If I Should Die by Allison Brennan Read Free Book Online Page A

she was murdered.”
    They said good-bye at the cabin’s doorstep. Lucy stepped inside and glanced at the bed. Sean lay right where she’d left him, on his back, eyes closed. He still looked pale, but he didn’t appear to be in distress.
    “Sean, it’s Lucy. Wake up.”
    Sean moaned when he heard his name. “Ten more minutes.”
    “Good,” Lucy said. “You’re okay.”
    Sean felt Lucy sit on the bed next to him. He opened his eyes and tried to glare at her for disturbing his sleep but it hurt his head too much. His leg throbbed as if it had been stitched by Dr. Frankenstein, making his sore shoulder feel downright good in comparison.
    “Who beat me up?”
    Lucy sighed. “Are you trying to be funny or trying to scare me?”
    “I guess I’m not funny when I’m in pain.” He winced as he pulled himself up on the bed so he could lean against the headboard. Lucy put a pillow behind his head. He smiled. “Maybe I should get hurt more often, if you’re going to play Florence Nightingale.”
    Lucy rolled her eyes at him, but he saw a hint of a grin. “I don’t want to keep you up too long.”
    “I’m awake.”
    “You need to sleep.”
    Sean took her hand. “The faster we come up with a strategy, the faster I can go back to sleep.”
    “You’re a rotten patient.”
    “So you’ve told me.” Sean shifted to get comfortable. His leg itched, but when he touched it the pain shot up to his back.
    “The doctor left some Vicodin,” Lucy said.
    “Hell no. That stuff is nasty. Do you have any aspirin?”
    “That’s like using a water pistol to put out a fire.”
    “I’m not taking pain pills.”
    “Fine, Tylenol it is, and your antibiotics.”
    “Yes, Doctor Kincaid.”
    She shook her head and read the bottles that the doctor had left. Sean never tired of watching Lucy, even now when he was hurt and exhausted. Her black hair hung over one shoulder in long, silky curls, damp from the shower she’d taken when they’d returned. Her profile was aristocratic without being sharp. Her skin revealed her half-Cuban heritage, neither light nor dark, but a perfect blend. Lucy had no idea how beautiful she was or how much he loved her. He’d told her many times, of course. He couldn’t hold it back once he’d realized how strongly he felt. That she hadn’t yet admitted that she, too, loved him wounded his ego a bit, but he knew her feelings for him scared her. He’d seen it especially today, in the pit, when she’d realized his injuries might be serious.
    She handed him three Tylenol and an antibiotic. He took the pills and a swig from the water bottle she offered.
    “Learn anything interesting about what’s going on around here?” he asked.
    “We need to talk to Adam,” Lucy said. “He spent every summer here, but Tim hasn’t been here since he was sixteen, not until his father’s funeral last year.”
    “We should go into town tomorrow as well.”
    She glanced at his leg.
    “I’ll be fine.”
    “I doubt you’ll be able to walk.”
    “I didn’t say walk to town.”
    “Can’t you just take it easy for a day?”
    Sean took her hand and squeezed. “The kid on the ATV is in some sort of trouble. I can help him.”
    “That kid nearly killed you.”
    “He’s scared.” At the look on Lucy’s face, Sean quickly added, “I’m not saying he had no choice, I’m just saying I can get to him.”
    “You think if we just drive through town you’ll be able to spot him?”
    “Not really, though I might. But I want to have a drink at the local watering hole, talk to people, watch them, see what we can learn.”
    Lucy frowned. “That tone—what do you have planned?”
    “Nothing specific—yet.”
    “Now that the Sheriff’s Department knows about the vandalism, they’ll be on it.”
    “I haven’t seen a cop since we got here. They didn’t exactly rush over here after the arson fire, but I’m not going to step all over their investigation.”
    “All right, we’ll go if you’re feeling up