a piece of paper. It says, ‘Everybody got a breakin’ point kid.’ ”
“It’s gotta be lyrics, but I can’t place where I’ve heard it. Anything else before you plug in the drive?”
“No,” he said. “Let me get this in my computer, hold up.”
I waited for what was probably seconds but it felt like an eternity. Then he said he was hitting play. “Killing Me Softly” by the Fugees began to play. I knew Ciro would listen to the entire song in the hopes of obtaining more clues, but as I listened to a song I once loved, all I felt was dread and Ziggy’s words to Ledger playing on a loop in my head. Danger, Ledger, need help.
When it ended, all I could do was sit there in silence. What did it mean? The car, was that…?
“Shane,” Ciro interrupted my internal panic.
“Yeah.”
“I want you and Ledger to stay in Crestfox. Whoever did this to Trinity and Ziggy, I think for sure is Ledger’s stalker. Whether Trinity had anything to do with it, I’m not sure yet, but they don’t seem to know where Ledger is if they brought it here.”
“But they may find out. I mean, they likely know where Ziggy is and that Ledger would come here.”
Ciro released a breath. “I’m contacting Riordan and his guys who are on site there. You and Ledger only go from the hospital to your hotel until I get there, got it?”
“Yeah…Ciro, be careful.”
“I’m always careful,” he said before disconnecting the call.
I wasn’t sure what, if anything, Ziggy was telling Ledger, but I really hoped it was something that would put an end to this all. If this person, whoever they were, was able to kill someone to get to Ledger, what’s to say they wouldn’t feel unstoppable and hurt Ledger when he rebuffed them?
I sat in the waiting room, impatiently, and waited for Ledger. Pacing, drinking way too much coffee, and internally freaking out.
“Please, Ziggy, give us something,” I whispered to the empty room.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ledger
Ziggy’s eyes were closed when I entered his room, so I took the chair I’d sat in earlier. I figured the drugs likely had him going in and out of sleep. He’d asked for me, which told me he was remembering just fine, and I hoped he had some answers, but in the same vein, I wanted him to rest and not get upset.
“Hey.” The sound of Ziggy’s voice made me jump. I was so lost in my own head, I hadn’t noticed he’d opened his eyes.
“Zig.” I gripped his hand softly. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
“Ledger, you need to listen to me.” He screwed his eyes shut in pain.
“You need to rest; it’s not important, just—”
“No, shh.” Ziggy took short breaths. “I’ll go slow. You need to listen.”
“Okay, take your time.”
I waited while Ziggy took his time. There was no hiding how much pain he was in, from the sweat beading on his face, to the way he clenched his jaw. I wished he weren’t in this bed. I wanted to see his smile and for him to tell me to stop fucking up and go after what I want. He’d been an amazing friend to me, so if me sitting here, being quiet was what he wanted, I’d do it.
“I didn’t know Trin was going to say that in her speech. She told me she’d fix it.” He looked at me, sadly. “When it was over, we fought. I told her she made it worse. You know Trin, she rolled her eyes. Waved me off. But I didn’t let up. Told her she likely destroyed her friendship with you.”
“Zig…”
He shook his head. “Let me get it all out. I need to say it while I can.”
“Okay.”
“We fought all the way out of the building to the parking garage. When we reached her car, there was someone there. Leaning on the driver’s door.” Ziggy closed his eyes. “It was dark, I couldn’t see his face at first. I knew he was tallish, lanky. But he had on black pants and a dark hoodie. Trin started shouting at the guy to get off her car.”
Sounded like her. She’d had so little care for repercussions.
“The guy didn’t move. When we got closer, I stood between them. I saw his face then but didn’t recognize him…well, not totally.”
“What do you mean not totally?” I asked.
“He was familiar in that déjà vu kind of way. I dunno, I just knew I’d seen him somewhere.”
“Okay, then what?”
“I told him to