve been on. You’ll be tired but might not sleep. Your sister knows you need to rest,” she said almost as if in warning to Viola. The nurse held up a water glass, and he obligingly took a sip.
Gauge cocked an eyebrow at Viola as he swallowed, and her fair cheeks got rosy. “My sister just wants me safe.”
The nurse put the mug on a table beside his bed. “Just press the call button if you need anything. I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.”
He expressed his thanks, and as soon as the nurse left, he looked at Viola. “Sister?”
“Long story.” She waved her hand and brought up her phone again to record their conversation. She recited the same intro but added that he was medicated, ending with the same prompt as before.
“I don’t remember shit.” He shut his eyes, the fresh meds coursing through him and relaxing him slightly. The pain was still there, but the drugs coursing through him had definitely taken the edge off.
“What’s the last thing you recall?” she asked gently.
“Um, working at the garage, I think.” He rubbed his leg, letting his hand trail up his tummy toward his chest. He had bandages there but hadn’t inspected them yet.
