by Karen Rose
Real fear flickered in Alice’s eyes. ‘You don’t scare me, Detective.’
‘That’s good, because I haven’t touched you, except to cuff you. I do know a few people in the general population who owe me a favor or two. And they’ll enjoy paying me back.’ She leaned close. ‘Because you’re so pretty,’ she whispered. ‘For now.’
Alice glared at her lawyer. ‘Are you going to sit there and let her get away with this?’
‘Get away with what?’ the man asked blandly. ‘She’s just complimenting you on how pretty you are. She hasn’t threatened you at all.’
‘I like your attorney, Alice. He’s got common sense.’ Scarlett stood up, glanced at the doorway to find that Kate Coppola had been silently watching. ‘Agent Coppola, I think she’s ready to go to lockup. I’ll have an officer take her. I’ll see you later, Alice. I think you’ll enjoy meeting your new friends.’
‘I won’t tell you anything,’ Alice said, but she was very pale. ‘You can’t bully me.’
‘I really didn’t think I could. I think I’ll get the information I need from DJ.’ She made a mental note to make sure he was brought in ASAP. ‘My goal, Alice, is to see you get the ultimate prison experience.’
‘DJ is in Interview Six,’ Kate said. ‘For realsies this time. He was brought in a few minutes ago.’
Alice’s eyes flashed fury when she realized she’d bought Marcus’s earlier lie about DJ having been arrested already. ‘You failed him, you know,’ she called when Scarlett turned to go.
‘Failed who?’ Scarlett asked, knowing exactly what Alice was going to say.
‘O’Bannion. You told him you’d get me to talk.’
Scarlett smiled at her sweetly. ‘No, I told him I’d do my job. One of my jobs is to get justice for the victims. Sometimes justice wears an orange jumpsuit.’
Scarlett left the room before she gave in to the urge to smack the woman senseless, leaning against the wall in the hallway where her father was waiting. ‘Where’s Marcus?’ she asked.
‘Right here,’ Marcus said as he came out of the observation room. ‘I’m calm now. I’m sorry I went after her.’
He looked drawn and exhausted and damn near defeated, worrying her. ‘No you’re not. I wish I hadn’t had to stop you.’
‘Are you going to interview DJ now?’ he asked.
‘Yes, since he’s here “for realsies”. You need to get to the hospital.’ She looked back into the room with a frown. ‘Although . . . Shit. The shooting at the Ledger was to lure you out. Maybe they’ll wait for you at the hospital.’
Marcus opened his mouth to protest, then pursed his lips. ‘Kevlar,’ he said.
‘Head shot,’ she countered.
‘Tactical helmet,’ he returned. ‘I wore them all the time in the Gulf. I kept myself alive for years, Scarlett. Trust me. You said it yourself – my family needs me. I’m not hiding here and I’m sure as hell not going to abandon Stone. He needs to know I’m there.’
Scarlett nodded shakily. He was right and she knew it. He’d trusted her to do her job. She had to trust his good sense and the promises he’d made her. ‘I trust you to stay alive. I don’t trust them to stop trying and maybe hurting a lot of people in the process.’
He blanched. ‘Shit. Oh shit.’
‘Wait.’ She glanced up at her father. ‘What can we do to ensure the safety of everyone in that hospital? Because even if Marcus doesn’t go—’ She held up her hand to quell Marcus’s protest. ‘I know you’re going, but even if you didn’t, they may expect you to. If luring you to the hospital is the goal, they’ll target it. Dad? What can we do to maximize security for everyone?’
‘We’ll post officers at every entrance,’ her father said, ‘and around the ER and OR. Weapons checks for everyone currently on the floor and anyone who gets off the elevator. The hospital itself has security protocols and we’ll work with them. It will deter any assault through traditional means, at least.’
‘That’ll have to be good enough,’ she said quietly, her eyes locked to Marcus’s. ‘I want to talk to DJ. Maybe he’ll tell me where to find Kenneth Sweeney. With Demetrius dead and Anders captured, Sweeney may be the one left running the show.’
‘I’ll take Marcus to the hospital, Scarlett,’ her father offered. ‘You do your job here.’
Marcus nodded soberly. ‘Thank you, Jonas. But if you’ll give us a moment first, please?’
‘Of course. I’ll meet you in the lobby by the elevator.’
Scarlett took Marcus’s hand and led him into an unoccupied consultation room, closed the door and gathered him into her arms. He shuddered and held her tighter. ‘What will I do?’ he whispered. ‘Without Stone? And Gayle?’
‘For now you believe that you’ll get them back. Both of them.’
‘And if I don’t? It almost killed me to lose Mikhail. If I lost Stone . . .’
Scarlett pulled his head down for a hard kiss. ‘Stop. You heard Jill. Stone is conscious. He will live. He’s too obstinate not to.’
He nodded, more to convince himself than in agreement. ‘So we just need to find Gayle.’
‘Exactly.’
He rested his cheek on the top of her head. ‘I should have shut the paper down until all this was over,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Why didn’t I do that?’
‘Because it would have put a lot of people out of work. You built that paper up, gave your employees financial security. Would any of them have stayed home if you’d given them a choice?’
‘I don’t know. I’ll never know now.’ He was quiet for a long moment. ‘I’ve known Cal Booker for as long as I can remember. When I visited my grandfather, before we moved from Lexington, Cal was always here. Never treated me like I was in the way.’ He tightened his hold. ‘This is my fault, Scarlett. I never expected any of my people to get hurt.’
She thought about him going to the prison, confronting Woody McCord. ‘You thought the McCords of the world would only come after you. Maybe you even wanted them to?’
‘That’s what Stone said, and now . . .’
‘Look, Marcus, all I know is that every member of your team looked me in the eye and said it was worth the risk. Cal included.’
‘Bridget didn’t. Jerry didn’t.’
‘And for them you hired guards.’
‘You’re not going to let me feel guilty for this, are you?’
‘No. Your family needs you. Your employees need you. They’re going to be in shock and grieving. So if you want to do something for Cal, find a way to keep the paper going.’
‘You’re so calm.’
‘But I won’t always be. When I’m not, you’ll be the calm one. I hear from a reliable source that that’s how it’s supposed to work.’
‘Your dad told you that?’
‘Among other things.’ She lifted on to her toes to kiss him. ‘Now go. I’ll be there soon.’
‘All right.’ Straightening, he blew out a breath. ‘I’ll see you at the hospital.’
Thirty-five
Cincinnati, Ohio
Wednesday 5 August, 8.45 P.M.
Scarlett found the OR waiting room full of people, including, to her amazement, both of her parents. Jackie Bishop was sitting next to Della, holding her hand. Marcus sat between his mother and Scarlett’s father.
Deacon’s fiancée, Faith, sat next to her uncle Jeremy, gently holding his hand, which was covered, as always, by the black leather gloves that hid the scars from the burns he’d received years before. Audrey sat on Jeremy’s other side, no expression on her face.
Jill occupied the seat next to Audrey, but it was Keith’s leg on which she rested her head. Her eyes were closed, but tears were seeping out, wetting the knee of Keith’s trousers. Jeremy’s husband had an uncharacteristically gentle expression on his face as he stroked the hair off Jill’s forehead. Once again Scarlett was reminded of how young the girl was. And how prescient. This was exactly what Jill had feared – her aunt getting hurt because of the risks Marcus and his team had taken.<
br />
Lisette and Diesel shared a sofa, looking shell-shocked and numb and alone. Everyone, with the exception of Scarlett’s parents, looked shell-shocked.
Everyone, including her parents, wore body armor – heavy vests that looked sadly out of place. Marcus had taken his helmet off once he’d gotten to the safety of the waiting room, but he’d worn it just as he’d promised.
Scarlett went straight to Marcus and kissed his forehead. ‘Nothing,’ she murmured in his ear. ‘I’m sorry. DJ is one of the coolest customers I’ve seen in years. He wouldn’t give me a thing. Even Alice gave us more.’
Marcus’s shoulders sagged. ‘I didn’t think he would, but I’d hoped.’
‘I left Kate with him, hoping she’d have better luck. Any news on Stone?’
‘In surgery. Deacon came with him in the ambulance but left to go back to the . . .’ He swallowed. ‘Back to the crime scene. Stone stayed conscious all the way to the hospital. Long enough for us to see him before they took him to the OR.’ He opened his mouth, then closed it after looking at his mother.
Scarlett nodded, understanding that they’d debrief more privately. She noted Della Yarborough’s curious, yet muted, glance. Marcus’s mother wasn’t blitzed out, but she had definitely taken something. Maybe a lot of somethings.
Scarlett leaned down and kissed her own mother on the cheek. ‘Hi, Mom. I didn’t expect to see you here.’
‘Your father called to say he wouldn’t be home for dinner – and he told me about Marcus. If he’s important to you, he’s important to us. So we’re here.’
Scarlett’s heart swelled. ‘Thank you.’ She turned to Marcus’s mother, half kneeling so that the older woman didn’t have to look up. ‘Mrs Yarborough. I . . . I wish we weren’t seeing each other again under these circumstances.’
‘Just Della is fine.’ Della’s mouth curved, but she didn’t hold the smile, as if it took too much energy. ‘So you and my Marcus . . . ?’
Scarlett’s cheeks heated. ‘Yes, ma’am. I hope you’re okay with that.’
‘And if I’m not?’
‘I would respectfully keep him anyway.’
Della’s smile lasted a little longer this time before dimming. ‘You came to Mikhail’s funeral. You didn’t have to.’
‘I did have to.’ She hesitated, then shrugged. ‘I go to all the funerals. For all of the victims. It seems like the right thing to do.’
A slow-motion nod. ‘You’ll be perfect for Marcus. So yes, Scarlett, I’m okay with it.’
‘Whew.’ Scarlett smiled up at her. ‘I was worried there for a second or two.’ She looked over at her own mother and saw approval. Jackie gave her a nod and it felt good.
Abruptly Della skewered Scarlett with a look. ‘Do you know where Gayle is yet?’
‘No, ma’am, not yet. But we’re looking.’ A rustling behind Scarlett had her turning to see Jill coming to her feet, her expression grim, her eyes red from crying.
‘Not hard enough,’ Jill said coldly. ‘You have suspects in custody. You’re the super-cop. Make them tell you where that bastard took my aunt.’
Scarlett rose slowly, suddenly bone-tired. ‘I’m no super-cop, Jill, and this is real life. The suspects don’t always talk. A lot of times they don’t. Sometimes – a lot of times – I want to strangle the truth out of them, but I can’t do that.’
‘Trick them into confessing.’
God, she’s young. ‘If they’re dumb enough to be tricked, they’re probably so dumb that I don’t need a confession. They leave evidence all over the place. Unfortunately the people who took your aunt aren’t dumb.’
Jill wasn’t convinced. ‘Then make a deal, dammit.’
‘That’s not going to happen. These people have killed too many people, have bought and sold families and made them slaves. They’ve trafficked children, Jill. Innocent children. We don’t even know what the children suffered. Do you think your aunt would really want these criminals walking free, victimizing even more people?’
Jill’s face crumpled, her shoulders sagging as she hugged herself, her sobs starting anew. ‘They have my aunt. They’ve killed all those people and they have my aunt.’
Sighing wearily, Scarlett gathered the girl in her arms. For a moment they just stood there, then Jill balled her hands into fists and pounded them into Scarlett’s collarbones, so hard that Scarlett found herself knocked back a step and sucking in a lungful of air.
Fury in her eyes, the girls fists came up like she was considering throwing a real punch. ‘No,’ Jill fumed. ‘You don’t get to act like you care. Not until you bring her home.’
Scarlett heard both her father and Marcus come to their feet behind her. She lifted her hand, staying them, and took Jill’s arm in a firm grip. ‘Come on. Let’s take a walk.’
‘Scarlett?’ Faith murmured, looking concerned. ‘Remember, she’s just a kid.’
Scarlett rolled her eyes. ‘Finally somebody sees my mean streak. I thought I’d gone soft.’ She heard a few chuckles as the tension in the room went down a notch. Even Jill smiled, and that pissed Scarlett off all over again. ‘But you know what? She isn’t just a kid. She’s nineteen and old enough to take a swing at a cop. So she can damn well listen to what I have to say. Don’t worry, Faith. We’re just going to take a walk.’ She tightened her grip a little when Jill tried to pull free. ‘Don’t make me worry Faith any more than I already have, kid.’
Jill stopped fighting and allowed herself to be led to another, smaller waiting room which was unoccupied. She yanked her arm free, rubbing her wrist. ‘You hurt me.’
‘That hurt you? Fuck that. You’re lucky I didn’t break both of your arms.’
The curse got Jill’s attention, and the threat made her seethe. ‘You wouldn’t.’
‘You’re right. I wouldn’t, because I can control myself. If I’d let my reflexes rule me, you would have carpet burns on your face right now. I’m going to say this only once. Grow the hell up. You’re scared and pissed off. I get that. But you’re not the only one who loves Gayle or who’s worried about her. You’re just the only one throwing a temper tantrum over it. That one hit was your freebie, kid. You touch me again and I will not control myself. Understood?’
‘Yes,’ Jill said sullenly.
‘All right. If you want to be a temperamental brat, stay here alone. If you want to help your aunt, then settle down.’
Jill sat down. ‘I’ll stay here.’
‘Fine.’ Scarlett started to leave, but her adrenaline abruptly crashed, along with her blood sugar. Exhaustion hit her almost as hard as Jill had, and the chair next to the kid suddenly looked damn inviting. She dropped into it and let her head fall back.
Jill gave her a snotty look. ‘It’s only staying here alone if I am alone.’
Scarlett threw the look right back. ‘Don’t you ever shut up, kid?’
‘You sound like Stone,’ Jill grumbled.
Scarlett snorted. ‘Now you’re just being mean.’
Jill chuckled, then sighed. ‘I’m sorry I hit you. I’m not sure why I did that.’
‘I imagine it was because you’re scared and upset and I was handy. Don’t do it again.’
‘Got it. Are you okay?’ Jill asked. ‘You look a little pale.’
‘Long day. I probably should eat. But I don’t have the energy to get up and get something. I think I used up the last of my reserves dragging you down here.’
‘I have a Snickers bar. I’ll split it with you.’
Scarlett wolfed her half down. ‘Now I’m only half a monster.’
‘You’re not so bad.’
‘High praise.’
Jill sat silent for a whole minute and a half. ‘I know what they’re doing.’
‘Who?’
‘Marcus, Gayle, Lisette and the others. They’re using the Ledger to expose abusers or turning their investigations over to the cops so that the abusers can be arrested.’
‘And you know this how?’
‘Because a lot of the threats
on that list didn’t make sense because the stories were never printed in the paper. So why would someone threaten Marcus? But then I cross-checked those threats against arrest records. Almost all of the people making threats had an arrest record for some kind of abuse in the past. I’m not as stupid as Marcus seems to think.’
‘He doesn’t think you’re stupid at all, Jill. That’s why you make him nervous. You’re smart, but he doesn’t know where your loyalties lie.’
‘They lie with Gayle. She took me in.’
‘And she’s all you have left. Don’t you think he knows that?’
‘I guess.’ She mimicked Scarlett’s pose, leaning her head back and staring at the ceiling. ‘It wasn’t really his fault,’ she said softly. ‘Gayle’s heart attack, I mean. She’d been having issues for a while but she wouldn’t let me tell anyone.’
‘That was stupid of her.’
‘She’s proud. And she doesn’t like to worry Stone and Marcus. She walks on eggshells around them. It’s like she’s afraid they’ll break.’
‘Maybe they will.’
It was Jill’s turn to snort. ‘Those guys are tanks. Nobody bothers them.’
‘Not now. Doesn’t mean it’s always been that way. You got your phone?’
‘Duh.’ Jill fished it out of her pocket. ‘Why?’
‘Do me a favor. Google “Matthias Gargano”, “Lexington” and “1989”.’ Scarlett closed her eyes while Jill did so. The girl’s gasp told her that she’d found the articles.
‘Oh my God. I didn’t know. Stone and Marcus . . . they had another brother?’
‘Yeah. Matty was killed by the kidnappers and Gayle was the one who kept that family together afterward. She’s seen those big tanks as small, scared little boys and that’s a hard image to erase. Maybe you understand their relationship a little better now.’