Hurricane Read Free Page A

questioning people before they could talk to each other.
    He shrugged. “Okay. I’ll be by after I’m done here. I’ll catch up with them if they’re there.”
    “Okay.” Harmon left.
    “Are you going to the hospital, too?” Keenan turned to Colby.
    “I’ll wait and head over with you. Let me know when you’re ready.” Colby strode to her dark blue Charger.
    Keenan walked over to the firefighters.
     

     
    Hours later, when the night had become much cooler, Keenan walked into the Singleton Hospital, pulling his notebook from his jacket pocket. Rolling his shoulders, he formulated his impressions of the scene as the elevator took him to the witness’s floor. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to talk with her since it was so late, but he would at least be able to discover the full extent of her injuries.
    Once he’d been able to conduct his interview of Julianne Locke, he could add that to his initial thoughts on the fire. Colby was silent as she walked beside him on the way to Julianne’s room.
    He stopped by the nurse’s desk to find out the information he needed. “Hi—”
    A voice interrupted him. “Keenan. I assume you’re here to see Jules. Harmon mentioned you would be coming by. I’ll take you to her. She’s been expecting you.”
    He turned. Doctor Spencer Jacobs strolled down the hall towards him. His porcelain skin was paler than usual. Exhaustion was etched on his face and filled his steps.
    “Hey, Doc. I see they let you loose from the ER.”
    “Temporarily. I ran away to check on my patient. She’s a little peeved she has to spend the night.” Spencer chuckled.
    “And I’m sure you took joy in telling her.” Colby chuckled along with him.
    “I sure did.” Spencer rocked back on his heels.
    Keenan glanced back and forth between them. He assumed Colby knew Spencer from the emergency room, but they seemed more familiar than that.
    “How do you two know each other?”
    “Through Jordan—Jules’ cousin—as well as Julianne. My w…wife Regina is business partners with Julianne.”
    Keenan noticed the pause when Spencer mentioned his wife. He didn’t follow up for now, but made a mental note in case it was relevant to the case.
    “Is she awake?” Keenan would be surprised if she were at this time of night.
    Correction, it was two a.m., so it was technically morning.
    “She is. I was on my way to check on her,” Spencer said.
    Keenan walked beside him as they went towards her room. Colby fell into step behind them.
    “What are her injuries?” Keenan asked.
    Spencer gave him the breakdown. Keenan nodded. It was as Colby had said, minor, but they had kept her for the concussion and slight smoke inhalation. Spencer opened the door. Keenan paused just inside, raising an eyebrow. The room was packed with people talking softly. He counted quickly. At least forty people were in the spacious hospital room. Keenan spotted Harmon chatting with a man he recognised as Carlton, by the wall.
    With the amount of people in the room, a person would think they would be loud, or at least he would have heard them from outside. The people turned to look at him and he noted the similarity in features of most of them. The women had captivating sienna faces and the men wore rugged masculinity. All had golden eyes. Even if the eyes weren’t a clue to their relationship, the features cinched it, and he wondered if they were all Lockes. If so, they were a large family. Mixed in the crowd were others who didn’t look like those he pegged as family.
    “Isn’t it past visiting hours?” Keenan quietly asked Spencer.
    “It is. And I kicked everyone out over an hour ago. Julianne needs to rest. Now get out,” Spencer said.
    A melodious voice with a familiar, slightly musical cadence Keenan couldn’t place cut through the crowd. “It’s my fault, Spencer. I convinced the nurse to let them stay.”
    “You should know better, Syneca. What if she was your patient?” Spencer asked.
    “I know, I