Chapter 9

Please don’t let it be Bobby Gonzales’s friend. Nick offered the silent plea. He wanted to keep his pleasant memories of that engaging charm intact.

Nick pushed through the door, letting Sheri roust the gawkers back to their duties. Christ. At first glance, a lot of blood was an understatement. But it looked worse than it was. Blood, like water, tended to thin and spread once outside the appropriate container.

Only two of the men had visible staining on their hands and clothes, but nothing fresh and more importantly, nothing dripping. The details filtered in the background of Nick’s focus. The important thing was the relatively unstained surface of the bandage on the man on the exam table.

“Can we clear the room?” His tone made the demand a question but got his point across.

“I’d like to stay.”