The all-too-common refrain set off a visceral reaction deep in the pit of her stomach, and she ran to the bushes and threw up.
Chapter 15
Catawampus
“What the hell happenedhere?” Reece directed his breathless demand at Shane, who leveled him with an assessing look. Reece was no lawman, but it didn’t take one to understand that the damage to Neve’s clinic wasn’t an accident. First clue: The door was missing.
Panting and pale, Neve rejoined them after her mad dash to the bushes.
Shane’s attention shifted to her, and he got out the next question on the tip of Reece’s tongue, beating him to the punch. “Hey, you okay?” His voice overflowed with concern.
Neve covered her mouth and shook her head. “Sorry, guys. Just a little motion sickness from the wild ride of the last twenty-four hours.” She straightened. “Shane, any clue what happened?” Shane flicked a skeptical side-eye Reece’s way. “It’s okay if Reece hears, so pleasegive it to me straight. Did the weather do this? A four-legged animal? Or was it a two-legged one?”
Sympathy filled Shane’s expression as he turned his attention back to Neve. “Why don’t we step inside? Might be easier to show you.”
Reece curbed his urge to put a reassuring arm around her small shoulders. Instead, he dug around in his pockets, pulled out a piece of gum, and handed it to her. “Are you up for this?”
She popped the gum into her mouth and oh-so-slowly turned her head. She looked up at him, her mouth pinched and her eyes narrowed. “Of course I am. It’smyclinic.”
“I was just worried that—”
“Yes, Reece, I know,” she gusted out. “Stop asking me if I’m okay all the time. I’m a big girl with my own life, and I can handle setbacks far better than you give me credit for.”
Ouch!He felt that silent slap across his face, and it stung. He exchanged a surprised look with Shane before reminding himself that Neve was under a huge strain, and her life was farther along the shit spectrum than his at the moment. If she needed to lash out, he could take it.
She flung out an arm, which was when Reece noticed the rock he’d put on her finger was gone.Smart move. He’d slip his off later when Shane wasn’t staring at him.
“Let’s do this. Show me what you need to show me.” She followed Shane through the opening, carefully picking up her booted feet to clear the frame. Reece gave it a quick glance, making a mental list of materials he’d need to secure the door before stepping through after them.
Except for the shattered glass littering the stoop and floor, the reception area looked pristine. The real mess showed itself when they reached Neve’s pharmacy, where the glass had been smashed out of each cabinet. The only light came from windows in distant rooms, but despite the dimness, one couldn’t miss the chaos. Contents were strewn everywhere—on the shelves, the counter, the floor. Dark liquid dripped from several broken bottles.
The air was cold, permeated with a pungent medicinal odor so different from the usual light smell of disinfectant.
Reece reached for a light switch and paused. “Are we okay to turn on some lights?”
Shane shook his head. “No. Still need to see if we can get any prints. Besides, whoever did this jacked with the electrical panel in back.”
Neve blinked. “You mean I don’t have electricity either?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Well, crap! That means I’m going to have to toss the samples and meds I keep in the fridge.”
“But it’s been cold,” Shane pointed out. “Doesn’t that preserve the integrity of your fridge’s contents? Besides, I’d be more concerned about freezing pipes right now.”
When Reece stole a glance at Neve, the muscles in her delicate jaw pulsed, as though she were grinding her back molars, and her cheekbones looked like a brush had swiped them with bright pink paint, a stark contrast to her ashen skin.
Her voice quavered. “My place is trashed.”
Reece peered over her shoulder at the contents of the bottles. “Maybe we should move out of here until we know if we’re dealing with anything toxic?”
She waved a hand. “We’re fine.”
Shane worked the brim of his hat in his hands as he stood beside her. “Did you ever install those cameras we talked about?”
“No, that was only a few weeks ago, and I had a few other priorities that ate up my time.” Reece could practically hear a steam whistle going off inside her head. “The other tiny hurdle was my bank account. There weren’t enough zeros to justify the cost. Besides, what good would they have done without any power?”
“Most systems don’t need electricity. So youdidprice them out?” Shane nudged, treading with obvious caution.
