She was at the door when he spoke again, quietly. “Suze. Promise me you won’t take any chances like you did in the Rublonsky trial.”
Eyes wide, she turned. “How did you know about that?”
His blue eyes flickered. “I know every case you’ve prosecuted since you joined the DA’s office. I’ve followed each one.”
Emotion rose to clog her throat. “But…”
“I left you because I thought I was keeping you safe. I couldn’t prove Dad’s underhanded dealings and I didn’t want to drag you under with me. I had no idea you’d already been…” His voice broke and he stopped until he could speak again. “I knew when you graduated second in your class in college. I knew when you started clerking with the DA’s office. I’ve read every decision of every trial you’ve ever prosecuted.”
“I didn’t know,” she said, devastated. “I thought you didn’t care.”
“I never stopped caring about you,” he whispered harshly. “Never. Not for one minute.” His eyes flared, intense, and Susannah couldn’t look away. “So promise me,” he said fiercely. “Promise me you won’t do what you did on the Rublonsky case.”
Her eyes stung and she blinked hard. “I promise. I have to go.”
“I’ll watch over her,” she heard Luke say as she made her way to the elevator.
Luke caught up to her at the elevator. “What happened on the Rublonsky case?”
She kept her eyes fixed on the elevator. “A college girl was gang raped and murdered by men with ties to the Russian mob. I set up an interview with an informant who had names, dates… proof. He wouldn’t come to our office, so I met him outside this bodega. He’d been followed. He was shot standing about a foot away from me.”
“Did you get the information?”
“No, but the cops caught the shooter and we got him to roll on the others.”
“What happened to the informant?”
“He died,” she said, still feeling the immense wave of regret. And guilt.
“You couldn’t have known that would happen.” She said nothing, then heard his sharp intake of breath. “Did you?”
“I… suspected.”
The elevator opened. She stepped in, but he stood still, staring at her. The door started to close and he jumped in, taking her chin between his fingers and forcing her to look up at him. “You made yourself bait,” he said harshly.
She shrugged. “It wasn’t so dramatic as all that. I worried something might happen, so I asked the police to come with me, to protect us both. He was a bad guy, Luke. He was playing both sides of a dangerous game. He’d informed on the mob before.”
“You made yourself bait,” he repeated. “You might have been shot yourself.”
Again she said nothing and he hissed a curse. “You were shot.”
One side of her mouth lifted. “I was wearing a vest. But I was surprised how much it hurt,” she added lightly. “I had one hell of a bruise.”
He closed his eyes, his face grown pale. “Mother of God.”
“I have to admit it scared me, too,” she said. “But we won the case. We were able to get justice for the murdered girl and a dozen new indictments based on the verdict.”
The doors opened and he took her arm, leading her into the waiting room outside ICU. Before she could utter a protest his mouth was on hers, urgent and dark and… scared. He’d been scared, for her. Abruptly he ended the kiss, his breathing strident. “You will not do that again,” he said, his arms coming around to hold her close against him. His heart thundered and she smoothed her hands up his back, soothing.
“All right,” she whispered. “I promise.” She pressed a kiss to his jaw, dark with stubble. “I’m finally getting my life back, Luke. I won’t waste it so foolishly. Now let me go. I need to see Monica before I fall off my feet.”
He loosened his hold, kissing her more gently. “I’m glad,” he whispered.
“What, that I’m exhausted?”
“No. That you’re getting your life back. And that I get to be part of it.”
She lifted her brows, trying for levity even though her pulse was pounding. “That would be assuming facts not in evidence, Agent Papadopoulos.”
He placed his fingertips between her breasts, and every nerve in her body jumped. “Your heart is racing. So either you’re having a heart attack, in which case it’s good we’re in a hospital, or you’re interested.” His brows arched. “Because I’m engaging.”
Her lips twitched. “And sinfully sexy.”
He grinned down at her. “I knew I’d get you to say it eventually. It’s part of my evil plan to make you need me.” His grin faltered, just a little. “How’s it working?”
Her pounding pulse skittered. “Very, very well,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Good. Let’s go see Monica.”
Monica’s mother was sitting at her side when Luke and Susannah were buzzed past the guard into ICU. She met them halfway. “How can I ever thank you?”
Susannah ran her hand down the woman’s arm. “You don’t have to.”
“She doesn’t know about her father. Please don’t tell her. Not yet.”
“We understand. Any word?” Luke murmured, even though he knew there had been none. He’d been in contact with Agent Harry Grimes in North Carolina ever since they’d recovered Genie Cassidy. There was no sign of Dr. Cassidy, and that didn’t look good.
“Not yet,” Mrs. Cassidy murmured. “This has been a nightmare.”
“We know,” Susannah said. “How is Genie?”
“Asleep in Monie’s room. I’ll never let either of them out of my sight again.”
“I can understand that,” Luke said. “Her breathing tube’s removed. She looks better.”
“She is. Once they knew she’d been drugged, they ran a bunch of tests and said she could breathe on her own. She’s been asking for you both.”
Monica pointed to her sister, asleep on a chair. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You just got your tube yanked,” Susannah said with a smile. “You shouldn’t talk.”
“Have to,” Monica rasped. “Need to hear myself. Scared I never would again.”
“I guess I can understand that.” She touched her cheek. “So, how are you?”
“Better than before. Still hurts like hell.” Monica drew a breath, resting. “I need to tell you. You asked about Angel. You also asked about Becky. They were cousins. Were brought in at the same time.”
Luke hunkered next to the bed, his face even with Monica’s. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Becky was my friend. The doctor killed her. She kept trying to escape. We whispered… under the floor. Made a little hole.”
Just as Beardsley and Bailey had done. “When did he kill her?”
“The day before the reverend came. Doctor beat her. Made her an example.”
“Why?” Luke asked.
“Doctor couldn’t break her. Tried torture.” Her eyes filled, tears spilling onto her cheeks. “Took her to the office, made her kneel. For hours. Covered her head, so she couldn’t see. Put gun to her head, said he would shoot. Then, he hurt her.” She looked up at Susannah. “Like Simon did to you. You know.”
Susannah wiped the tears from Monica’s cheeks, her hand trembling. “I know.”
“It’s over now,” Mrs. Cassidy said. “You’re safe.”
Monica shook her head. “It’s never over. Keeps going over and over in my mind.” She turned her face away. “When she was dead, he did it to me.”
“I’m so sorry, Monica,” Luke murmured.
She kept her face averted. “It’s not your fault.” She gathered her composure and turned back to him, her eyes steady now. “Once, the doctor asked someone to help break me. He was so angry I wouldn’t obey him.”