SO COLD (18+) currently editing

Chapter 65

"I don't need a babysitter!" James snarled tumultuously, volatile and uncontrolled, so unlike him. Maddened by the attack and fueled by Cole's pat downs on his temper, he threatened coldly. "If he follows me, I'll kill the bastard."

"James!" Cole called after his retreating and tensed-shouldered figure in the hallway. He expelled an exasperated and tired sigh and rose, black gaze troubled and concerned for his greatest friend. "I should follow him. Get to the hospital. I'll tell Svetlana to swing by and visit you later." He kissed my cheek and instructed Irvin to stay with me and wait for the cops and ambulance to arrive.

"Your wound needs attending to," I latched onto Cole's wrist, halting his swift exit, worried and seeking his gaze to lock on to, stomach twisted with sickness. "Stay."

"He's my brother," Cole eased my hand from his arm gently, "he's upset with what happened and I need to talk to him. I'll be back for you later. Alright?" his thumb brushed against my cheek, and he seemed to deliberate on a thought; eyes falling briefly to my mouth. And then he stepped back, smiled slightly. "I'll see the doctor later."

"OK," a dejected sigh escaped my lips and I watched his exit.

Moments later Irvin flicked my bleeding ear, grossed out. "Your ear is dangling. That is nauseating. I need a brown paper bag to vomit into, or better yet just hold out your hands and catch my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

Bemused, I turned to him, and arched an eyebrow; a silent are you serious? hung in the air between us. He sheepishly contorted his expression and after a brief moment of acknowledging the blaring screams of the sirens, he said sincerely. "I had a heart attack when I heard the bomb blast. I'm glad you're OK. I don't know what I would've done without you. You're my best friend and the only person left that I care for – including Daniel, too. I love you, Shay."

"I love you, too," I reciprocated fondly and hugged him.

***

Chief Michaels entered the stark-white room with a grave expression, thick eyebrows burrowed down over watery brown eyes, mouth grim and dressed in his signature style: thin black tie, clean white shirt and long buttoned coat. His colleague was a woman with mousey brown hair in a bun and a piggish upturned nose. She was dressed in slacks and had a cold, calculating gleam to her eyes. He murmured quiet words to her before entering the room and she nodded, respectfully waiting outside, back to the window. He swept the room with feigned interest, passing over the hospital bed, the humming machines and then to my crossed legged and bandaged figure sitting atop the bed. He met my smile with enervation, a weariness fathers would have etched on their faces after their daughter returns home long past their curfew, relieved they've not been murdered in an alleyway someplace. He took the green chair, pushed a hand through his combed hair and straightened up. "What happened, Shay?"

"Someone blew up my car. I got stitches. Irvin's gone to get coffee and attend to a missed phone call."

"I'm going to need you to make a statement. Come down to the station."

"There's not much to say. I don't know who it was and I can't guess without certainty."

"I'll need details, anything you can recall; where you last were, what you were doing, who you were with, why Cole King ran off." He didn't break eye contact, continuing without a pause. "The little details will paint a picture and allow me to get a greater understanding of what went down. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes sir. You want to know if the bomb was planted for Cole or for myself," I swung my legs off the mattress and smiled a smile that felt more like an awkward grimace, "once I'm given the thumbs up, I'll swing by and give a word for word account of the last few days." I stilled my moving mouth before I could add an unnecessary and sarcastic quip about lending him my diary to read. It wasn't the time nor place and despite our tense history, I actually liked Chief Michaels; he wasn't an enemy, just a man doing his job. "Is that all?"