Fallen Angel (Hqn) by Eden Bradley Read Free Book Online Page B

focus on getting information. And he’d damn well get his body under control.
    He went down the hall and outside, the fresh air cool on his face as he made his way to his truck, pulling out his cell phone as soon as he sat down.
    “Hello?”
    “Dad.”
    “Hi, Declan. What’s up?”
    “I need your help.” There was a long silence on the other end of the line. “Look, I know I’ve been a total shit and I don’t deserve anything from you—”
    “Cut the crap, Dec. Tell me what you need.”
    “Just like that?”
    “I’m not the one who’s been angry.”
    His father’s voice was gravelly, low. It always had been, but it had become even rougher as he’d grown older. Declan didn’t like to think about him aging. Growing weak. It made him feel as if he was running out of time.
    He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”
    “We don’t have to talk about it now. You called for a reason.”
    “It’s the girl…she woke up. And she has no idea who she is. She says she doesn’t have a name. She wasn’t making a whole lot of sense, but I got the feeling she was alert. Hard to say with her injuries, I guess. But nothing is adding up. And the sheriff’s office still isn’t telling me anything. I want to know, Dad. I want to know who I can talk to. I need to know where she came from, who did this to her.”
    “I thought you might. I’ve been doing a little digging through some old connections.”
    “And?”
    “Nothing so far. She sort of came out of nowhere. No missing-persons reports fitting her description. And no leads as to who did this. A boyfriend, maybe?”
    “I don’t think so. There’s more to it than that. Unless her boyfriend is some total psycho.”
    “That’s possible, isn’t it?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Can you talk to her again?”
    “Yes. But I don’t want to push her too hard yet. I don’t want to upset her. And enough time has passed that whoever did this has probably left the area already.”
    “Dec, it’s likely we’ll never find them,” Oran said quietly.
    “I know that. Do you really think I don’t know that, Dad? But I have to try.”
    “Jesus, Dec. Why do we have to do this now? You need my help and I’m willing to give it. For the girl. Hell, for you, whether or not you want to believe it.”
    “Fuck.” He ran a hand over his hair, dug his fingers into his scalp, squeezed his eyes shut. “Okay. Okay. I’ll put a lid on it. I appreciate your help.”
    He heard his father huff out a breath. “It’s no problem. I’ll help with this however I can.”
    “Thanks. I’ll be by to pick up Liam tonight. How’s he doing?”
    “Fine. He hangs out on the porch all day, eats like a horse. He’s good company.”
    “Good. Good. Okay, I’ll see you later, then.”
    “I can bring him by your place. You’ve got plenty going on.”
    “You don’t have to do that, Dad.”
    “I know.”
    He heard the stubborn tone in his father’s voice. Knew there was no point in arguing. Knew Oran understood perfectly well that he had his reasons for avoiding the house all these years.
    Declan flipped his phone shut, stared at it for a few moments. He damn well hated to ask his father for anything. But this wasn’t for himself. It was for her. He’d do anything he had to for her.
    There it was again, that crazy idea. But he couldn’t shake it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to.
    Shades of the way he’d felt about Abby. But this was different. He was different.
    Yeah, a hell of a lot more bitter.
    It was true. But he’d lived with that bitterness long enough that he was used to it.
    God, he was thinking in circles. He must still be tired. But he had things to do. Like go harass Tim Bullock for information again.
    He stuck the key in the ignition and the big truck roared to life. He pulled onto the road, rolling the windows down, letting the scents of sea and cypress roll in.
    A mile down the highway he caught himself humming. That was new. What the hell was wrong with