by CJ Lyons
"Is everything all right?" she asked, joining him at the bedside.
"How do you like my new hair do?" Muriel asked, moving a hand mirror away from her face. Ribbons of dark hair littered the bed as Drake brandished a pair of shears.
Cassie stopped and stared. Muriel's long hair had been replaced by a short, spiky cut that made her look a decade younger. She nodded in approval. "It's you. I like it."
Muriel combed her fingers through it. "Thanks. I do, too. You can still see the staples, but Dr. Park said those will come out soon. And the hair he shaved will grow in soon."
A knock on the door interrupted them. The door opened, and Antwan Washington limped inside, followed by his mother and Adeena.
"Can we come in?" Adeena asked Muriel, but her eyes were fixed on Cassie.
Should've known Ed wouldn't wait for Cassie to make the first move. He'd set her up.
"Sure," Muriel called out. "Who are you?"
Tammy approached, staying behind Adeena, not meeting anyone's gaze. Antwan wasn't as shy and marched up to Muriel, his left leg dragging slightly from his stroke, the white plastic of an ankle-foot orthotic visible above his sneaker.
"This is Tammy Washington and her son, Antwan," Cassie made introductions. "And this is Adeena Coleman." She saw Adeena stiffen at the sound of her name and realized that their estrangement was hurting her as much as Cassie. She wrapped an arm around Adeena's waist, drew her into the tableau of adults around the bed. "My best friend since third grade."
"Pleased to meet you," Muriel said after introducing herself and Drake.
Antwan was trying to climb onto the bed, but couldn't with his hands full of a large stuffed kitten with blue eyes and impossibly long whiskers. Muriel patted the mattress beside her, and Cassie raised him up, loving the vibrant grin he gave her. "And who is that cute little kitty cat?"
"This is Felix," Antwan told them, waving the kitten's paw in greeting. "He's only pretend. I can't have a real kitty."
"They said Antwan can go home today after his physical therapy, so I wanted to say good-bye," Tammy said in a shy voice. "Wanted to thank you for everything, Dr. Hart."
"No need to. I'm just happy to see Antwan looking so well. Do you have everything you need at home?"
"Oh yes. His exercise equipment is already there, and the therapists are set to come three times a week. He needs another week of antibiotics, but they have home nurses who can come and give it to him. And we get to stay together. CYS and Adeena are helping me with a tutor so I can find another job, a better job that will let me take care of Antwan like I should." The young mother beamed with pride as she watched her son and Muriel join in earnest conversation, Antwan tickling Muriel's cheek with the stuffed animal.
"Just don't forget to call us if you need anything," Cassie told her. Then she thought of a way to repay Ed. "Adeena, don't you think Tammy might be a great help at the Liberty Center? I'm sure Drake or Ed could find her a job there."
Drake picked up his cue and smiled at Tammy. "We'd be honored to have you join the team, Ms. Washington. But only if Antwan can come visit as well."
"You mean it? A job where Antwan could stay, too?"
"Of course," Adeena said. "We're planning the best daycare facilities in the city."
Tammy was speechless, but the grin that filled her face and lit her eyes was thanks enough. Antwan's free hand reached up to tug at Cassie's hand, and she looked down at him.
"Look, we match!" Antwan pointed with excitement at the semi-circle of staples in Muriel's scalp to the line of them in Cassie's and then to the two that marked where his cerebral pressure monitor had been inserted. "Mom, look! We all got our brains fixed."
"See, he's a future doctor." Drake laughed. He glanced at his watch, then over at Adeena. "Isn't it about time for us to head out?"
Adeena nodded. Cassie looked to the two of them, what now?
"We'll be back tonight, Mom," he said, kissing his mother on the cheek and running his fingers through her newly shorn hair.
Muriel grinned up at him, and Cassie realized she was in on it as well. "Have fun."
"Where are we going?" she asked as Drake led her out, followed by Adeena, Antwan and Tammy.
He pulled four tickets from his back pocket and handed them to Antwan. "To the Pirate's game. Buccs versus the Reds. I'm going to catch Antwan a fly ball. But first, we need to take a little elevator ride." Drake's eyes were twinkling with excitement. He intertwined his fingers with hers. "Don't worry, I'll be right here."
"Drake–" He leaned forward and kissed her before she could say more. Antwan giggled despite his mother telling him to hush.
When they broke apart, she saw Adeena using an elevator call key to summon the patient transport elevator. Antwan rushed in, nimbly maneuvering his bad leg over the threshold, his mother and Adeena following. Cassie hesitated.
"Trust me," Drake whispered, leading her inside the steel box.
She tried to relax as the doors closed, trapping them inside. Drake ran his fingers over her tensed shoulder muscles, soothing her. He pulled her close as they lurched to a stop on the third floor and the doors opened again.
Cassie watched as one of the pediatric nurses who had helped her with Charlie's resuscitation wheeled a patient into the tiny space. Then she realized that the patient in the wheelchair was Charlie.
A remarkably changed Charlie Ulrich. He glanced around at the occupants of the elevator with animated interest, grinning at Antwan. Cassie exchanged glances with Adeena and the nurse who smiled and nodded.
"He's doing great. Eating, laughing, talking like I've never seen him before," the nurse told her.
"Where are you going?"
"His father is transferring him to a private care facility," Adeena answered. "But he's left the law firm, is going to take him home himself. Said he'd never let Charlie be less than his top priority again."
Antwan was busy introducing Charlie to Felix. "This is my kitty cat."
Cassie crouched down beside the wheelchair. Drake's hand squeezed her shoulder in encouragement. "Hi, Charlie."
Charlie looked up and smiled at her. "Hi." He pointed to the stuffed animal. "Kit-cat."
"That's right. What's a kitty cat say?" she asked. Charlie was silent.
But Antwan knew the answer. "Meow," he gave a credible impression of a cat. "That's what a cat says."
"Meow," Charlie parroted, clapping his hands in delight. He reached out to pet the cat's soft fur. "Meow." He giggled.
The elevator doors opened, and the nurse pushed the wheelchair out. Adeena turned the key to the Stop position.
"Bye, Charlie," Cassie called.
Charlie twisted in his chair so that he could see her. "Bye, bye," he waved at her. He giggled once more as she blew him kisses with a loud smacking noise. He imitated the gesture, then waved again.
"Bye, bye."
Adeena and the Washingtons followed. "See you guys later," Drake told them. Cassie started out, but Drake pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her, snugging her tight against his chest. The doors closed, and they stood in silence.
"Thank you," she whispered when she could find her voice once more. She swallowed against a knot of tears and turned in his embrace, tilted her face up to his. He raised a hand to brush a tear from her cheek. "That was the best gift anyone could ever give me."
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him deeply. He responded immediately, shifting his body so that they fit just right, deepening the embrace as his strong arms circled her waist and lifted her. He twirled her, pinning her back against the wall, resting her weight on the large guide rail that ran across the length of the elevator.
"We can't, not here," she protested. He stole her breath with another kiss, his hands tugging at her shirt.
"Sure we can. I've got the key, this thing's not going anywhere until I say so," he assured her with a wicked gleam in his eye. "Besides, don't you know, every man's fantasy is to make love in an elevator?"
She wrapped her arms aro
und him, laughing. It didn't matter that they were trapped in a steel cage. Not as long as they were together.
<><><>
Thank you for reading SLEIGHT OF HAND!
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Thanks for reading!
CJ
About CJ:
As a pediatric ER doctor, New York Times Bestseller CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.
CJ has been called a "master within the genre" (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as "breathtakingly fast-paced" and "riveting" (Publishers Weekly) with "characters with beating hearts and three dimensions" (Newsday).
Learn more about CJ's Thrillers with Heart at www.cjlyons.net
Ready for more Hart and Drake?
#1 New York Times Bestseller Sandra Brown called Hart and Drake, Book #1, NERVES OF STEEL, "the perfect blend of romance and suspense." In NERVES OF STEEL you met the ER doctor who never gives up...
In the second book, SLEIGHT OF HAND, you saw Hart and Drake risk everything to save a child and you knew they were meant to be together.
Now, see what happens when they lose it all…
Drake hunts a stalker with deadly intentions. Hart fights for justice for one special victim while also fending off her ex and his family as they try to destroy everything she holds dear.
Neither realizes the real danger lies with an old enemy whose fury has grown and will not be satisfied with anything less than Hart and Drake's blood.
ALSO BY CJ LYONS:
Angels of Mercy Series:
LIFELINES
WARNING SIGNS
URGENT CARE
CRITICAL CONDITION
NERVES OF STEEL, Hart and Drake Book #1
SNAKE SKIN
BLIND FAITH
BORROWED TIME
LUCIDITY
Shadow Ops Series:
CHASING SHADOWS
LOST IN SHADOWS
EDGE OF SHADOWS, coming soon!
Table of Contents
Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7
Chapter8
Chapter9
Chapter10
Chapter11
Chapter12
Chapter13
Chapter14
Chapter15
Chapter16
Chapter17
Chapter18
Chapter19
Chapter20
Chapter21
Chapter22
Chapter23
Chapter24
Chapter25
Chapter26
Chapter27
Chapter28
Chapter29
Chapter30
Chapter31
Chapter32
Chapter33
Chapter34
Chapter35
Table of Contents
Chapter1
Chapter2
Chapter3
Chapter4
Chapter5
Chapter6
Chapter7
Chapter8
Chapter9
Chapter10
Chapter11
Chapter12
Chapter13
Chapter14
Chapter15
Chapter16
Chapter17
Chapter18
Chapter19
Chapter20
Chapter21
Chapter22
Chapter23
Chapter24
Chapter25
Chapter26
Chapter27
Chapter28
Chapter29
Chapter30
Chapter31
Chapter32
Chapter33
Chapter34
Chapter35