Sequoia Valley: Risk (Free Preview)

1

November 2005

“She’s lying.”

Jâsim looked up from the chicken salad sandwich he was eating in the hospital cafeteria as he was seated across from José. “I know.”

The story she’d given José was better than what she’d told him, but she was still lying. Even he, who didn’t have the observational skills of his friend, could tell. She wasn’t a skilled liar, which meant she wasn’t deceitful by nature.

José sighed. “I knew this would happen. I can’t press charges or make a case if she lies.”

“Sure it’s the boyfriend?” Jâsim asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

José nodded. “He’s as guilty as sin. All the evidence points to him, and he definitely isn’t and wasn’t on any business trip. Domestic violence cases are always so complicated. It’s so hard to get the victim to press charges.”

“She wouldn’t tell me anything either,” Jâsim said with a shrug. “There’s nothing you can do?”

José shook his head. “Not if she lies and won’t press charges.”

Jâsim was loathe to release her from the hospital so she could return to the man who had put her in the hospital in the first place. But his hands were tied, too. He had to follow protocol, and he couldn’t keep a legal adult against her will in the hospital. She could leave at any time she chose and he wouldn’t have the power to stop her.

After they’d finished eating, José left and Jâsim returned to his rounds. But as he was passing by the room Aileen Byrne was being kept in, an unfamiliar male voice, low and menacing made him pause in his tracks.

“What did you tell them, brat?”

“Nothing, Jeremy.” Her voice trembled with obvious fear that made Jâsim want to step in; but he knew that could make a bad situation even worse at this point.

“If I find out you’re lying to me...” The threat was clear.

Jâsim fisted his hands and restrained himself. He’d never struggled with his temper before—except for when it came to his sister’s former husband. But he was gone out of their lives, so he hadn’t been tempted to hit anyone since. Until now.

“I promise I’m not lying.” Though Jâsim himself could verify it as the truth, she sounded more terrified than confident.

“I’ll be finding out,” Jeremy said. “Mark my words.”

“Yes, Jeremy.”

Jâsim hated to hear that submissive, resigned note in her voice. As if she was already expecting repercussions for something she hadn’t done.

“Let’s go. You’re not supposed to be here. How could you be so stupid as to end up in the hospital?”

He’s blaming her for something that’s his fault?! Jâsim couldn’t believe his ears.

“I’m sorry, Jeremy.”

Sorry? She’s sorry? She’s not supposed to be sorry! If he’d had any second thoughts about the boyfriend’s guilt, the man was doing a good job in chasing them away. He was obviously a piece of work that had his partner well manipulated and under his control.

“Come on, brat. Let’s go.”

Brat? That’s how you address someone you’re in a relationship with? He sounded more like an adult disciplining a child than a boyfriend.

“I can’t...” she sounded terrified as the words left her lips.

“What did you just say to me?” He’d sounded menacing earlier. Now he sounded enraged.