by Rose, Karen
‘You were afraid to come forward.’
‘There was that,’ he agreed. ‘That Harvey had been killed was a warning to all of us. That Robinette sacrificed Levi . . . his own son . . . It made me afraid for my family. I didn’t read Harvey’s notebooks for years. When I did, I figured it was too late. Nobody believed Robinette was a killer then. Nobody but you anyway. By the time I knew the truth, he’d cleaned up his image. I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I should have known you would. I’m sorry.’
She nodded. Made her lips curve. Tried not to think about how much misery could have been avoided if he’d come forward. Locke did come forward before, she told herself. Helped her get evidence, and lost his job in the process. ‘Why bring these to me now?’
‘We saw the news. Heard what Robinette was doing now, with the sarin. Heard what he did to you and your family. It really is too late now, but I thought you’d want to know the truth.’
Stevie drew a breath. ‘Thank you. The truth is always good to know.’
Locke lifted his hand, weakly. ‘Take care, Detective.’
‘You, too.’ She watched them go, waiting until the elevator doors closed to close her eyes.
‘You okay, Stevie?’
She turned to see JD standing behind her. ‘Where did you come from?’
‘The other bank of elevators. I always get lost in this hospital. I came to see Clay, but saw you talking to that couple. I’ll take the DVDs to the station for you, unless you want to do it.’
She handed the backpack to him without hesitation. ‘You can have them. I’m done.’
JD’s brows went up. ‘Done with this case or really done?’
‘Haven’t decided yet. But I promise you’ll be one of the first to know. But you should probably start breaking in a new partner. If I do ever come back, it’ll be a while.’
JD looked sad, but unsurprised. ‘My next partner has some big shoes to fill. I’m going to see Clay now. You call me if either of you need anything.’
He walked away and Stevie sighed, then frowned. ‘What was I going to do?’
‘Eat,’ Emma said. ‘You were going to eat.’
Stevie gave her a sideways glance. Emma stood with Izzy and Maggie off to the side where they’d been quietly watching. ‘Oh yeah. I’m still starving.’
Izzy put her arm around her. ‘Come on, let us take care of you for a little while.’
Stevie swallowed hard. ‘I think I like the sound of that.’
Hunt Valley, Maryland, Friday, April 4, 1.30 P.M.
It was a beautiful house. It took Stevie’s breath away, thinking about the possibilities, about how much Cordelia would love it. The house was Victorian style but new construction, which Clay said would make installing security systems easier.
It sat on three acres of rolling farmland, close to Daphne’s farm. It meant that Cordelia could go riding more often and that Stevie could try more often.
She still hadn’t gotten comfortable with the idea of sitting on top of a twelve-hundred pound animal with big teeth. Even though one of the horses at the farm did seem to like her. At least she could brush him and not hyperventilate. She even kind of liked him back.
Her daughter was proud of her for being brave. So . . . progress.
‘Well,’ Clay said quietly from behind her, ‘what do you think?’
She tore her gaze from the beautiful view and turned to face him ruefully. ‘I love it. But there’s no way I can afford it.’
‘I can,’ he said.
She was incredibly touched and a little scared. ‘Have I told you today that I love you?’
‘Three times, not that I’m counting,’ he said, but his dark eyes were carefully mild, which meant he was very emotional behind his mask.
‘I don’t want you to take this wrong. I plan to spend a lifetime with you. But I have a seven-year-old daughter.’ His frown was quick and dark and she knew he’d misunderstood. ‘Stop right there,’ she ordered. ‘This isn’t me being afraid she’ll get too attached to you. That train left the station a long time ago. This is about me wanting to set a good example.’
His frown relaxed a hair. ‘Explain, please.’
‘Simply put, I don’t want her to think it’s okay to jump into a permanent relationship with the first man she dates. To Cordelia, you are the first man she’s ever seen me with. After three weeks, it’s too soon for me to be accepting houses from you. That’s not a good example.’
His frown disappeared. ‘I agree. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t suggest you move in with me, even though I really want you to.’
‘One of the reasons?’
‘The other is that two men died in my house. I want Cordelia to have a place that is safe. Where no one has died violently. Plus I want space, enough that our friends can come stay whenever they want. There’s even enough room in this house so that Izzy can live with us. She could have her own suite and a private entrance.’
She was even more touched now. ‘You’re okay with Izzy living with us?’
‘As long as she wants. I want acreage where a big dog can run. And there are no deed restrictions. I could build a stable for Gracie and Cordelia could ride every day. This place fits the bill for everything I want.’
‘But the bill is huge. I can’t afford the mortgage, even if a bank was crazy enough to give me a loan. Which none would consider doing with my job situation up in the air. Which brings me to something else I wanted to talk to you about.’
‘I’m not ready to end the conversation about this house,’ Clay said, calling her on her ploy. ‘But I’ll put it aside for now. What else did you want to talk about?’
‘My job. Hyatt called me yesterday.’
His expression shuttered. ‘Why?’
‘He wants me to come back, just not to the detective squad. They created a position, a liaison to work with the State cops as they investigate IA. Scott Culp was on Robinette’s payroll. They want to make sure the rest of IA is clean. They want me for the liaison job. It’s a promotion and a pay raise.’
‘What did you decide to do?’
‘I haven’t yet. I wanted to talk to you first.’ She knew it was the right thing to say by the look of relief on his face. He hadn’t wanted her to go back to the force, in any capacity. She hadn’t realized that before. ‘Because I had another idea. The night you told me about Silas you said you were behind, that you’d be more behind because Paige was out. She’s back now, so are you still behind?’
He shrugged, his eyes now considering. ‘It’s not so much a question of behind as of lost potential. The security side of the business is going well. Alec is handling a lot of things for me and Alyssa keeps the office running smoothly. I could take more personal security jobs if I had more people I could trust to be bodyguards. After we lost Tuzak . . . Well, I haven’t had the heart to find someone else.’
‘What about Paige?’
‘I need her on the PI side. She would be a natural for bodyguard work, though.’
‘What if I took over the PI side?’ Stevie asked, rushing the words out of her throat before she lost her nerve. ‘I’m walking better. I might never run, but I’m a damn good investigator. I’d have to get a license, but that shouldn’t—’ She scowled. ‘Why are you laughing?’
He crossed the room, kissed her soundly. ‘I was wondering how to bring it up. I kept hoping Hyatt would tell you that you’d be on permanent disability so that you’d have to consider other options. But are you sure? You’d leave the force?’
‘Clay, I became a cop to help people, to do the right thing. I did help people and I like to think I’ve done the right thing as consistently as I could. The Baltimore PD isn’t the only place I can do that. I can still help people, working for you. Paige says she pulls some all-nighters, but most of the time she’s home for d
inner. I want to be home for Cordelia. And I want to be home for you. And if I can help you help other people along the way, why not? What do you say?’
‘I say you’re hired.’
She smiled, leaning up on her toes to seal the deal with a kiss, but he stopped her.
‘Not so fast. We need to agree on the terms. I never planned to buy this house in my own name,’ he said, swinging the topic back to the beginning.
She rolled her eyes. ‘We’re back to the house?’
‘We are. I buy all my property through corporations and bury them in other corporations. If someone finds me it’s because they really want to and they’re really good.’
‘They found your dad,’ she pointed out.
‘Because he bought his house in his name. For the majority of people, that’s not a problem, but you and I aren’t the majority, Stevie. We make enemies. I protect what’s mine, and the first rule is to not let them find you in the first place. So I’ll buy this house through the business.’
‘So technically, I’d be renting office space,’ she said. ‘Not letting you buy me a house.’
‘I think that would keep you from being a fallen woman in Cordelia’s eyes. So, partners?’
She blinked. ‘I’m not a partner. I’m just starting.’
‘You bring street cred. As does Paige. You’re a nationally known detective. She’s a nationally known martial artist. I can’t think of better partners to run my PI and bodyguard businesses. I’ve already had my attorney draw up the papers listing the three of us as full partners. I haven’t told Paige yet. I was waiting to tell you first.’
Her chest was tight with emotion – gratitude, love, and excitement. It was the perfect solution, which came as no surprise. Perfect solutions were what Clay did best. ‘I’d get special partner benefits, right?’
‘Like what?’
‘Like exclusive access to the senior partner, any time of the day or night.’
His eyes lit up. ‘Of course.’
‘Then I guess the only question is when can I move in?’
‘As soon as you choose paint colors for the walls. I bought the house yesterday.’
Her mouth fell open. ‘You sneak. You manipulated me again.’
He slid his arms around her waist, holding her loosely. ‘Are you mad?’
‘Not really. Nothing you can’t make up to me anyway. We have two hours before Cordelia needs to be picked up from school. I suggest you use it wisely.’
He nuzzled her neck. ‘I think I have some idea of how to start.’
‘Somehow I thought you might.’