The Man Who Crossed Worlds (Miles Franco #1)

Chapter Sixteen

Breakthroughs had one hell of a rejuvenating ability. I clutched the bottle of Chroma in my hands so tight it hurt and tried to work out which of the swirling thoughts I wanted to deal with first. My sleep deprivation was gone in an instant, replaced by a sense of determination that burned through my veins. I wanted to leap, I wanted to hug Vivian, but most of all I wanted to see the cops slap handcuffs on Spencer and haul him off to jail.

A dim part of my brain remembered that I’d once considered the chemist a friend, or at least a business acquaintance, but I shoved that thought aside. He was a liar, that’s what he was. He’d hurt Tania. He could’ve killed her, goddamn it! And he was going to do it again and again. No, I had no qualms about seeing him banged up.

“What are we waiting for?” I asked. “Let’s go.”

Vivian started to nod, but then her face dropped, and she touched her bottom lip with her teeth. “I’ll call Detective Todd. But…”

“But? But what?”

“You’re not coming.”

It felt like she’d just offered me a million bucks then set it on fire. “What the hell, Vivian? I’m in this case as much as you. You think I won’t risk a little more danger?”

I was getting close to shouting, but I didn’t give a damn about the stares I was attracting from the other patients. The triage nurse glared at me, and it took all my self-control not to scream obscenities at her.

Vivian raised her hands in what she probably thought was a soothing gesture, and spoke in a quiet voice as if hoping that I’d follow suit. “It’s not the danger, Miles. You know Davies—”

“So do you,” I said, waving my arms around. “The hell does that have to do with anything?”

“Damn it, Miles, you’re not a cop, all right? I don’t know what Davies has got rigged up there. If Tania knows who he is, so do the gangsters. What if they show up? You haven’t got a gun.”

“I’ve got my nightstick.” I pointed to my jacket, still wrapped around Tania. She was staring up at us with eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. She pulled her knees up to her chest as I looked at her, and I realized in my current state I must look like I’d gone twelve rounds with a brick. The shock and fear on her face cut deep, dulling my anger at Vivian.

Vivian shook her head. “Someone needs to stay with Tania.”

Tania opened her mouth, a pout already forming on her lips, but Vivian gave her a look that sent her jaws smacking back together. Why could I never get anyone to shut up like that?

I scowled, but the bloody woman was right. Again. What if the gangsters came back for Tania? The thought of them taking her again tied my guts into a knot.

Vivian looked me up and down, gracious in my defeat. “Thank you, Miles. Walter and I couldn’t have done this without you. I’ll make sure you’re compensated.” She took a step forward and hesitated for a moment. Then she awkwardly put her arms around my shoulders.

It took me a second to remember how to breathe. I couldn’t work out where to put my hands, so I settled for a one-armed hug with my other hand dangling pointlessly by my side. A wisp of hair brushed my chin.

“Vivian?” I asked. Tania was making faces at me over Vivian’s shoulder.

“Your job is over,” Vivian said. She pulled away from me and patted me on the shoulder. “Get some rest. I’ll contact you when we’re done.”

I opened my mouth with no idea what I was going to say, but she didn’t give me a chance to find out. Without another word, she spun on her heel and stalked out of the Emergency Department. Despite everything, I gave a brief thought to chasing her. But I just stood there like an idiot and gave myself a moment to brood. Hell, I’d deserved it. What the hell had all that been about?