game or two together.
“He’s out of the immediate woods but his injuries are extensive,” Matt answered, dragging a hand down his face. “He still hasn’t woken up and, if I read the doc’s body language correctly, there’s a good chance he might not. Or, if he does, he might not be the same Dwayne we knew. There was some bleeding on the brain.” Billy cursed beneath his breath. Matt let him finish before he continued, “So unless the crime scene yielded some incredible results, our only way of knowing what happened might be down there. And, like I told you on the phone last night, according to her doctor she’s having short-term memory issues.”
He pointed in the direction of Maggie Carson’s room. She’d been transferred out of the ER a few hours ago.
The sheriff followed his finger.
“Have you talked to her yet?” Billy asked.
Matt shook his head. Frustration, anger and more frustration sprang up at just the thought of the woman.
“When we first came in I stuck with Dwayne,” he admitted. “By the time he was stable and put in his room, she was getting CAT scans. Then she was out, thanks to some pain meds. I was going to wait until the morning to talk to her.” Matt really took in the sheriff’s appearance. He couldn’t help but smirk. “And considering there’s applesauce on your blazer, I’m assuming it’s morning.”
Billy looked down at the smudge and sighed but in no way seemed angry.
“What can I say? Alexa and I have a routine. She wakes up early and we negotiate how much applesauce she’s going to eat.” He motioned to the stain. “It’s a messy business. I’ve dealt with seasoned criminals that were easier to crack than this toddler.”
There was pride clear and true in the way Billy spoke of his daughter. It matched his unconditional love for his wife, Mara. Which was one of the reasons so many residents of Riker County took a shine to him. He was a good family man who worked hard to provide and protect. He was the straightest shooter Matt had ever known in law enforcement. Something that had not always been the case for everyone he had employed.
Matt watched as Billy sobered.
“I would tell you that going home to get some sleep might be the best course for you and that I can handle talking to Maggie,” he started. “But—”
“It’s Dwayne that got hurt and I won’t back off yet.”
Billy nodded.
“Then let’s go talk to Maggie.”
They marched down the hallway and knocked on the door. Matt spied the clock on the wall. Hours had indeed passed. It was almost seven in the morning.
“Come in!”
Matt took his attempt at a calming breath and followed the sheriff inside.
If he thought they’d be met with guilt or shame, he was wildly mistaken.
One look at him, and Maggie’s big green eyes got bigger. Her lips didn’t have time to purse. They were too busy parting to yell at him.
“I know you have your issues with me, but this is ridiculous, don’t you think?”
She shook her left arm.
Matt walked to the side of the bed as if he was going to inspect the cuffs. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Considering the nature of what happened, we deemed it necessary.”
Maggie looked like a fish out of water, opening and closing her mouth, trying to find the right words to fight him with, no doubt. Billy, however, stepped in. He closed the door behind them and cleared his throat.
“Let’s calm down and talk,” he said.
“Can we talk about how I’ve been cuffed to a bed for the entire night and no one, until now, has decided to come and talk to me other than doctors?”
Maggie’s cheeks were flushed, Matt noticed. For the first time he realized there was a light dusting of freckles across her nose.
“Yes,” Billy said, channeling the calm that Matt had heard him use throughout their careers. “But first, tell us the last thing you remember.”
Maggie let out a breath of frustration.
“Sneaking off to my couch in the middle of the night because I couldn’t sleep. I channel surfed until I fell asleep in front of the TV.”
Matt shared a look with Billy.
“In the middle of the night,” Billy repeated. “And by night you mean...”
Maggie sighed.
“By night I mean Tuesday night.” She held up her hand in a stopping motion. “And, before you question my sanity, yes, I know that today is Thursday.”
“You’re missing more than twenty-four hours,” Billy spelled out. Maggie nodded. Matt noticed she was more inclined to look at the sheriff with controlled emotions. When she looked at him, he could see the fire burning behind her eyes. Not that he could blame her. The phrase “poking the bear” came to mind. Not that Maggie Carson in any way looked like a bear.
“So you don’t remember your conversation with Detective Walker yesterday?” Billy added on.
Maggie’s eyes widened.
“No?” Her eyebrow rose as she looked at Matt for an explanation.
He didn’t want to give it. He was too frustrated.
“Well, isn’t that convenient?” Matt muttered.
The comment didn’t go unnoticed. Maggie whipped her head around to Billy and then back to Matt.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Do you think I’m making this up? Why would I even do that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, covering your a—”
“Detective,” Billy interrupted, voice sharp. Matt felt anger surge again. If he was honest, it was misplaced. While he did have issues with Maggie Carson, he had never pegged her for a violent woman. Aggressive with her words, sure. Stubborn to the point where he really had fantasized about arresting her a few times, absolutely. But was she capable of beating a man in his sixties to the point of potential brain damage? No. He felt it in his gut, whether or not he wanted to absolve her of the accusation that she’d done it.
Still, the only witnesses that they knew of were both in the hospital. One might never wake up. The other was claiming memory loss. That was a tough pill to swallow no matter who the two were.
“I’m sure the doctor would be happy to talk to you about it.” Maggie cooled down as she spoke to Billy. “But I would like to know why you thought I would make it up.”
She kept her eyes firmly on Billy. He squared his shoulders.
“What’s your relationship with Dwayne Meyers?”
Matt watched
