Alone in the Dark

Marcus had first met Dani Novak when she’d visited him in the hospital. She’d accompanied Deacon and Faith to a few of Jeremy’s parties in the months since and had endeared herself to his adopted father forever when she’d been able to quote from his most recent article in the Journal of Medicine. Dani was kind and fu

But if cops were Stone’s trigger, doctors in white coats sent Diesel into a PTSD tailspin. Marcus wondered how Diesel was going to get out of meeting Deacon’s pretty sister.

Diesel ruffled the boy’s hair. ‘Not today, kid.’ He leaned forward. ‘I’m scared of needles, so I don’t go around doctors unless I have to,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Even pretty ones. You go

‘No,’ Emilio said seriously. ‘I promise. But she’s nice. You’d like her.’

‘I’m sure I would,’ Diesel said, ‘but it still ain’t happening.’

Emilio bent his head. ‘Who are those people?’ he whispered.

‘That’s Mr Marcus – he’s my boss and my friend. And that’s . . .’ He glanced up at Scarlett. ‘Miss Scarlett. She’s not my boss. Just my friend.’

Scarlett’s smile was a little wobbly as she understood she’d just been accepted. ‘It’s nice to meet you, Emilio. Your cast is cool. How’d you get it?’

‘I tried to slide into home plate,’ he said, dejected. ‘It didn’t work.’

Marcus coughed to hide a chuckle. Scarlett swallowed hers, but Diesel didn’t crack a smile.

‘That’s gotta hurt,’ he said. ‘I guess it explains why you missed practice last Thursday. But if you want, you can still come to the games and sit on the bench and keep score. You can count, right? And write your numbers?’

‘Up to twenty.’

‘That should be plenty, since we never score anyway. We can—’

‘Emilio! Where are you?’ Dani Novak came ru

Scarlett waved her over. ‘We’ve got him, Dani.’

Dani rushed over, her mouth bent in a frown. ‘You know you’re not supposed to take off like that. Especially not here. Your grandmother nearly had a heart attack.’

Here, Marcus thought, where more than three quarters of the clients were either homeless or addicts or both. With a wary look at Diesel, who was still on one knee, Dani Novak also went down on one knee, putting her body close enough that she could protect the child if she had to. Which was as ridiculous as it was u

Not that he ever would. Despite his shaved head and interesting tattoos, the man was shockingly gentle with everyone except the abusers he lived to squash like bugs.

Right now, Diesel was no threat to anyone. Frozen in place, he was staring at Dani’s lab coat like it was alive. Marcus considered intervening and finding an excuse to get Dani back behind the clinic door, but he didn’t. It was way past time Diesel dealt with his issues.

‘But if Grandma had a heart attack,’ Emilio said logically, ‘you could fix her, right? She says you’re a miracle worker.’

Dani pursed her lips, then gave up trying to hold back, and a smile lit up her face. ‘You little charmer, you. Maybe I could fix her and maybe I couldn’t. Let’s just not risk it, okay?’ She held out both arms. ‘Time to go back to Grandma.’

‘Wait.’ Emilio tugged her hand. ‘Meet my coach, Diesel.’

Dani’s brows lifted. ‘The coach who encouraged you to slide into home?’

Diesel’s shoulders lifted as he sucked in a breath. ‘No, ma’am,’ he said quietly, making Dani tilt her head the same way Marcus had seen Deacon do.

‘That was baseball. Coach Diesel is soccer,’ Emilio said proudly.

Dani smiled at Diesel. ‘I’m Dr Novak. Everyone calls me Dr Dani.’

Diesel lifted his head and . . . nothing. The silence went on so long that Marcus leaned around to check out Diesel’s face and was stu

‘Diesel works with Marcus at the Ledger,’ Scarlett said, taking pity on him. ‘Come on, Emilio. I got things to do and people to see.’ She swung the kid up on her hip like she’d done it a million times.

Given that she was the babysitter of choice among her nieces and nephews, she probably had. She’d told Marcus he’d make a great dad. She’ll make a great mom too. It was a heady thought, having a family of his own. He was so taken by the idea that it took him a moment to realize that Emilio was no longer smiling and had gone completely still. The boy darted an alarmed glance at Dani, then back at the bulge of Scarlett’s gun under her jacket. He’d probably felt it when she’d picked him up.

‘My gun,’ Scarlett murmured to Dani, having gone as still as the boy.

‘It’s okay, Emilio,’ Dani said, rubbing his back. ‘She’s a cop. My brother’s partner.’

Emilio’s eyes grew round. ‘Oh.’

Dani picked up the boy’s crutches. ‘Tommy and Edna are in the clinic waiting room, Scarlett.’ She looked over her shoulder. ‘You coming, Marcus? Coach Diesel?’

‘In a minute,’ Marcus answered. When the women were back behind the clinic door, he grabbed Diesel’s biceps and with a groan yanked him to his feet. ‘Lay off the beer, buddy. You’re putting on weight.’

Diesel didn’t answer, just stood staring at Dani Novak’s retreating back. Marcus waved his hand in front of his friend’s face. ‘Yo. Diesel. You in there?’

A mute nod, then Diesel spun on his heel and walked out of the shelter, not saying a single word. Marcus followed him to the door, watched him take the steps down to the street in one giant stride. ‘Diesel? Ke

Diesel turned and looked up. Expecting to see the dazed, glassy, shaken gaze that came after one of his friend’s episodes, Marcus was shocked to find himself staring into the saddest, most defeated eyes he’d ever seen.

‘Diesel, wait.’ He started walking down the steps until he realized he’d promised Scarlett he’d stay out of bullet range should any shooters be camped on the roofs. ‘Talk to me.’

‘I’ll be all right, Marcus. Stay with your detective. I’ll see you later.’

Cinci