Broken Angels by Harambee K. Grey-Sun Read Free Book Online Page B

his way, I guess.” He hoped. With Robert’s unexpected ten-minute detour, Darryl should’ve arrived already. He surely wasn’t all that caught up in that blonde; one really didn’t have to spend too much time sweet-talking her type in order to get a first date, or whatever else. “Adam’s message said the girl was awake. You speak to her yet?”
    “Briefly,” Sam said. “I wanted to wait for you two.”
    “What did she have to say to you?”
    “First thing? ‘Where’s Marie-Lydia?’”
    Robert sighed.
    “I’m not well-versed in interrogations,” Sam said, “but I figure it wouldn’t be useful to ask her the same question she asked us.”
    “I’ll make a note of it,” Robert said. “What did you say to her?”
    “Well, since I don’t know where Marie-Lydia is, I just told her where she was—in an Arlington, Virginia, hospital—and why— we found her beaten and unconscious in a house full of addicts and criminals. I told her the people who found her were on their way to talk to her.”
    “She gave you a name, right?”
    “Hers? It’s Ava Darden.”
    “She’s not listed on any of our registers,” Robert said.
    “No, but Adam’s running a full search, trying to locate any relatives in the area.”
    Robert approached the door to Ava’s room.
    “Aren’t you waiting for Darryl?” Sam asked.
    “No. But you can.” He closed the door behind him.
    Ava shifted her head when he entered the room. She was still weak, but she didn’t seem the least bit troubled.
    Robert smiled. “Hi there.”
    Her eyes narrowed.
    It was impossible for him to know for sure, but from the expression on her face, the slight movement of her irises, and the slight contraction and dilation of her pupils, Robert figured she was studying him, from bottom to top, taking an extra amount of time to focus on the black patch over his right eye, shielding an injury, a loss.
    Ava blinked before speaking. “Hello.”
    “My name is Robert Goldner.” He moved a step closer to the bed. “I’m an agent with the IAI, the Isaac-Abraham Institution. It’s a nonprofit group that, among many other things, helps find missing kids. Yesterday, we found you.”
    “Was I missing?” she asked.
    “Well, we weren’t exactly looking for you,” he said. “But we found you.”
    Her lips approached a smile. “You’re an honest one.”
    “I was raised to be.”
    “I’m Ava. Ava Darden.”
    “And you’re not from around here,” Robert said.
    “No. Spencer. Spencer, Virginia.”
    “What were you doing in that house?”
    “House?”
    “The one we found you in. The woman who was in here earlier told you—” He hesitated. “Do you know where we found you?”
    “Oh. Yeah. The den of drugs and thieves.”
    “Why were you there?”
    “I wish I knew,” Ava said.
    The room’s door opened. Sam entered, followed by Darryl.
    “Uh, Ava, you’ve already met Sam Goins. This is my partner, Darryl Ridley.”
    The two exchanged greetings and Darryl said, “Sorry I’m late. But you know Saturday morning traffic. Everyone trying to get to the malls.”
    Robert snorted as Sam said, “We don’t mean to crowd you, Ava. But all three of us are very interested in knowing your story.”
    “I’d be interested to know it myself,” Ava said in a murmur.
    “We can all leave if you need us to,” Sam said. “Should we get the nurse back in here?”
    “No,” Ava replied, sounding even weaker.
    Robert looked at Sam, who just shrugged and shook her head. He then turned to Ava and asked, “What’s the last thing you remember?”
    “I was in the gym. The school gym. I was trying to stop Marie-Lydia from killing everyone.”
    “Marie-Lydia McGillis?” Darryl asked.
    Ava perked up and, in a foolish attempt to sit up, aggravated the wounds on her abdomen. She grunted and fell back as Darryl and Sam rushed to her side.
    “Are you okay?”
    “Do we need to call the doctor?”
    Ava winced but said, “I’m fine.” She took a moment to catch