Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
“I’m fine.”
She didn’t think he was, but she didn’t argue.
“Who even was that guy?” Brody asked.
“I don’t know. An amateur. Why would anyone send an amateur after me?” the Fox asked.
“I don’t think he was after you,” she said. “He didn’t know who you were.”
“No, he didn’t. Which meant it was random, which seems unlikely or . . .”
“He was after one of us,” she finished. “Likely me since I’m the one he took.”
But who would be after her?
“He said it wasn’t worth the money,” the Fox said. “Someone must have hired him. And I’m going to find out who.”
The Fox started the car.
“You want Hack?” he asked Brody.
“Not if you think it’s too dangerous.” Brody turned to her. “Sure you’re okay if we go to a doctor?”
Why was he asking her that?
Because he knows you don’t like doctors.
“Of course I am! You were shot, Brody! My feelings shouldn’t come into this decision.”
“Your feelings are part of every decision,” Brody replied.
She blinked back tears, touching the locket around her neck that she always wore. “I don’t really hate doctors. I know they’re not to blame for my parents dying. My dad was speeding and lost control of the car. They couldn’t save him or my mom. It’s just that it was a terrible day and I needed someone to blame.”
“Oh, Tutu,” Brody said quietly. “It’s really not that bad, I don’t have to go.”
“You do too. Tell him, Daddy.”
“You’re getting checked out,” the Fox said.
“Okay,” Brody said.
The Fox put a call through the car’s Bluetooth.
The phone rang then someone picked up. “Hello? Who is this?” They sounded raspy, as though they’d been woken up. She winced as she checked the time. Just after one in the morning.
Whoops.
“Doctor Hack,” the Fox replied cheerfully. She knew he was putting on an act right now. “Why do they call you that? Is it because you hack away at your patients? Do you make a hack of your surgeries? I mean, I know it’s not your actual name. Which is probably a relief for you, what sort of parents would call their son Hack?”
“Who is this?”
“I believe you know who it is. Sorry, did I wake you?”
“Yes. What do you want? If you don’t say who this is, then I’m hanging up.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that. I’d be rather upset if you did. Why are you so grumpy, anyway? Look, like I always say to those other bikers, if they planted the parsnip more often they’d be in a better mood. You’ve got a bit of time now, why don’t you take yourself in hand and feed the worm. Wait. Does that one work? Not sure if it does. Or maybe it’s really good and I don’t even know it. It’s hard to deal with this much genius sometimes.”
She blinked at him. How had he gone from serious and deadly to sounding so . . . crazy?
“I take it I’m speaking to the Fox?” Hack asked with a sigh. “What do you want?”
“I have someone I want you to check. A bullet nicked them.”
“Bullet? Who? Brody?”
“Um, yep,” Brody said. “But I’m all good.”
“What the hell happened?” Hack snapped. “You’ve been shot?”
“I’m going to have to ask you not to swear or yell at my Pup, Hack,” the Fox said in a low, warning voice.
“You . . . I . . . right.”
“Am I bringing Brody to you, or shall I contact the Surgeon?”
There was a beat of silence on Hack’s end. Who was the Surgeon? And why did everyone have a nickname? Maybe she should have a nickname.
You do. Bunny and Tutu.
Yes, but they weren’t badass nicknames. She needed a badass nickname. Like Hellcat or Stiletto. Ooh, those were good. And Freddy Fox could be Slasher.
“The Surgeon?”
“Yes. Do I need to go to him?”
“No, you need to bring Brody here where I can make sure that he’s well.”
“I want to bring him to you because I know that he’ll be more comfortable with you. But there are a few stipulations.”
“What sort of stipulations?” Hack asked suspiciously.
“You won’t tell anyone that we’re coming. If you don’t think you can keep quiet about this, then I can go elsewhere.”
“No! Don’t. I need to see Brody. Do you think I’ll be able to sleep after you call and tell me he’s been shot? Bring him here, I won’t tell anyone.”
“We’re fifteen minutes out.”
“Wait. You know where I live?”
“Of course. I know everything.” The Fox ended the call.
She sat back and hugged Freddy Fox. First some asshole tried to kidnap her for reasons she didn’t know, and then Brody had gotten shot
Tonight was a mess all the round.
46
Brody looked at Hack’s cute house. He hadn’t been here before.
The Fox was already in the disguise he’d used to go to the arcade. He didn’t often leave the den without being in disguise. But he pulled on a cap as well.