Marcus watched carefully as the officers and Feds checked out the interior of the car, confiscating weapons and ensuring that none of the passengers were still armed before cuffing them. The driver, a young man who appeared to be of Italian heritage, had been faking his unconsciousness and tried to knife one of the cops, but the crash had left him off balance and groggy. The cop was able to easily disarm and cuff him.
The front-seat passenger was genuinely unconscious, as was the man in the backseat, who was missing several fingers and toes. Sweeney’s son Sean, Marcus thought. The SOB.
Kate had come close to the car, but her eyes were on the trees around the wreck rather than the passengers. She was scanning the scene, still looking for threats, when the ambulance drove by at a careful speed.
Deacon had been following the ambulance in his own vehicle, but pulled over when he got to where they waited. ‘They’re taking Davenport to the hospital. It’s pretty bad, Kate.’
Kate’s back stiffened. ‘Dammit. Davenport could have ID’d these guys.’
Marcus knew that civilians might hear Kate’s words and believe her calloused, but that wasn’t true. He’d seen her with the Bautistas that afternoon. She’d been patient and kind. Right now Kate was focused on the job, her adrenaline still pumping from the expert shots she’d just taken. Marcus remembered the focus. It had kept him alive more times than he’d like to recall. When her heart and brain slowed back to normal, Kate would feel fear and sadness, just like everyone else.
‘Which is why they targeted him,’ Deacon said logically. ‘It was a through-and-through. He might have a collapsed lung.’
Marcus winced, remembering his own pierced lung nine months before. ‘That won’t kill him,’ he said to Kate. ‘It didn’t kill me. Hurt like a bitch, but I’m still standing.’
Kate met his eyes and he could see she was already returning to normal. ‘Thank you. He has a lot of information that we need. Obviously Sweeney’s holdouts felt the same way.’ She took a look at Scarlett. ‘Go get yourself checked out. We have this under control. And thank you for backing me up.’
‘You didn’t need me,’ Scarlett said. ‘You had it all under control. Keep me apprised?’
Kate gave her a hard nod. ‘Absolutely.’
Cincinnati, Ohio
Thursday 6 August, 2.15 A.M.
A cheer rose up when Scarlett followed Marcus back into the OR waiting room. Marcus spread his arms wide and took a bow, rolling his eyes all the while. They’d gotten the call that Stone was awake and asking for them as they were driving back to the hospital, but getting Scarlett’s arm stitched up had taken time. Her ribs were bruised but not fractured, just as she’d figured.
Scarlett’s father was there to give her a huge bear hug, but she lifted a finger in warning. ‘Lightly, Dad. Please,’ she said before walking into his arms.
Jonas held her like she was made of spun glass. ‘You did something wonderful today, baby girl,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Remember this moment, for all of those moments when you want to shove explosives where the sun don’t shine.’
Her mother hugged her just as gently, then crushed Marcus in an embrace that surprised him, commanding them both to come to supper the very next day – which was actually that same day. Scarlett wasn’t sure she’d be awake, even by supper. She was truly running on fumes and planned to sleep for a week. But she promised her mother, knowing that this was a new start for her and her parents, and for her and Marcus.
Jill threw her arms around Scarlett’s neck, thanking her over and over for Gayle’s safe return.
Scarlett grasped the girl’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. ‘You made a difference, telling me about that letter. It’s unlikely that any of us would have made it back if Marcus had met Sweeney at the park. It would have been an ambush. So thank you.’
The young woman walked on air for a long time after that.
Marcus and Scarlett gradually made their way back to Stone, who put a finger to his lips when they came in. Delores was curled up in the chair next to him, her hand holding his through the bed rails.
‘What is this?’ Marcus asked fondly.
‘She takes in strays,’ Stone said with a shrug.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed. ‘Never, Stone. I never want to hear you put yourself down like that again. Please.’
Stone shrugged again, his eyes closing, but not before they saw the pain there. ‘Cal . . . Bridget. Jerry and those guards. I tried, Marcus.’
‘I know. I also know you saved Jill and the other three that you shoved down to the archive room. You’re a hero, Stone.’
‘Finally,’ he murmured. ‘Maybe.’ He gestured for Scarlett to come close. ‘He’s in Miami.’
Scarlett frowned in confusion. ‘Who?’
‘Phineas Bishop, Corporal. Your brother, right?’
Scarlett’s throat closed up, her hand flying to cover her mouth as a sob tried to get free. ‘You found Phin? How? I’ve tried for so long.’
‘If he doesn’t want to be found – or thinks he doesn’t – you’d never find him. I spent some time last night sending emails to old Army pals. I know some people who work with vets. On the ground, not in hospitals. Somebody knew somebody who knew Phin. His address is on my computer. I’ll send it to you as soon as I can.’
She was having trouble breathing, new tears starting to fall when Marcus slid his arm around her waist, holding her up. ‘You . . . Oh my God, Stone,’ she whispered. ‘Do you know what you’ve done?’
‘Yeah, I do exactly. I gave you your brother back. You gave me mine back too. We’re even now.’ He looked up, met Marcus’s eyes. ‘No more death wishes, right?’
Marcus choked out a laugh. ‘No, I’m good.’
Stone closed his eyes wearily. ‘Really sleepy. Gayle’s safe? All the bad guys dead?’
‘Yes and yes,’ Marcus said. ‘We killed the last one ourselves. It was a tie. Me and Scar and Deacon and Kate. And Davenport.’
Stone struggled to open his eyes. ‘Who’s Davenport?’
Scarlett was still sniffling. ‘We’ll tell you later. Sleep now. We’ll be back.’ She kissed his forehead gently. ‘Thank you.’
Stone’s lips curved. ‘You’re welcome. Hey, do something for me?’
‘Name it,’ she whispered.
‘Wow. This is power,’ he murmured. ‘Can you get me all the gear I need to take care of a dog? I think Delores has talked me into adopting one.’
She brushed the hair from his forehead. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow and you can tell me exactly what you want.’
Marcus led her into the hall. ‘Are you going to tell your folks about Phin?’
‘I think I’ll wait until I get the address. Maybe at dinner tomorrow.’
Marcus let out a long breath. ‘Today, you mean. All I want is to go home and fall asleep in your purple room with your dog hiding under the bed. I might never leave.’
They’d made it to the elevator when they heard Kate Coppola calling their names. ‘Scarlett, Marcus, wait up.’
They stepped back from the elevator doors. ‘What’s the news on Davenport?’ Scarlett asked.
‘Not as bad as we thought. The bullet was a through and through, here.’ Kate tapped the left side of her chest. ‘He has a cracked rib, pulmonary contusions, and a hemopneumothorax.’ She said the words carefully. ‘In English, that means he’s got a bruised lung and blood in his chest cavity. They gave him a blood transfusion and put in a chest tube.’
Beside her, Marcus grimaced. ‘That sounds pretty bad, Kate.’
‘Could have been worse. They’ve got him on a ventilator and put him in a medically induced coma so that he can heal. Apparently the healing part hurts like hell.’
‘My injury was a bit different,’ Marcus said, ‘but the hurting like hell part is the same.’
‘What about the three guys in the car? Sweeney’s guys?’
‘The driver is Danny Trevino and the guy in the front passenger seat was Dave Burton. Both former cops, so their prints were on file. Trevino served time too, so his popped out of AFIS. Trevino ID’d the guy in the backseat as Sean Cantrell, Sweeney’s son. Burton died on the way to the ER. My bullet,’ she added grimly.