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‘If he doesn’t want to be found – or thinks he doesn’t – you’d never find him. I spent some time last night sending emails to old Army pals. I know some people who work with vets. On the ground, not in hospitals. Somebody knew somebody who knew Phin. His address is on my computer. I’ll send it to you as soon as I can.’
She was having trouble breathing, new tears starting to fall when Marcus slid his arm around her waist, holding her up. ‘You . . . Oh my God, Stone,’ she whispered. ‘Do you know what you’ve done?’
‘Yeah, I do exactly. I gave you your brother back. You gave me mine back too. We’re even now.’ He looked up, met Marcus’s eyes. ‘No more death wishes, right?’
Marcus choked out a laugh. ‘No, I’m good.’
Stone closed his eyes wearily. ‘Really sleepy. Gayle’s safe? All the bad guys dead?’
‘Yes and yes,’ Marcus said. ‘We killed the last one ourselves. It was a tie. Me and Scar and Deacon and Kate. And Davenport.’
Stone struggled to open his eyes. ‘Who’s Davenport?’
Scarlett was still sniffling. ‘We’ll tell you later. Sleep now. We’ll be back.’ She kissed his forehead gently. ‘Thank you.’
Stone’s lips curved. ‘You’re welcome. Hey, do something for me?’
‘Name it,’ she whispered.
‘Wow. This is power,’ he murmured. ‘Can you get me all the gear I need to take care of a dog? I think Delores has talked me into adopting one.’
She brushed the hair from his forehead. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow and you can tell me exactly what you want.’
Marcus led her into the hall. ‘Are you going to tell your folks about Phin?’
‘I think I’ll wait until I get the address. Maybe at di
Marcus let out a long breath. ‘Today, you mean. All I want is to go home and fall asleep in your purple room with your dog hiding under the bed. I might never leave.’
They’d made it to the elevator when they heard Kate Coppola calling their names. ‘Scarlett, Marcus, wait up.’
They stepped back from the elevator doors. ‘What’s the news on Davenport?’ Scarlett asked.
‘Not as bad as we thought. The bullet was a through and through, here.’ Kate tapped the left side of her chest. ‘He has a cracked rib, pulmonary contusions, and a hemopneumothorax.’ She said the words carefully. ‘In English, that means he’s got a bruised lung and blood in his chest cavity. They gave him a blood transfusion and put in a chest tube.’
Beside her, Marcus grimaced. ‘That sounds pretty bad, Kate.’
‘Could have been worse. They’ve got him on a ventilator and put him in a medically induced coma so that he can heal. Apparently the healing part hurts like hell.’
‘My injury was a bit different,’ Marcus said, ‘but the hurting like hell part is the same.’
‘What about the three guys in the car? Sweeney’s guys?’
‘The driver is Da
‘You kept him from continuing to shoot at us,’ Scarlett said levelly. ‘Your bullet may have saved our lives.’
‘I know. But I wanted him alive to talk. Trevino claims he got a call from Burton – his boss – who needed a pickup. He met them at the main road, presumably while we were confronting Sweeney in the driveway. Burton told Trevino that Sean was bleeding badly but was able to tell Burton about the jackknife stashed in his shoe. Burton flung himself to the ground, chair and all, and managed to get to the knife. He sawed the ropes off Sean, then Sean got him loose. Burton used the knife to slit Stephanie Anders’s throat.’
Scarlett grimaced. ‘Even with a sharpened jackknife that wasn’t a quick death. She probably suffered. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.’
‘I’m not sorry she’s dead,’ Marcus said tightly. ‘But I would have liked Tala’s family to have their day in court with her.’
‘I know,’ Kate said kindly.
‘Don’t keep me in suspense,’ Scarlett said impatiently. ‘What about Sean?’
‘He’s in surgery. The crash hurt him worse than Sweeney did, ironically. Hopefully he’ll survive, because he’s apparently the one with all the information.’ Kate sighed. ‘Davenport’s handler and the two guys that Davenport stashed are all dead. Looks like a case of a hidden knife again. The crime-scene guys found a ripped hem in Reuben Blackwell’s pants. Reuben and Jackson had nearly freed themselves when Agent Symmes came into the apartment. There was a struggle. One of Sweeney’s guys stabbed Symmes, but he shot them before they could get away. All three of them died.’
Scarlett sighed. ‘Did Agent Symmes have a family?’
‘Yeah. Parents only. No wife or kids. Zimmerman and Troy went to do the notification.’
‘At least Deacon didn’t have to do it,’ Scarlett murmured. ‘What about Davenport being in a coma? How long does the thorax thing take to heal?’
‘Once they bring him out of his coma, a few days to a week. He recorded all the bugged conversations in Sweeney’s house, so I have tapes to listen to in the meanwhile.’ Kate smiled, and it wasn’t pleasant. ‘And there’s always Alice. I’m going to enjoy that interrogation.’
‘She won’t tell you anything,’ Marcus said wearily.
‘Don’t be so sure,’ Kate said. ‘How’s Gayle E
‘Resting comfortably,’ Marcus said, his lips curving with a genuine smile that took Scarlett’s breath away once again. ‘They’ll keep her tonight for observation, then let her go home tomorrow. My stepfather, my sister and I will help Gayle’s niece take care of her.’
He hadn’t included his mother in that caretaker list, Scarlett thought, and now that she’d met Della Yarborough, she understood why. There was a frailty, almost a transparency about the woman, as if one more blow would break her. She thought about how her own mother had sat next to the woman who’d been a stranger to her before tonight. Jackie Bishop had lent Della her strength, and Scarlett felt a surge of pride and love for her mom. And a wave of pity for Marcus for having to be the strong one all the time.
Not anymore. Scarlett would make sure that the man beside her understood that he didn’t have to carry all the weight ever again.
‘I’m glad Gayle is safe,’ Kate said, then hesitated. ‘I’m sorry about your friends at the Ledger. Please let me know if there’s anything you need.’
Scarlett slid her arm around Marcus’s waist, gave him a brief but hard hug. ‘We will,’ she said. ‘Now if there’s nothing else, we need to get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow.’
‘Goodnight then,’ Kate said. ‘And thank you both.’
Scarlett steered Marcus into the nearest elevator, then hit the button for the lobby. ‘Together,’ she said softly. ‘Do you understand, Marcus? You don’t have to do any of this alone. You have your family and friends. And you have my family and friends.’
His throat worked as he swallowed hard. ‘And you?’
‘Yes,’ she said simply. ‘Let’s go home.’
Epilogue
Cinci
Wednesday 12 August, 8.30 P.M.
Scarlett put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher, then wiped down the new stove that had magically appeared in her kitchen two days after they’d killed Sweeney and rescued Gayle. It was the Viking six-burner, two-oven model she’d shown Marcus the first time she’d brought him home. The first time they’d made love.
They’d made a lot of love in the week since, sometimes fast and sometimes slow. Sometimes simply because Marcus had ghosts in his eyes. Scarlett thought that tonight would be one of those times.
‘I think that was everything,’ her mother said after doing one last check of Scarlett’s house for any plates or silverware their open-house guests might have set aside and forgotten. ‘I even had your brother check under the beds in case your dogs dragged any bones up there.’