Read Online The New Patient (Dr. Epstein's Couch: Criminal Minds Series) by Ann Black - Free Book Online Page A

good doesn’t it John?” he manages before passing out.
    The question forces a second of introspection and I realise it does feel good. I’m in control. I can take care of him right now. No parole board, no botched evidence. Like squashing a cockroach, all I have to do is pull the trigger and I’ve eradicated the problem.
    “Doc, Doc!” I turn and see blood gushing in a torrent out of Bob’s left femoral artery.
    “Fuck.” I mutter. If I don’t stop that wound Bob will die from blood loss.
    Some saner part of myself returns as I clamber off the unconscious Kyle, stow the gun in my pocket and stumble across to Bob. Tearing off my belt, I fashion a tourniquet. “Stay with me Bob,” I say. Thankfully, the wound seems to be in the upper thigh, rather than the groin, giving me space to manage the blood flow.
    It’s hard to see. Wiping a hand across my face, I notice blood on my hand. I must be bleeding into my eyes, which is making things fucking hard.
    There’re voices shouting in the hall. It sounds like help is finally arriving.
    Looking across, I see Kyle getting groggily to his feet. He washes his face one handed, fixes his wig, dons his glasses and grabs my cards, “I’ll be seeing you around, John.” He stands on Bob’s chest on his way out the door.
    As I work on Bob I hear Kyle yelling, “Help! Help! Please...Oh God. There’s blood everywhere!”
    Bob grunts in pain and looses consciousness.
     

     
    Sunday, 4th September, 11:20am
     
    Walking slowly down the hospital corridor, I scan the doors numbers for Bob’s room. I’ve been given the all clear to go home, but it’ll be weeks before I recover from my injuries. The migraines from the facial fractures are the worst, but they’ll resolve in time.
    I reach Bob’s room and knock briefly before walking in. “Hello, Bob,” I say, pleased to see him sitting up and looking pissed off as he flicks through the TV channels.
    “Morning, Doc. What’s this?” he says, noticing I’m fully dressed, “you been given the all-clear?”
    “Yeah, time to go home,” I answer.
    “Boys tell me Kyle’s left the state for a while. He’ll be back though. He’s just wants to avoid the attention for a while. Undercover Ops say the big boys won’t have anything to do with him while he’s this hot,” Bob explains.
    I nod. “He’ll find a way to build himself up again. Then he’ll want to settle the score with us. You realise that don’t you?
    Bob nods, “Yeah, well. Nearly got the fucker this time. ‘Least he’s on the run. The brass are throwing a shit load of cash at it too ... we’ll get him,” he adds with quiet certainty.
    As I get into the taxi my phone rings—it’s Chloe. “Hello Chloe.”
    “Nurse Chloe to you, John,” she clips, “Have you been taking your medication?”
    Visualising what she means makes me hard, “No, Nurse Chloe.”
    “Well, I’ll have to come over then, won’t I?”
    We arrange a time and I tuck my phone into my shirt pocket, since there’s no way I’ve got room in my pants. Looking out the taxi window, the city seems alive with life and colour—spring is in the air. Kyle is still out there, but there’s no fear anymore.
    Just as Bob said, we’ll get him, he’s fallible...and I’m looking forward to having another crack.
     

     
    Watch out for Book Two in the Dr. Epstein’s Couch: Criminal Minds Series.
    “Pressure” by Ann Black is due for publication in July 2014.