He helped Sadie stand and wrapped his long arms around her.
“Thanks for stopping by. I was worried about him.”
With a nod, Erik tromped down the hall.
Sadie returned to Hannah’s bedside. No change. She settled in the chair and folded her arms. So much had transpired in the last few hours she could barely wrap her mind around the details. At least Hannah was safe, and Bowen…did she have to say good-bye to him?
She’d threatened never to see him again once she had Hannah safe, but why? He claimed his affection for her was no lie. Could she believe him? A glimmer of hope tickled her heartstrings. He had shown that he considered her more than a job. Was it time for her to lower the drawbridge of her heart and destroy it forever? Why not give love another chance? When Hannah awoke, she’d visit Bowen.
Content with her plan, Sadie took her daughter’s small hand, and in a soft, soothing voice sang the song Aaron had written for her. Over and over she repeated the sweet words until her own lids drooped and her head rested on the bed again.
Every time nurses checked on Hannah, Sadie awoke. Her intermittent sleep left her with bleary vision and a headache. At dawn she eased out of the chair and rolled her shoulders. In the small bathroom, she fixed her hair and dabbed at her face with a damp towel.
A murmur in the room startled her. Was Hannah awake? Sadie opened the bathroom door. Hannah’s little body stirred under the covers. At her bedside, she hesitated to take her child’s hand again. What if she awoke and screamed at the stranger beside her bed?
Hannah’s eyelids fluttered. She raised her thin hand and wiped her hair off her cheek. Her eyes opened, and she stared around the room. She plucked at the I.V. inserted in her arm.
Sadie gently removed her hand. “It’s all right, sweetie pie.” Would Hannah remember this pet name? “You’re in a hospital, and that tube is giving you medicine.”
“Who are you?”
What could she say? Sing Aaron’s song. “We love Hannah, yes we do. She loves her Mom and Daddy, too. Hair and eyes of chocolate brown. Our little princess wears a crown.”
Hannah’s frown deepened. Her mouth quivered. “I know that song.” She blinked and blinked, and then swiped one hand across her eyes. “Why are you singing that song?”
Leaning close, Sadie took her hand. “We used to sing it to you every night.”
“You look like my mommy. My real mommy.” Her voice tapered off and she gave a half sob. “My real name is Hannah.” The words were a mere whisper.
“I am your real mommy, sweetie pie.” Sadie answered. “And yes, your real name is Hannah.”
With a gasp, Hannah jerked her hand away and covered her eyes. “Where have you been?”
How much more could her heart take before it shattered in pieces? “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Do…do you want me now?”
“I’ve always wanted you. What do you mean?” Sadie sank into the chair.
The little head moved on the pillow. Dark, questioning eyes examined Sadie’s face. “Mama Evelyn said I had to stay with her because after my daddy died, my real mommy didn’t want me anymore.”
38
Bowen shivered. He tried to tug the covers around his shoulders, but his arm didn’t cooperate. He opened his eyes. His blurred vision slowly cleared. Hospital. Surgery. No wonder he couldn’t get the sheet—his right arm was immobile, bandaged to his chest.
Propped against the pillows, he assessed his situation. Arm operated on, but whole. Bruised area just below his ribs. That would heal. So far, his life appeared to be back on track. So why did he have a niggling ache, like someone prodded a sore spot in his brain?
A nurse bustled in.
“Good morning, Mr. Boudine. My name’s Robin. How you doing?” She wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his left bicep and then thrust a thermometer into his mouth. “Under your tongue, please.”
The cuff tightened. Relaxed slowly. The machine beeped results.
Robin removed the cuff and the thermometer. “Blood pressure is a little high. Temp is normal.” After scribbling notes on a little pad, she checked his bandage. “The surgeon will come by later this morning. Need anything? Hungry?”
“No. Yes. When can I get out of here?”
“Ask the doctor. On a scale of one to ten, how’s your pain right now?”
Closing his eyes, Bowen shrugged. “OK, but I’m cold.”
Another cover dropped over his body, but he didn’t open his eyes. Where was a good cup of hot coffee when he needed it?
He drifted off to sleep again and woke to find Erik dozing in the chair. The guy could sleep anywhere.
Erik’s eyes snapped open as soon as Bowen stirred. “Hey, friend, how you feeling?”
“OK, I guess. Want to go home.”
Covering a yawn, Erik rolled his shoulders. “No need to hurry.”
“Why don’t you get some rest? You don’t look too good.”
“Speak for yourself, buddy. Just came to check on you and tell you about Sadie.”
Bowen didn’t want to think about her. Now that she had Hannah, she didn’t need him in her life. She’d made it abundantly clear. But he had to ask. “Where is she?”
“Second floor. Room 267. I checked on them before coming here. She wants to see you.”
“No. Tell her not to come. Please.” How could he be in her company and not long for something more?
“You’re back to your usual pigheaded self. Good. After I chat with your nurse, I’ll go home. See you later.”
Although Erik’s words sounded harsh, Bowen sensed his compassion. How many hours had he been sitting by his bedside? Only a friend would do that.
Rattling carts moved up and down the hall. Breakfast. Nausea visited his stomach at the very idea of food. Another round of vitals left Bowen longing for the peace and quiet of his own bedroom. He’d almost fallen asleep again when a doctor wearing an oversized lab coat bustled into the room.
The petite, dark-skinned woman, no bigger than his thirteen-year-old niece, gave him a big smile. “Good morning, Mr. Boudine. I’m Doctor Loudermilk. Let’s see how your arm is doing.” Wire-rimmed glasses set on her dainty nose, she drew the covers off his torso and ran her hand over the bandaged area. “No swelling. Good. The exit wound resulted in a lot of damaged tissue which I had to remove. You’re a lucky guy. A couple of centimeters to the left and the bullet would have shattered the bone. You should regain complete use of your arm.”
“Should regain complete use?”
“I wish I could be more specific, Mr. Boudine. But for now, your body needs time to heal.” She slipped her glasses into her pocket and glided to the foot of the bed. “Any questions?”
“When can I go home?”
“We’ll reevaluate your situation tomorrow. The human body is a remarkable machine. You need to rest. Is that clear?”
He nodded, but none of it was OK. What if he lost the use of his arm?
“Later the staff will get you up. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Dr. Loudermilk nodded and exited the room.
Robin, who’d been hovering in the background, tucked the covers around Bowen’s torso. “Ring if you need anything, Mr. Boudine.”
Left alone at last, Bowen stared at the wall. What would he do if he couldn’t work for IRO? Without the job he enjoyed and the woman he loved, what would happen? Would his lies deprive him of happiness with her?
A muscle spasm shifted his focus to his right arm. With effort, he moved his index finger, sending a welcome twinge up his arm. He tried again. Definite movement. He closed his eyes. “Thank You, God.”
Grabbing the bed rail, he sucked in a breath. Pain shot through his bicep. The short prayer had prodded the tender spot in his brain. The flack vest might have saved his body. But what would it take to rescue his soul?
39
Catching up on three lost years of Hannah’s life thrilled Sadie. In between short naps, her daughter chatted about school, friends, and Evelyn. Sadie didn’t c
are. Right now, she just needed to reconnect. The latest blood test showed that the drug had almost vacated Hannah’s body. She could be discharged from the hospital the next day.
While Hannah lounged in bed watching cartoons on TV, a steady stream of officials debriefed Sadie. The LAPD, the FBI, and WITSEC had called on her at different times, conducting their interviews in the hospital wing’s staff kitchen for privacy. They understood her need to be near Hannah, and agreed she could make formal statements sometime later.
She worried about Bowen but didn’t want to leave her daughter’s side.
When Elia Valdez visited, a counselor came with her.
Cuddly and rosy-cheeked, Mary Irving’s soft hazel eyes twinkled as she greeted Hannah. “Hello, young lady. I want to talk to you. Will that be all right?”
Hannah glanced at Sadie, brown eyes seeking direction.
The tiny action sent Sadie’s heart fluttering. She nodded. “It’s all right, sweetie pie. Mary’s here to help us.”
Mary asked a series of general questions, establishing rapport, and then motioned for Sadie to step into the hall.
Elia produced a box of crayons and a coloring book, eliciting squeals from Hannah.
“Mrs. Malone, what is your assessment of Hannah’s emotional state at this point?”
“To be honest, I’m surprised and relieved. When Hannah regained consciousness, she recognized me——you don’t know how I’d dreaded that moment.” Sadie’s throat tightened. “Anyway, she asked if I wanted her. Apparently, Evelyn told her I didn’t want her because her daddy was dead. That worries me. But so far, Hannah appears to be a normal, happy, well-adjusted child. I’ve not seen or heard anything else from her that concerns me, and I’ve been watching.”
“Has she mentioned anything negative about Evelyn?”
Listening to her daughter’s quiet chatter, Sadie frowned. “No, but she said something a while ago about her bicycle and wanting to visit a friend down the street. I’m afraid she thinks she’s going back to Evelyn’s house and…” The words locked in her throat.
“Possibly. Have you ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome?”
Oh Lord, please not that.
“Classic symptoms. The victim develops an attachment to her kidnapper. It’s a survival instinct. This is where therapy might help. Here’s my card.” Mary pulled one from a little pocket in her beige sweater. “When you’re settled, we’ll schedule a series of visits. Do you want me to stay here while you tell her she’s going home with you?”
Sadie hadn’t thought that far ahead. Where was she going to live? No need to return to the safe house, but would IRO let her live there a while? She’d have to add that to her prayer list. “I can manage, but thank you. I will call for an appointment as soon as I can.”
“From the short time I spent with Hannah, I’ve determined she is emotionally stable. You can help her adjust by keeping things as normal as possible. Have the authorities collect her clothes and toys from the house. Allow the visit to her friend.”
These ideas hadn’t occurred to Sadie. “Are you sure?”
“Uh-huh. If Hannah had negative experiences there, it would be different. But it doesn’t seem she did. If you have no other concerns, I’ll be on my way. I mainly came to introduce myself and do an initial assessment of Hannah’s emotional state.”
Mary nodded to Sadie and then entered the room and said good-bye to Hannah.
Elia gathered the loose crayons and handed them to Hannah. “Go on, Mary. I’ll meet you at the elevator. Sadie, come over here a minute.”
At the window, Elia whispered, “Jake Quillian’s been arrested. He was on the take and supplied information to a variety of people, Lonnie Levasseur included.”
“So that’s how he found me?”
“Yes. I have to go now, but we’ll be in touch.”
Sadie returned to the chair. When would be a good time to tell Hannah? She seemed so content. Her hair could do with a wash, but her little cheeks glowed and her inquisitive eyes took in every detail of her surroundings. Sadie chose to tell her now.
“Sweetie pie, remember a while ago when the nurse removed your I.V. and the doctor came? He said you could go home tomorrow.”
Hannah stopped coloring and nodded.
“When we leave here we won’t be going to Mama Evelyn’s house.”
“Why? Did the bad man hurt her?”
Whoa. She hadn’t expected that. “No. The bad man took you, but he didn’t hurt Evelyn.” Anxiety clutched her throat muscles. “Did the bad man hurt you?”
The purple crayon stilled. “He…he covered my face with a yucky cloth and I went to sleep. When I woke up he gave me applesauce to eat. I slept again. He didn’t hurt me, but I don’t like his carpet.” She inserted the purple crayon into the box.
Anger at Kyle and Lonnie darkened Sadie’s vision for a second. How dare they take her baby and force her to eat doped applesauce!
“Why can’t we go back to Mama Evelyn’s house? She said the bad people were after us, and we had to hide. Are we going to hide?”
With the bad people in jail, Sadie hoped she’d never have to hide again. “No, sweetie pie. No more hiding. You’re going to come and live with me.”
Hannah folded her arms and pouted. The coloring book slipped off her legs to the floor. “I know you’re my mommy, but I want Mama Evelyn, too.”
Maybe that was enough for now. She’d try again another time. Sadie picked up the book and set it next to Hannah. “Why don’t you rest? They’ll be bringing your lunch soon.”
With Hannah’s head turned away, Sadie couldn’t see her expression, but she sat among the pillows like a rigid doll. Sadie lowered the bed. When Hannah didn’t protest, she entered the bathroom.
Whew! That was hard. Sadie had expected Hannah would want to live with her. But maybe, as Mary suggested, Hannah had no negative feelings for Evelyn. Sadie had to give Evelyn credit. This child still had the sweet disposition of the four-year-old Sadie had lost. Hannah respected adults, had good manners. All of that and so much more could have been destroyed by a terrible experience with Evelyn.
A gentle knock. When Sadie reentered the room, Erik gazed at sleeping Hannah, a soft expression playing on his face. He motioned for her to join him in the hall and carried out two chairs. They sat with the door ajar.
“Did you sleep some?”
He yawned. “Some is the operative word.”
“How’s Bowen?”
“Waiting to see if he gets full use of his arm back. Other than that, he’s his usual stubborn self.”
Her bubble of relief at Hannah’s progress burst. Bowen, incapacitated. “I want to see him.”
Erik settled his arm across her shoulders. “Give him time. Maybe later today.”
“OK. What about Lela and Kyle?”
“Lela is fine. The bullet grazed her thigh. Kyle is dead. He—”
“What?” Sure, she’d despised him, but she’d never wished anyone dead.
“He fired the shot at you, and he shot Bowen. His police uniform got him past our surveillance. Good thing you wore that vest.”
Goose bumps prickled down Sadie’s arms as she rubbed her chest—right over her heart. Without the vest she’d be dead.
“Our official contacts relayed that Lonnie is under indictment for murder—he hired Lavonne White to kill you, and Miles Griffin got in her way.”
Gentle Griff. He died saving her.
“Of course, add kidnapping, extortion, et cetera. Nicole will also be out of the picture for a long time. The feds are investigating Brady Holdings again. Our friend, Evelyn, will be indicted for kidnapping.”
For a moment, Sadie snuggled on Erik’s shoulder. “That’s kinda sad. I mean I know she kept Hannah, but she saved her life and provided what appears to be a pretty normal existence for the past two and a half years.”
“Maybe so, but she knew about the accident. She could have turned Hannah over to the authorities. Hannah would have gone with you into WITSEC.”
Erik’s words sat like a boulder on Sadie’s heart. He was right. Although Evelyn had kept Hannah safe, she’d stolen nearly three years of their lives together.
“One more thing. Vicky has been arrested. She initiated the hiring of Lavonne and contacted Evelyn pretending to be a high school chum.”
“What about her sister, Irene?”
“They can’t pin anything on her yet. She might have eavesdropped or pumped information from Cal’s staff, but until they have something illegal on her, she’ll probably skate. She’s not even in custody.”
Sadie stretched her legs. Muscle stiffness had become a constant companion. “So that accounts for everyone.”
“Pretty much. I’m going back to Bowen.”
“I appreciate you coming. With the bad guys behind bars, I can be Sadie Malone again.”
Erik lumbered out of the chair and pointed down the hall. “Speaking of the Malones, here’s your brother-in-law.”
Cal and a slim, dark-haired woman approached. She carried a small duffle bag.
Erik greeted the visitors and then continued to the elevator.
“Cal.” Sadie fell into his arms. “Thank you. Thank you for sending Bowen to find me.”
“Praise God for a successful outcome.”
They held each other for a while before he released her. “I want you to meet my fiancée, Reyna Perez.”
Sadie extended her hand, but Reyna dropped the bag and wrapped her in a hug. “So nice to meet you. How’s Hannah?”
“She recognized me, which is wonderful, but she also wants to be with Evelyn.”
“It’ll take time.” Cal nodded towards the door. “Can we see her?”
“She was asleep. Let me check.” Sadie peeked around the door and whispered her name. Snuggled under the covers, Hannah didn’t budge.
“Don’t wake her. We’ll chat out here.” Cal picked up the bag and motioned for Reyna and Sadie to sit. “We have a proposition for you.”
Sadie glanced from Reyna to Cal. “What’s on your mind?”
“IRO has kept me abreast of your situation. What are your plans?” Cal knelt on one knee beside Reyna. “No need to worry about finances, because I will provide whatever you need.”
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