"I'm sure of it. That's why we're going to my apartment. Security won't let them past the front door. Renee went to your house to get our things."
"Well...it looks like you have everything under control." She swung his jacket off her shoulders and handed it to him. "But I won't hide."
He hooked it on two fingers and tossed it over his back. "Then let's go."
With his arm firmly caped around her, they stepped into the harsh glare of sunlight and accusing stares. Chuck caught up with them before the first wave attacked.
"It's best to show a united front," he said, looping his arm through hers. "Appearances are all we've got going for us right now. Let's take full advantage of them. Not a word from either of you."
Kevin pulled Alec's car to the curb. Flanked by both men, Dani ran the gauntlet. Questions were flung from all directions and from so many sources at once it was difficult to sort out the words. Which was probably best since the words Dani could pick out were cruel takes on the accusations against her.
When the reporters didn't receive the response they demanded, they pressed closer, barring the path to Alec's car mere feet from the safety it offered. Microphones were shoved in their faces. One clipped Chuck on the chin, cutting him. No one apologized. If anything, the reporters became more aggressive.
Alec elbowed his way through the crush. A path cleared by inches. It was enough. By slow degrees they reached the car. Alec yanked the back door open, shoved Dani inside, and then joined her. The crowd closed around Chuck, smothering him against the car.
"These people are insane." Reaching across the front seat, Alec pushed the door open.
Chuck wedged himself into the crack and squeezed inside. "Talk about feeding frenzy. Let's get the hell out of here before they attack the car."
But already the surge was dissipating. Cameramen caught parting shots of their car as Kevin drove away. Reporters did closing monologues. A few rushed to follow. Most probably headed for what they thought was the next destination-her house.
* * *
Dani hoped Renee got away before the reporters inundated her. She doubted Renee would be very successful in keeping quiet if faced with angry taunts. Frankly, Dani was surprised Alec had.
She stole a peek at him. He stared ahead, stone-faced, mouth set in a grim line. Nothing could be worse than putting a gag order on a hero. Dani burrowed her head into the cove of his arm and closed her eyes. It seemed a good way to escape.
Alec's stomach churned. He had just done the impossible-kept his mouth shut while the woman he loved was vilified. A witch-hunt-the similarity hit too close for his liking.
He traced a lazy circle on her shoulder with his thumb. At least this time they were together. And although he had no control over the outcome of these events, her protection until then was in his hands. No one could wrench that from him. He would be her staunchest defender. The world would know she was innocent.
Tension made Dani rigid. Who could blame her? Once they reached the sanctuary of his apartment, she could relax. Alec would devote the rest of the day to her comfort.
"My van is over there." Chuck pointed to a gray Voyager with a baby's car seat in the back. Kevin maneuvered into place behind it.
Chuck shoved open his door. "Get some rest, Dani. I'll see you at the police station tomorrow morning at nine."
"After three. I have work in the morning," she said without raising her head.
He opened his mouth, then clamped it shut and draped his arm over the seat. "I hate to be the one to break this to you, but I'd also hate for this to be a surprise...or a shock."
Dani forced her head up to meet a gaze Chuck could not hold.
"I doubt the school district will allow you to continue work until this is resolved. They will either suspend you or force mandatory leave pending the outcome."
"Thank you for telling me. I'll call the school once I get to Alec's place." Her response was choked, barely audible, controlled. As Chuck left, she settled into the seat, distancing herself even from Alec.
He let her have the space up to a point, but Alec refused to let her battle this new betrayal alone. He laced his fingers through hers and kept them bound until Kevin pulled into the parking lot of Alec's building.
Renee was already there. Any greeting or comment she would have made was wiped away by the devastation on Dani's face. In silence, they gathered the suitcases Renee had packed.
* * *
In the apartment, Alec pointed Dani to the phone. It took less than five minutes for her to confirm Chuck's suspicions-she was on suspension.
The pain in her eyes tore through him. Alec didn't know whether to hug her or leave her be.
"Honey...I'm sorry."
Blinking away a puddle of tears, she swallowed hard. "At least I know this attorney you hired is on top of things, ahead of the game, one step ahead of the competition." Her bottom lip quivered. "I can't think of any other clichés."
Alec lifted her chin on the crook of his finger. "We'll get through this, Dani."
"How?" Tears spilled down her cheeks and splashed to his arm. "Alec, I could go to jail. It's his word against mine and so far no one's listening to me."
"But they will, honey. We'll find this nurse and-"
"And she'll come to my rescue?" Dani lifted her right hand. "'Yes, your honor, I'm the one who tried to kill Danielle Morgan, not T.J. Costas.'" She gave a harsh laugh. "Alec, this is a woman who, for whatever reason she has fabricated, wants me dead. Even if we find her, she isn't going to help me."
Alec could hardly argue with that, since he had the same thoughts. He wasn't about to insult Dani's intelligence by placating her with false hope. He caught her face between his hands.
"We'll find a way. We won't give up. We'll keep trying. And when the weight is too much for you to bear, I'll be there to carry it and to carry you until this is resolved and you're vindicated."
Each sentence was punctuated by a kiss, to her forehead, each tear-streaked cheek, and finally her lips, and then he tucked her under his chin. "I know it's hard to be optimistic when you're tired. My bed has your name written all over it."
"A shower sounds so much better."
"Right down the hall. I think Renee has already put some of your things in there." He kissed her forehead and eased her away. "Can I get you something? Water? A glass of wine?"
She erased tear tracks with the heel of her hand. "A cup of tea would be great."
"I'll put the kettle on."
Dani's mouth fell open. "You have a teakettle?"
"Well, yes...why?"
She blinked away a new rush of tears. "No reason. Down the hall, you said?"
Dani didn't wait for a reply. If she stood there much longer, she would be blubbering her eyes out, blurting things best left to simmer for now. She shut herself in a bathroom of seafoam green and coral tile. As warm, bright, and welcoming as the man she loved.
She twisted the water on, stripped off her clothes, and stepped beneath the warm spray. Strange how the mention of a teakettle yanked her emotions to the surface. And for the life of her, Dani didn't understand why that would make her cry...or maybe she did.
It was just like the feeling she had at the police station when she was finally folded in Alec's arms. Relief washed over her, embarrassment followed that she had doubted he would be there, and finally an overwhelming desire to be protected. A stupid teakettle. Such a small thing, it normally wouldn't have mattered. Lumped in with everything else that had happened, it was just more proof that she had misjudged him.
Alec wasn't like the caveman types Dani had dated in the past. True, he descended to those depths on occasion. But a guy who owned a teakettle...
Dani jammed her head under the shower. Here was a man willing to stay through the good and the bad, and all she could focus on was that blasted kettle. He had saved her life, repaired her face, nurtured her to health, and then leaped to her rescue with his own attorney-all the evidence she needed that Alec was in her life to sta
y. And yet, all these things considered, the fact that he was making her tea was the most romantic thing she had ever experienced.
She twisted off the water, patted herself dry, and wrapped her wet head in a towel. Her robe lay over the counter-a cup of tea beside it. This was it. Another second couldn't pass without telling Alec how she felt. It was a risk, but so was life, and she was tired of hiding from it. He deserved to know. She owed him that much. She owed herself that much.
Knotting her bathrobe in place, Dani clutched her cup between her hands and marched from the bathroom. Her resolve faltered when she saw Renee and Kevin still there. Declarations of love were private. This one would have to wait.
At Renee's direction, Dani sank onto the overstuffed couch next to Alec. The creamy leather cradled her. Alec pulled her feet to his lap and massaged them while Renee blow-dried Dani's hair. Pampered and treasured, just what she needed after the scene outside the police station.
"Were there many reporters at my house?"
"A few," Renee said. "They were starting to gather. You might want to call your mom and dad in case this goes national."
"Would you do it? I'm just too tired to talk to anyone right now." Dani swallowed the last of her tea and gave herself over to their care while she looked around Alec's apartment.
Two chairs matched the couch. The tables punctuating the arrangement were dark, solid wood, the perfect contrast to the light leather. All faced a matching entertainment system that covered one wall: TV, VCR, a stereo to die for. The opposing wall contained a bookcase stuffed to overflowing.
The living room melded into a small dining alcove overlooking a patio view of whatever lay below. Wrought-iron chairs were tucked neatly in place around an octagonal table of stone gray. Beyond that lay the kitchen-bright and compact.
Everything was clean and orderly, just as she would expect of a doctor. Dani snorted to herself. Living at her house was probably a nightmare of disorganization for him. She didn't know how he tolerated it.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
Dani tucked her robe around her legs and stretched out more fully. "Nothing. I was just noticing how clean everything is."
A smile lifted the corners of his lips. "The maid was here yesterday, otherwise-disaster area."
She chuckled. "I have no car. I have no job. I can't go back to my house unless I want to get mobbed. And now you tell me you have a maid. What am I supposed to do while I stay here?"
"For now," he tucked her robe over her toes as Renee flicked off the dryer, "rest. We'll worry about keeping you occupied later."
Yes, worry later. Now that was appealing. Dani closed her eyes.
Alec nudged her. "Oh no you don't. You're going to sleep where you won't be disturbed."
* * *
Before Dani could protest, Alec lifted her like a baby and carried her to the biggest bed she had ever seen. A flick of his wrist tossed aside the covers. The sunshine scent of freshly laundered sheets beckoned.
She traced the laugh line carved in his cheek and smiled when his gaze latched onto hers. "Why don't you see Renee and Kevin to the door." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I need you, Alec. I need you inside me."
He didn't hesitate. He didn't argue. All he did was set her on the edge of the bed before he left.
Dani dropped her robe and crawled inside the cool, crisp comfort. In the distance, she heard the door click shut. Her heart hammered in anticipation as she nestled her head into the mound of pillows.
Stripping off clothes as he went, Alec charged into the room. By the time he reached the bed, all that remained were his trousers.
Dani pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as that last barrier fell. His erection was full, heavy. Alec pulled open the nightstand drawer.
"No." When he questioned her with a cock of his head, Dani peeled back the covers and opened her arms to him. "Just you. I love you, Alec."
He slammed the drawer shut and crawled over her. "I love you too. More than I can ever say." Nudging her thighs apart with his knee, he entered her without foreplay.
They took their time, letting one deep kiss after the other build the heat between them. Every unhurried motion confirmed their declaration of love. Each gentle thrust of body to body sealed their hearts, but not nearly as much as the rocking climax joined their souls.
In the joyous aftermath, he tucked against her. But instead of sleep, need rose again, and again he took her. Harder this time. Faster. Pounding into her with a fierceness that ripped the orgasm from her and left them spent.
"That can't happen again, Dani. A baby would only complicate things. I blame myself entirely. It's not like me."
She pulled herself from the edge of sleep and rolled into his arms. "It was safe. I would never take a risk like that...not now."
He draped his body around hers. "We're going to get this resolved, honey. Now get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow."
She snuggled closer. "I don't suppose one of our tasks could be to remove these stitches, could it?"
His response was nothing more than a grunt.
Alec waited until Dani's deep breathing signaled sleep, and then slipped from bed. He knew the risks. He knew the pattern set by their previous lives. And yet he ignored them. Each step forward was following the same path no matter how informed he was. It was up to him to get it right this time, and he was still screwing it up.
He hauled on a pair of boxers and wandered to the kitchen. It was too late to undo what had just happened. The sperm were already winding their way toward their own destiny. Dani might think herself safe, but pregnancy was a certainty.
Alec popped the top on a beer. There was only one solution. Somehow he had to convince her to marry him now-before her case was resolved.
And if she wound up going to jail? That wasn't a possibility Alec would even consider. This time he would do the right thing and they wouldn't die trying.
A slug of beer raised goosebumps. Or was that fear, because that's what this was about-getting it right, or dying. The pattern was set. He had to break it.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-One
Detective Regan greeted Dani and Alec with a smile and two cups of coffee. Dani waved hers away. Alec had no such compulsion. Doctors and cops-bad coffee was in their blood.
"Your attorney's already in back." Regan hiked his thumb to indicate some mysterious destination within the bowels of the police station. "We're ready to get started whenever you are."
Then they would never be ready. By now the nurse's face was nothing more than a jumble, an impression. Dani didn't know how to begin describing a person she could only recognize on sight. A line-up might work, but to build a likeness from nothing?
Chuck's laughter reached them as they neared the doorway. A woman's laugh followed. The two were kicked back in their chairs, open and at ease with one another. Old friends, that was the impression Dani got.
Both stood when Dani walked in. The woman extended her hand with a smile. Her handshake was firm. "I'm Bea Lauria."
Dani's eyebrow lifted of its own accord.
Bea laughed. "I'm Chuck's baby sister. Shall we get started?"
"I'm not sure where to begin."
Bea smiled. "No one ever is. It can be a long process, but don't let that frustrate you."
They sat next to each other so that Dani could watch the work in progress. Bea slid one long leg over the other, adjusted the sketchpad on her lap, and then selected one pencil from those lined up on the table. One look ordered the men to give her distance. A mask of professionalism slipped in place.
"Okay, let's start with her face. The shape...square, round, you know. Anything leap out at you?"
Dani found herself nodding. "There was a drawn look about her. Everything...face, hair...all pulled back. Tight, slick, severe. In the courtroom she wore a hat. I have no idea about hair color. My first thought when I saw her was that she was blonde. She looked harsh, but when she smiled, her features softened."
So far nothing was on the sketchpad. Dani knew she was being vague. Bea was in no rush. She tapped her pencil while she digested the information.
"Anything unusual about the smile?"
"Only that it transformed her..." Dani's eyes widened. "Her face was oval. Chin pointy."
Bea set the shape to paper.
"A small nose, but straight. Eyes...her hands didn't match the rest of her."
"What do you mean?" Bea poised her pencil in midstroke. "Could this have been a man?"
"I've asked myself that question over and over. I know the boobs could have been fake-they did look rather high and perky even for a young woman. The voice was too feminine, kind of baby-ish. She had the face and body of a young woman, but the hands gave her away. They weren't smooth."
"Extensive plastic surgery," Alec said.
Bea flashed him a shut-up look. Reprimanded, he retreated to silence with the other men.
"Could makeup have covered her age?" Bea asked.
Dani had no idea. The hospital room wasn't dark, but the light had come from behind the window blinds. In the courtroom, the woman was wearing makeup.
"If you have to give her an age, what would it be?"
"I thought late thirties, but in the courtroom she looked more like fifty-five. My mom's age. Maybe older."
Bea wrote the number in the corner and started back into the drawing. "Let me know when I'm on the wrong track."
Dani leaned closer. Bea was good. Seeing the work grow helped to jog her memory, and Bea adjusted with Dani's suggestions. Chin more rounded, cheekbones higher, smaller earlobes, wider forehead, eyes almond-shaped. No wrinkles, no identifying marks of any kind.
When the last nuance was in place, Bea turned the pad to Dani. "How's that?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Yes. That's her."
"Anything else? Eye color, height, weight?"
"Slender build, medium height...Eye color?" Dani shrugged. "I couldn't tell."
"Good enough." Bea plopped the pad on the table.
The men leaned over as one.
A chill ran up Alec's spine, raising the hair on his neck. Bea couldn't have done a better job if the woman had been standing before her. Every facet of her perfectly symmetrical face was in place. Alec knew it well. After all, he had helped create it. But it made no sense. Why would Barbara Rushmore want to harm Dani? She didn't know her. They'd never met.
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