Left to Kill (Adele Sharp #4) - Blake Pierce Page 0,59
by soon. Look, you can speak to her tomorrow. She needs to rest. Doctor’s orders.”
Adele’s eyes narrowed. “But you’ve already spoken with her? Is that right? You’ve had nearly twelve hours to talk with her. How many times have you interviewed her? How long did it take you to decide you got what you needed then finally let us know she was awake?”
Adele found, without even realizing, she was now jabbing her finger against the other agent’s chest. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman glanced down, frowning. “Please step back, and come back tomorrow. They’re sedating her. She’s not cogent.”
John growled. The second, male agent crossed his arms and glared at John.
“I’ll tell you what,” said Adele. “I’m going through, and if you want, you can shoot me.”
She shoved past the woman, grabbed the door handle, and pushed. The man, the second agent, tried to grab her wrist. It was a brief flurry of motion. But John twisted the man’s hand behind his back and shoved him, sending him stumbling to the ground.
The BKA agent spun around, cursing, his hand darting to his hip. John stood over him, like a caveman, staring down, breathing heavily. “Don’t even try,” he snarled in French.
There was something in John’s eyes that scared Adele for the brief moment she saw it. His chest heaved, his nostrils flared, his hands stretched at his sides. “Stay down, don’t touch her,” he growled in French.
“You’re making a mistake,” the blonde agent said in German to Adele, but Adele ignored her.
John couldn’t understand them, and they couldn’t understand John, but the posture of aggression, the clenched fists, was telltale enough. The woman gestured at her partner, who was still on the ground, trying to push up, and gave the faintest shake of her head. She held up her hands, allowing Adele entry into the room.
Adele pushed through, her anger still swirling her chest. These idiots had delayed twelve hours. Twelve hours ago they could’ve talked to Amanda. Twelve hours ago they could’ve figured out what was going on. The only witness. The only one. Ha Eun had been killed in the night. Dumped hours ago. They’d been invited late to that scene as well. What if they’d been allowed to speak to Amanda first? What if BKA had actually done their job and filled in Interpol? Perhaps Ha Eun would still be alive.
Adele couldn’t suppress the anger. So she allowed it to swirl through her, sensing the emotion.
“Stop,” she snapped.
The nurse trying to restrain Amanda glanced up and frowned. The doctor with the needle looked over. Both of them, both men, glanced toward the BKA agents through the door.
“Look, you can’t be here,” said the doctor. Dr. Samuel. The same man from before, the older fellow with graying hair. He flicked the needle a couple of times and pushed on the thumb press. A small droplet of liquid seeped out the top, pushing out any remaining air.
“Give me a second,” snapped Adele. “Can she talk?”
Amanda, though, was shaking, trying to pull at the IVs in her arms and muttering in English. “Please, don’t make me. Get me out of here. I can’t stay!”
Adele’s eyes snapped to the woman. “Amanda,” she said also in English. “Ms. Johnson, can you understand me?”
“Please don’t hurt me! Please, number seven. Seven. Roll call. I’m seven!”
Adele winced, still unsure. “Amanda?”
“Agent,” the doctor snapped, “I must insist, you’re causing her distress. Leave!”
Adele ignored him again and stepped even closer to the bed. She held out a hand as if calming an unruly animal. Her fingers hovered above Amanda, but she didn’t touch her. Instead, she said, “It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be fine. Amanda, can you hear me?”
The girl’s wide eyes fixed on Adele. The many scrapes and bruises on her face stood out against her pale skin. She was trembling now, and the IV bag next to her was dripping. Her fingers scrambled at the tape securing the needle to her arm. The nurse, with gentle but firm fingers, tried to wrestle the needle back into place.
“Look,” Amanda gasped, “you can’t. I’m number seven. Please, I won’t break the sticks. Don’t break the garden. If you break the garden they break your bones. These are rules. You have to understand. They’re just rules. Roll call!”
“Agent,” the doctor said, sternly, “she’s not coherent. She’s been questioned for hours. That’s the extent. She’s tired. She needs rest. You could cause irreversible damage. Get out of here.”
Adele pointed a finger at the doctor. “Do what