by Jayne Blue
“Mitch, why don’t you and I take a walk.”
“Stan … I—”
“It wasn’t a suggestion, Mitch. Agent Caulkins, you have what you need from us for today?”
He looked from me to Stan and back again, his mouth hanging slightly open. “Uh, yeah. I guess so. I’ll keep you posted on the rest of our interview with the clerk. My guy seems to think he can get her to provide more details. Dates and times, that sort of thing. And look, if you think you need more protection for Stella Terry, I can get the Marshals involved.”
“No,” I said, my voice harder than I meant. “No. We can take care of our own, Caulkins.”
Stan had a hold of my arm by now and walked toward the door. I let go of my grip on the table and walked out with him. We got halfway down the hall before he turned to me.
“Do you have a hold of this?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. Did I make a mistake bringing you in on this? Because I can rectify that very easily. I need you calm, Mitch. I know damn well if we get the green light to search Edwards’s place, you’re the guy I need in the lab on the forensics end. I can’t have any mistakes. Stella can’t have any mistakes. Are we good?”
I dug my fist into my leg. “Yeah. We’re good.”
“Good. Don’t make me regret it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut tight and nodded. “But you need to make me a promise,” I said.
“Don’t push your luck,” Stan said, but he had a twinkle in his eye.
“If the feds get cold feet, promise me you’ll let me do what I need to do. You and I both know how mucked up this can get dealing with multiple agencies. If it comes to it, you need to let me off the leash.”
I knew what I was asking him. It was the kind of thing that could cost both of us our jobs. But the minute we realized the security breach might stem from the State Police, I knew politics might get in the way of justice.
Stan let out a hard sigh. “Let’s just worry about burning that bridge when we get to that. So far, I’ve heard nothing from Caulkins or anyone else that makes me think they aren’t shooting straight.”
“Neither have I. But the more people we bring in on this, the more chances there are for a problem. Like this audit. If the state guys catch wind of what’s really going on, some bureaucrat over there might mess something up for the sake of covering their own ass. It’s too important.”
Stan nodded. “I know. I know. But like I said, we’re not there yet. Let’s let Caulkins do his job and we’ll stand ready to do ours. No matter what it takes.”
I locked eyes with Stan. He said the last bit as almost a throwaway comment. I needed to know he meant it. “I’ll hold you to that. Let’s not forget who we’re trying to protect.”
“I won’t,” he said. “As long as you know she isn’t the only one I have to worry about protecting. You could use some of that yourself.”
I had a thousand comebacks on the tip of my tongue, but I decided to let them die. My phone vibrated in my pocket, as if fate needed to remind me to quit while I was ahead with Stan. I raised a brow and held my phone up. He waved me off and walked down the hallway.
“Gates.”
“Hey, Mitch,” Lori Walling said.
“Everything okay?”
She waited a beat to take a breath and my heart dropped. “Lori?” I barked.
“We’re still at the hospital,” she said. “I think you’d better come down here. We’ve got a bit of a problem.”
Stan called something else after me, but I didn’t hear it. All I could hear was the thundering pulse inside my ears as I ran toward the front exit.
Chapter Fifteen
Stella
One hour earlier …
Officer Walling stayed by my side as we walked to the fourth-floor recovery room. She was a calm, steadying presence. Though she barely reached five feet, Lori was strong and solid with jet black hair tied into a topknot. Her partner, Officer Smalls, cut a tall, imposing figure. Even so, he managed to fade into the background while Lori spoke to one of the floor nurses and figured out where we’d find Old Phil. Lori nodded and gave me a reassuring smile as she gestured down the hallway. She shot a signal to Smalls and he went ahead of us.
“Just a precaution,” she said. “Then Pete and I will stay out of your way.”
“No. It’s okay. Thank you. I’m sure there're a thousand other things you two would rather being doing today. Babysitting me can’t be at the top of your list.”
She smiled back. “Don’t sell yourself short.”
She didn’t say the other thing and until that moment, I hadn’t realized how much that mattered. I knew what Mitch and probably Chief Lewandowski had told her. I was Stella Terry. Brian Macavoy’s girl. They take care of their own. A pit formed in my stomach the way it always did when I thought about him. More so now than ever. I felt as if Smalls and Walling could see some scarlet letter painted on my chest. It was foolish really, I knew that. Brian was long gone. Still, it felt disingenuous somehow to still catch favors for being his girlfriend, just like it did the day of his funeral.
Smalls came back down the hallway and nodded toward Lori. She put a gentle hand at the center of my back. “You’re good to go, Miss Terry. We’ll be out of your hair but right outside.”
“Stella,” I said. “Please. If we’re going to spend the day together, let’s settle that at least.”
She smiled as Pete took a position on one side of the door to Room 424. Lori took the other. There was nothing left for me to do but walk right in. I felt hollow inside. Guilt and fear burned through me. I’d spent so much time worrying about how quickly I could pay my respects to the Phils, it never occurred to me that they might not want me here. I’d brought this hell down on them. No, I hadn’t asked for it either and it wasn’t my fault. But if it weren’t for their connection to me, Old Phil would be safely pruning his peony bush right about now.
I stood in the doorway. The few steps between the hall and Old Phil’s hospital bed seemed to distort and grow longer as I looked in. Young Phil sat in a chair at the foot of his father’s bed. He bowed his head, praying with his fists digging into his forehead, his thinning gray hair disheveled. Old Phil was pale, his color nearly matching the white bedsheets. And he had tubes and wires sticking out of him everywhere. His ventilator let out a rhythmic wheeze and gasp as his chest rose and fell.
I steeled myself for whatever might come, then walked into the room. Young Phil straightened when he heard me approach, but he didn’t turn. It occurred to me I had no idea what to say. I’m sorry? How is he? Nothing seemed adequate. Everything seemed a cliché.
“I came as soon as I could,” spilled out of my mouth instead. Another cliché, but true, at least. Still, I regretted it instantly. I’d just made it about me. Phil turned. His eyes lit up and filled with tears when he saw me, shredding my heart. He reached up and clasped my hand.
“Thank God,” he said, his voice a choked whisper. “We were so worried about you.”
“What?” I pulled a small wheeled stool away from the wall and sat down next to Phil. I put a hand on Old Phil’s bed, then dared to touch the one bare patch of skin on his arm, not covered in medical tape or tubes. He seemed cold. His eyelids twitched when I touched him, but he didn’t wake up.
“That’s the last thing Dad said before he went out of it,” Young Phil continued. “He made me swear I’d make sure you were okay.”
“Phil. God. I don’t even know what to say. I’m so, so sorry. And grateful too. You saved my life. If you hadn’t pushed me out of the way, I mean.”
Phil smiled and put a hand on my knee. I didn’t want to talk about me anymore. I wanted to wave a magic wand and turn back the clock on the last twenty-four hours. Anything to bring the color back into Old Phil’s cheeks and take away the pain etched on his son’s face.
“He’s tough,” Phil said. “Stubborn. But I don’t know, Stella. This might be it for him.”
“
What are the doctors telling you?”
Phil shrugged. “They won’t know anything for sure until he wakes up. The blessing is he had the stroke while he was here. They were able to detect it and give him medication pretty quickly. But he’s almost ninety years old and his heart wasn’t in the best shape to begin with. They told me to prepare for the fact that he might never be strong enough to come home again.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Just stay safe. And keep praying. And don’t blame yourself for this. That, most of all. Dad loves you. He wouldn’t want it and neither do I.”
“I’ll try. In the meantime, though, is there someone I can call for you? Have you been here by yourself all this time?”
Phil shook his head. “There’s just my sister. She’s on her way from Phoenix already with my nephew and her husband. I don’t know how long they can stay but they’re planning to take over Dad’s house for the duration. Just so you know.”
“Of course.”
“And don’t go back there,” Phil said; his eyes turned to stone as he looked at me. “Not for a few days at least. Let your man figure out how to keep you safe. Whoever the hell that was, they meant it, Stella. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “It’s all just a big mistake. They think I’m somebody else. They think it has to do with the identity theft.”
“That’s what the police told me. Lordy, Stella. To be dealing with that all on your own.”
I smiled and patted Phil's arm. “There was nothing you could have done anyway except for worry. And I swear, I had no idea this could happen. I’m so sorry. I know you don’t want me to blame myself. But I just am.”
Phil nodded. His eyes creased with a tender smile as he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Well, at least they’ve gotta know by now they didn’t get the job done. In fact, you coming here probably isn’t the best idea. I’m damn glad you did, don’t get me wrong, but if and when they circle back, you need to be harder to find.”
Smiling, I put a hand on Phil’s back and rubbed it. “I brought company.” Just then, Officer Smalls poked his head in and gave me a quick salute. I nodded, letting him know things were okay. Phil let out a whistle.
“You stick close to them and stick close to your man. He’ll keep you safe.”
I swallowed past a lump in my throat. My man. “You mean Mitch? Detective Gates? He’s just a friend.”
Phil smiled and shook his head. “Oh no, Stella. That man’s yours. I know the look.”
I blushed and couldn’t help but laugh. “Even now? You’re just as incorrigible as your father. You’re worse than a couple of nosey old ladies.”
Color came back into Phil’s cheeks when he smiled. “Say whatever helps you sleep at night, honey. He charged across a police barricade, gun drawn, with the fury of an avalanche. That man’s in love with you. And by the look on your face right now, I’d say it’s not misplaced.”
His words took the air right out of me and replaced it with a warm glow I didn’t expect. Flashes of last night filled my thoughts. His touch. How my breath went out when he pulled me toward him on the edge of the countertop. Strong. Commanding. Dominant. I knew I was blushing. And I knew Phil could see it. He chuckled to himself and my cheeks flamed hot.
“Oh, shut up,” I whispered.
“Is he a good man?”
My heart clenched. I gripped the side of the bed to steady myself. It wasn’t so much his question, but the resounding answer that slammed into my heart the instant he asked it.
“Yes,” I said, though I could barely draw breath. “He is, Phil. Though he’d probably argue the point. But I meant what I said. He’s just a friend. A very good friend.”
“Whatever you say, honey. Just promise you’ll stay close to him until they find the bastard that tried to get you last night. Maybe he’s said it to you, maybe he hasn’t. But like I said, I know that look and I saw how he was over at the house. He’s willing to protect you with his life if he has to.”
Then we sat together, side by side, watching the gentle, rhythmic fall of Old Phil’s chest. He scowled in his sleep and coughed a little, fighting the tubes. Then he settled back into a deep slumber. Minutes ticked by and I took comfort in the silence. These men were heroes, both of them, though they’d never call themselves that. Just like Mitch. All three of them would just tell me they were doing their jobs. But I knew better. And in my heart I knew how lucky I was to have all of them in my life. Phil said Mitch was in love with me. My heart jumped at the thought of it. I loved him too. I could admit it to myself if not to him. It was too soon. Too raw. If I blinked too hard, it felt like last night could just slip away as though it never happened. We could explain it away as the heat of the moment. It was that, but it was something else too. And now, as the morning stretched into the afternoon, I knew I had to tear myself away and go. Phil was right, staying here wasn’t wise for either of us.
I stood up and rested a gentle hand on Phil’s shoulder. I leaned over the bed and put a soft kiss on Old Phil’s cheek. He didn’t stir and it gutted me. I turned and gave the same kiss to Young Phil. “Whatever you need. If there’s something I can do, you have my cell. Promise you’ll use it?”
Phil put his hand over mine and squeezed. “I will, honey. You just take care of yourself. And don’t worry so much about the old man. He might not come back in fighting form. But he’ll come back. He’s too damn stubborn for anything else.”
I left him then, slowly backing into the hallway where Officers Smalls and Walling waited for me. But when I turned, they weren’t there. They had moved further down the hall and stood side by side, their hands on their hips. I looked both ways before fully leaving Phil’s room and started toward them. My heart dropped down into my shoes as I saw Mitch standing on the other side of the nurse’s desk looking stern and worried. He looked up and saw me. His green eyes glinted and he plastered a slight smile on his face. It was too late though. Something had happened. He wouldn’t be here if everything were all right. Our plan was to meet back at his place later this afternoon.
I smoothed my sweaty palms over the skirt of my tank dress and tucked a hair behind my ears as I walked toward them. The officers were talking with one of the nurses. She had a grim expression on her face. Behind her, one of the doctors stood with his arms folded around him. He kept shaking his head. Whatever the substance of their conversation, the doctor looked positively livid. But Mitch was more so. All color drained from his face. He had pounded a fist against the nurse’s desk and shook a finger at the doctor. The man backed down. He put a hand up and slowly nodded. Then the nurse charged past me, heading for Phil’s room.
“Mitch?” I said as I got within earshot. “What is it?”
He stepped around the officers and put a protective hand on the small of my back. I felt the heat of his touch and my breath caught. “I’ll explain later. For now, though, I need to get you out of here ten minutes ago.”
Chapter Sixteen
Stella
Mitch had a firm grip on my upper arm as he led me toward the service elevators on the fourth floor. “Aren’t the officers coming with us?”
“No,” he said, tight-lipped. “I need them here.” Mitch scanned the hallway. Satisfied no one was following us, he punched a code into the elevator keypad. Tension bled through him and into me as we waited for the doors to open. When they did, an unsuspecting orderly stood there, holding an empty gurney. Mitch’s hand went to the weapon at his hip. His shoulders dropped when he saw the orderly. He waved his hand to the side and let the poor kid pass.
Safely in the elevator, I waited until the doors closed before turning to him. “Are you going to fill me in? What’s happened?”
Mitch was a ball of energy. He kept one hand on the handle of his 9 mm, the rest of his body rigid but ready to strike. “The visitor sign-in sheet on the fourth-floor nurse’s station went missing. On a hunch, Lori asked to look at it again and that’s when they figured
out it grew legs. It might not mean anything, but …”
I put a hand up. “But it might mean someone’s been paying attention to who’s coming and going into Phil’s room. Oh God. Mitch. Do you think they’re here now?”
He shook his head. “We’ll let the rest of the team worry about that. I just don’t want you out in the open anymore. We’re going back to my place and you’re staying put until we have a better handle on this.”
The next few minutes felt like torture, going from the hospital lobby through the parking lot. Mitch had a squad car parked next to his with two more uniformed officers inside. He opened the door of his SUV for me. The squad car tapped its lights to let Mitch know they were ready to move. Then we peeled out of the parking lot. As soon as we hit the street, the squad car turned on its siren and pulled into the lead.
Mitch was quiet, pensive all the way back across the river. He white-knuckled the steering wheel and listened to the radio calls on his scanner. If there were anything out of the ordinary, he’d be ready to deal with it.
Mercifully, we made it back to his place without any trouble. I waited in the car, with one of the uniformed officers at my door, gun drawn, while Mitch and the other officer went inside and checked the house. With the all clear on the house, and confident we hadn’t been followed, Mitch waved the uniformed officers off and came to get me.
As soon as he shut the front door, I started to tremble. It came on suddenly, unbidden, but I couldn’t stop it. After everything that had happened, my body picked now to respond.
“Stella?” Mitch holstered his weapon and turned to me. I couldn’t seem to make my feet move. He came to me; putting gentle hands on my shoulders, he crouched down to meet me eye to eye.
I shook my head. “I c-can’t.”
“Shh.” Mitch pulled me to him, enveloping me with strong arms as I pressed my cheek against his chest. I couldn’t cry. I couldn’t talk. Hysteria seemed just below the surface. If I so much as moved, I wouldn’t be able to hold it back.