[9]

Steven pulled into the hospital parking lot. He didn’t know why he felt compelled to follow Haley’s ambulance, but he did. In the few hours they’d spent together, she’d fascinated him, made him want to know her better. And now he was worried about her and wanted to know she was going to be all right.

He also remembered her saying it had been a different car. Richie’s car? No, Richie had driven a two-door black Mustang, not a Buick. The same car as the first drive-by? Close, but she’d thought that one was a sedan, not a coupe.

He’d put out a BOLO on it, then called his mother on the way over and told her he wasn’t sure when he’d be home.

She’d assured him she understood, that his father was sleeping, and while there were still two police cruisers within sight of the house, the neighborhood was quiet. He was relieved and promised to text her updates as to when he thought he might get home. It probably wouldn’t be anytime soon. He glanced at the clock. At just a little past midnight, he thought it felt more like three in the morning. His phone rang as he walked into the hospital. He stopped just outside the revolving door and grabbed the phone from the clip on his belt. “Hello?”

“His name is Richie Derrick,” Quinn said. “A lowlife with a rap sheet a mile long. Armed robbery, assault, possession of weapons, parole violations. Even arrested on a murder charge, but got off.”

“Why is this guy even out of prison?”

“Money talks. He’s allegedly put contracts out on gang members, but no one’s been able to prove his involvement. He doesn’t usually get his hands dirty unless he’s got a good reason, and he’s got ties to organized crime.”

“Any gang affiliations?”

“Yeah.”

“Which one?”

“Looks like the Gangster Disciples are trying to make a comeback. They’ve also got some mafia connections.”

“And Haley not only made good old Richie back down, but she’s sticking her nose into that family’s business. That definitely doesn’t sit well with him.” Steven sighed. “He probably put out a contract on her as soon as he left the house.”

“And maybe the kid too. He really stood up to Richie and it was obvious Richie didn’t like it. We’re going to have to find a way to protect him as well,” Quinn said.

“Haley’s already got that bee in her bonnet. So what do you want to do?”

“I can make sure there’s a higher police presence in the area, but short of assigning him a bodyguard . . .”

“Right.” He had a feeling Haley would want to take care of that one. She was drawn to the teen. He wondered if it was due to her own poor background. She’d said she’d grown up on the streets of Belfast. How had she managed to get to where she was in life? He looked forward to finding out the answers to those questions. “Haley was going to stay there tonight.”

Quinn fell silent. “Let me see if I can find someone to cover the house tonight.”

“All right. I’m headed into the hospital to see how she’s doing.”

“Olivia, Katie, and Maddy will probably be there shortly.”

“Maddy’s your wife. Olivia is another friend. Who’s Katie?”

“The other member of the bodyguard agency. They’re partners and best friends. When one gets hurt, they all hurt.” He paused. “Actually, I guess you could say we all hurt.”

A pang of something that he thought might be envy hit him. Hard. Even though there’d been a six-year age gap between them, he’d had a closeness like that with his brother. Until he’d been snatched away from him at the age of twelve. The same age as Zeke’s little brother, Micah. After his brother’s death, he’d had a hard time opening his heart to love. He pushed aside the memories, wishing he could push aside the hate that went with them. “I understand. Talk to you soon.”

“I’ll let you know when we have Richie in custody.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Steven hung up.

Uncertainty hit him as soon as he entered the hospital’s Emergency Department. What was he doing? He didn’t even know this woman. She had plenty of friends who would circle around her and make sure she was all right, that she had everything she needed. And yet . . .

He stopped at the desk and flashed his badge. “Haley Callaghan.”

The woman consulted her computer, then pointed to the double doors leading to the back. “Right through there. Stop at the desk and ask for her. They’ll let you know if you can see her or not.” She pressed a button and he made his way to the desk she’d indicated. Again, he flashed his badge and asked for Haley.

“Relationship?” she asked.

“I was there when she was shot. I need to ask her a few questions.”

“Let me check.” She turned and disappeared down the hall. Within two minutes she was back. “She’s awake and said you could come in. Room 314.”

“Thanks.” He hesitated, then turned back. “Do you know anything about a Duncan O’Brien? He was in bad shape when he was brought in.”

The nurse checked the computer. “He’s in surgery.”

“Great. Thanks. And Haley will probably have several friends show up. Let me know when they get here and I’ll try to wrap things up.”

She nodded.

Steven found room 314. An officer stood next to the door. The man looked up from his phone when Steven approached. “ID please.”

Steven showed it, then knocked before he opened the door. He peered around to find Haley propped up on the gurney. Her pale face was the only outward sign that she was in pain. No one else was in the room. “Hey,” he said.

Surprise brightened her features. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d check on you.”

“I’m fabulous.” She shifted and her jaw tightened. “Do you know anything about Duncan? No one seems to be able to find out if he’s still alive.”

“I asked when I came in. He’s in surgery.”

She breathed a relieved sigh. “Then he’s still alive.”

“As of right now.”

“Good.”

“I guess your wound isn’t life threatening.”

She grimaced. “No. They checked me out and said it was just a graze.” She narrowed her eyes. “Hardly about to bleed out.”

“Sorry, it looked like a lot of blood at the time. I was worried.”

“Right.” She let it go. “They’ll be back in a minute to stitch it, dress it, and give me some antibiotics. Then I’m out of here.”

“Let the doc make that call.”

“Right.”

Steven moved closer to the bed. “Quinn’s tracking Richie down.”

Haley scowled. “Hope he saves a piece of his hide for me.”

“Yeah.” He paused. “You think it was Richie?”

She blinked. “Who else could it be?”

“Whoever was following Duncan?”

“If someone was following him. I’m not convinced.”

A knock on the door pulled his attention from her, and he turned to see the doctor enter, followed by a man and a woman he assumed were nurses, but he stopped them anyway. “May I see some ID?”

They both presented what appeared to be legitimate identification. Steven moved aside. He caught Haley’s amused look and shrugged. She smiled.

The male nurse pushed a cart with supplies up to the side of her bed. “We’re going to stitch you up.”

Steven backed toward the door. “I’ll just be outside.”

“Thanks, Steven,” Haley said. “I appreciate you being here.”

Her soft gratitude flowed over him and made him glad he’d followed his instincts. He stepped out of the room and turned to see three concerned faces.

He blinked. “Let me guess. Olivia, Katie, and Maddy?”

“Who are you?” the dark-haired, dark-eyed one asked.

“Steven?” This from the dark-haired, blue-eyed, very pretty lady on his far right.

“Yes. Are you Maddy? Quinn’s wife?”

Her eyes lit with an inner glow at the mention of her husband’s name. “I am.”

“Quinn described you perfectly.” Would any woman ever look like that at the mere mention of his name? He gave a mental snort. Not if he didn’t start dating.

She let out a low laugh. “And you.”

“I’m Olivia,” the blonde said. She reached out to shake his hand. “And this is Katie.”

Katie nodded. “How’s Haley?”

“She’s going to be fine. It was just a graze.”

“She really needs to learn how to stay out of the path of bullets,” Maddy muttered.

Steven raised a brow.

“She was shot about a year and a half ago,” Katie said.

He frowned. “Wow.”

Olivia gave a low chuckle. “Haley’s resilient. She’s been through worse.”

Worse than getting shot? Twice? He really had to know more about her. In time. “I’ll leave you ladies for now. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

Maddy held up her phone. “Quinn said to pick him up. He’s got a lead on Richie.”

“Thanks.” He headed out of the hospital in spite of the desire to linger at the door and listen in on the conversation that would soon be taking place in Haley’s room. He grimaced. What was he thinking? That wasn’t his style. But still . . .

Haley welcomed the ladies into the room. She needed information and a ride back to her car. ASAP. The nurse had finished stitching her up with orders to be careful, not tear open her side, and to take her antibiotic. Yeah, yeah. She’d been this route eighteen months ago. Thank goodness this wound hadn’t required surgery. And right now, she wasn’t hurting much. The numbing medicine was doing the job. Which meant she needed to move while she could. Once the medicine wore off, pain would be her friend for a while.

“You guys didn’t have to come out here,” she said. “It’s getting close to one o’clock.”

“Are you kidding?” Olivia asked. “If it was one of us, you’d be right where we are.”

True enough. “Can you check and see if a Duncan O’Brien is out of surgery yet?”

“Sure.”

Olivia left the room and Haley found Katie and Maddy studying her. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Right.” Maddy stepped forward and dropped a bag at the foot of the bed. “I didn’t have time to go by your house, but I brought you some clothes from my closet. A pair of capris and a short-sleeved T-shirt. I figured they would do since we’re probably around the same size.”

“Thanks.”

“And I prefer them returned without bullet holes if you think you can manage that.”

Katie snickered. Haley scowled. Maddy slid up beside the bed and grasped her hand. “I hear you need a bodyguard. It’s a good thing I’ve got connections.”

Haley laughed, then winced as pain shot through her side. “Cute, but I don’t think so.”

“Well, at least watch your back until this Richie Derrick guy is in custody,” Maddy said.

“That I can do. How did you hear about all this?”

Katie shrugged. “Quinn told Maddy what happened.”

“And I passed the word,” Maddy said.

Haley’s gaze bounced between her friends. “So if you guys are here, who’s got eyes on the clients?”

“Charlie and Lizzie and the two new bodyguard academy graduates I think Olivia’s going to hire full time, Christina and Laila,” Maddy said.

“So the all-girls club grows bigger, huh? Discounting Charlie, of course.”

Maddy shook her head. “Charlie doesn’t count. He’s Olivia’s brother. And you know business is booming and Olivia only hires the best.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m going to have to get going. I’ve been up since this time last night. I’m getting punchy.”

“Go,” Haley said. “Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for getting shot on your day off. At least no one has to cover for you until tomorrow.”

“Actually, I just finished a job, remember? I don’t have any clients right now.” Well, discounting Zeke and his little family.

“Oh right,” Maddy said. “Nice. Couldn’t ask for better timing if you had to get shot. Good job.”

Haley gave a pained laugh. “Sure. It was the least I could do.” She sobered. “Truth is, I actually do have a new client and I’m going to need your help with him.”

“Who?”

She explained about Zeke and his brother and mother. “Will you try to be available if I need help?”

“You have to ask?” Katie crossed her arms and frowned.

Haley grimaced and rolled her eyes. “Consider it a courtesy.”

“Oh, well, thank you, but you know we’re here for you and your clients.”

“Perfect. I’ll fill you in when I know more.” She eyed them and said a silent prayer of thanks for them. “Olivia said she had another client for me, though. You think she’ll be able to make other arrangements?”

Maddy nodded “You know Olivia. She’ll work with you.”

Yes, she would. “You guys be careful,” Haley said. “People are crazy.” Olivia stepped back into the room and Haley tensed. “Duncan?”

“He made it through surgery,” Olivia said. “He’s still unconscious, but hanging in there.”

Relief swept her. If he’d died because of her, she honestly didn’t know how she’d live with that. “Thanks.”

“Do you need a ride to your car?”

Haley thought about it, then shook her head. “I don’t know how much longer they’re going to keep me here, and I want to see Duncan before I leave. You guys go on and I’ll manage.”

Olivia frowned. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. I can always call a cab.”

“A cab?” Olivia lifted a brow. “I don’t think so. According to Quinn, this guy could still be after you.” She sat in the chair. “I’ll just stay here until you’re done, then give you a ride home.”

“Liv, I’m fine. Get out of here and go home to your husband. All of you. Scram. There’s a cop on my door. If I need a ride, he can give me one.”

The three of them exchanged concerned looks, and while Haley appreciated it, she wanted to physically push them out the door. She didn’t need them going without sleep and getting hurt on the job.

At least Maddy had some common sense and motioned to the door. “You’ll call us if you need anything?”

“You know I will.”

Finally, when they realized she wasn’t backing down, they left and Haley texted Quinn.

I’m getting out of here shortly. I hope. What’s the word on Richie? Is someone on Zeke’s house?

She waited and got no response. Antsiness ate at her.

Hello?

When she still didn’t hear back from him, she dialed his number. Voice mail. She hung up and dialed Steven’s. Same thing. So she tried a group text between the three of them and hoped one of them would answer her soon.

She thought about Zeke. Was he all right? And what was up with Quinn and Steven? Why weren’t they answering? Quinn had assured her he’d keep eyes on Zeke’s house, so she wasn’t terribly worried. But what if Richie had come back and she just hadn’t heard yet?

She waited another thirty minutes, then gave a groan. That was it. Haley pulled the IV from her arm, then held a paper towel over the area until it stopped bleeding. She slipped out of bed to—very carefully—pull on the clothes Maddy had so thoughtfully brought her. The wound, the pain dulled by the Toradol and the numbing meds, still had her moving slowly, but she finally managed. She was tired from everything, but she’d had a three-hour nap before she’d awakened to head to the theater, so she wasn’t exhausted. Which was a good thing, because she wasn’t sure when she’d get the chance to sleep again.

Steven had stepped into his parents’ home in time to help his father into the bathroom, then back to bed. They’d gotten Richie and processed him. Since he was in the system now, there was no need to call Social Services. Relief hit him as well as fatigue. It was time to crash for a few hours now that Haley was out of danger. When Steven returned to the kitchen, his mother was nursing a cup of hot tea. “You should be in bed.”

“I know.” She blew across the top of the steaming brew, then took a cautious sip. “I’m having a hard time sleeping these days.”

He took a seat in the chair opposite her.

She reached over and covered his hand. “It was a hard night for you?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Mom. Even after all these years of being in police work, it’s still heartbreaking to see what humans can do to one another—and that wasn’t even the worst I’ve seen.”

“As long as it still bothers you, you’re okay. Does this have anything to do with Carter’s death?”

“They stuffed him into the trunk of his car and then shot him. At least he didn’t see it coming. Whoever he is. We’re pretty sure it’s Carter, but waiting for tests to confirm it. His face was blown off, so . . .”

She grimaced. Not at the visual, but because she understood. Before she’d met and married his very wealthy father, she’d been a police officer. One of the few women cops in her day. She’d turned in her resignation the day she found out she was pregnant, but Steven knew she missed it occasionally. She was partly the reason he’d become a cop. His brother was the other reason. He cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. His phone had been buzzing for the last hour and he hadn’t had time to answer Haley’s texts, thanks to dealing with Richie and his vociferous protests of innocence. He started to type in a response, but noticed Quinn had already done so.

“Why don’t you go on to bed, son? I’m going to sit here a while longer.”

Steven hesitated, then stood. “I’ll see you in the morning. Try to sleep, Mom.”

Tears sprang to her eyes. “I’m worried about him,” she whispered.

“I know.” He had to swallow twice to get rid of the sudden lump in his throat. “I know.”

“What am I going to do if he doesn’t beat this? First Michael and now Hank.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if I’ll survive it.”

Steven froze for a brief moment at the mention of his brother, but then he pulled her into a hug. “When the time comes, we’ll have to be strong for each other, all right? But he’s not in the grave yet. He’s still got some good days left and only God knows how many. Let’s enjoy them with him. And we can pray for healing.”

She squeezed him and sniffed. “Right. Of course. Sorry to get so maudlin.”

“Not maudlin, Mom. I understand. Time will go quickly and it won’t be enough. It’ll never be enough.” He gave her another hug. “Even if I had another hundred years with both of you, it wouldn’t be long enough.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, then dropped his hand to his side. “I’m sorry for wasting time and not being around like I should have been for the past several years.”

She swiped the tears from her cheeks. “I understand, Steven. I’m just grateful for the knowledge of eternity in heaven.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, “me too.”

“Oh,” she said, “I meant to tell you that your aunt is coming over tomorrow. I have some errands to run and she’s going to sit with your father.”

“What? I thought that’s what I was here for.”

“Having you here is a blessing, Steven, but you have a job and you need to work it while you can. I’ll need your help soon enough.” She patted his arm. “Go on, get some rest.”

He smiled. “With both of us ordering each other to bed, don’t you think we should take our own advice?”

Her chuckle gratified him. She set her teacup in the sink, bussed his cheek with a dry kiss, then left the room. Her bowed shoulders attested to the weight on them and he wondered if it was time to hire outside help. But while his father was weak, he wasn’t bedridden. Steven glanced at the clock on the stove. Just past two in the morning. His thoughts went to Haley and he pulled his phone from his pocket to read the texts from her, wanting to know if anyone was on Zeke’s home. He shot her an answering text, assuring her that all was well on that end. He scrolled to the next text from Quinn.

Maddy texted. Haley’s fine and being released shortly.

He wondered how she would get her car. Probably one of the ladies she worked with would take her. He rose and headed for bed, his mind refusing to let go of the attractive bodyguard. She’d just had her life turned upside down and he knew how that felt. Maybe that’s why he was so drawn to her.

Or maybe it was something else.

All he knew was that she intrigued him and that probably wasn’t a good thing. He closed his eyes and immediately saw her face. In his mind’s eye, he pictured the different expressions he’d seen on her beautiful features in the short time he’d known her. As he drifted, her face stayed with him—and he momentarily forgot why being attracted to her wasn’t smart.

He rolled to his side and punched the pillow. He’d worry about it tomorrow.

At two forty-five in the morning, downtown Columbia wasn’t exactly a hotbed of activity, but there were still some folks at the all-night internet café. And the movie theater she’d planned to lose herself in a few hours ago was just letting out of the 12:30 showing.

Haley stepped carefully out of the police cruiser, her hand pressed to her side as though that would keep her stitches more secure. Just before leaving the hospital, she’d gotten Quinn’s text to let her know that Zeke’s house was quiet, and Richie was in custody and they would question him first thing in the morning. Grabbing Richie had been the reason for his delay in responding to her. He’d also let her know that the officer on Zeke’s home would be leaving at three. Other officers would drive by occasionally, but no one was available to sit on his house. “But,” Quinn had told her, “odds are they won’t be back tonight.”

Haley wasn’t so confident. She waved her thanks to the officer, Lucas Tagg, who’d been a reluctant participant in her escape from the hospital. “Appreciate it.”

He frowned. “Are you sure about this? I really don’t think this is a great idea. And if something happens to you, Quinn will kill me.”

Haley crossed her arms. Then winced at the pull on her side. “I’ll be fine. Richie’s in custody, but the people who shot up Zeke’s house aren’t. If they come back, Zeke’s going to need protection.”

He scowled. “I don’t like it.”

She gave him a small salute. “See you later, Lucas. Thanks for the ride.”

Haley shut the door on his continued protests and climbed into her Hummer. Then sat and caught her breath. She wasn’t feeling quite as good as she’d pretended. All she really wanted to do was go home and slip beneath the covers of her bed.

But concern for Zeke overruled her protesting body. Within minutes, she was back at his house sitting on the curb with her window down and the engine off. All was quiet, and within thirty minutes, she was fighting to stay awake. Another half hour passed. She closed her eyes for a brief moment.

Until she heard the low hum of an approaching vehicle.

Her adrenaline spiked and her fatigue dissipated. She sat up and felt the pull of her stitches. Ignoring the pain, she squinted through the darkness. The streetlamp hampered her vision rather than enhancing it. She couldn’t make out the type of car, but her pulse quickened as the vehicle slowed. Haley reached for the weapon she’d placed in the center console and held it ready to lift and shoot if she needed to.

The dark vehicle drove under the light and she breathed a little easier. The black truck wasn’t the vehicle she was looking for. But it slowed and she tensed again. When it stopped in front of her, she waited. The driver turned the engine off and opened his door.

The interior light came on and she blinked. Steven? She placed her weapon back in the console and waited for him to walk over. “What are you doing here?”

“My phone woke me up.”

She motioned to the passenger seat. “Hop in.”

Once he was in with the door shut, he turned to her. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been shot.” She paused. “But I guess that’s better than feeling dead.”

“Absolutely.”

She saw his eyes rove over her. Not in an insulting way, but more like he was assuring himself that she really was still in one piece. She cleared her throat. “What’s keeping you awake other than your phone?”

“What makes you think something other than my phone is keeping me awake?”

“Am I wrong?”

“No.”

“So?”

He let out a low chuckle that didn’t hold much humor. “A lot of things.”

“Such as?”

“Such as the fact that two drive-bys in the same night is a bit much to take in.”

She touched her side. “You’re telling me.”

“Quinn texted. They had to let Richie go.”

“What? Why?” She grabbed her phone and stared at the missed text messages. And four missed calls. She checked the button on the side and slid the volume up. She’d turned it off in the hospital and forgotten to turn it back on when she’d left. “Great.”

“Quinn figured you’d be here. The plate on Richie’s car is different than the one we got off the car at the drive-by shooting scene.”

“He switched it.”

“It’s possible.”

“But you don’t think so?”

“Not entirely. And there’s no way to really connect Richie to the shooting. He drives a black Mustang, not a Buick.”

“Any security video?”

“Nothing that’s turned up yet.”

“And if it does, it probably won’t show anything that would prove he’s the shooter.”

“You never know.” A comfortable silence fell between them. He finally decided to break it. “Something’s been nagging at me.”

“What’s that?”

“Did you really grow up on the streets in Belfast?”

She let out a low laugh. “That’s been nagging at you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, okay then.” She gave a short nod. “I really did.”

“So how did you get to where you are now? What pushed you?”

Haley paused, then turned in the seat a bit to look at him. The moonlight fell across his face, highlighting his features in a subtle way. He really was very attractive. “Where’d you get that scar on the edge of your chin?” She reached out to touch it and his warmth seeped into her finger and shot up her arm. Interesting. His eyes narrowed and heat rushed into her cheeks. Grateful for the darkness, she dropped her hand.

“Got it when I jumped out of the window of my treehouse trying to play Tarzan with a tree limb that was rotten.”

“Ouch.”

“Yep. Are you avoiding my question?”

“No, I’m just not sure how to answer it.” She fell silent, then said, “I’m very observant. I watched my mother fight and scrape for every penny we had. I learned from the people on the street how to survive, but in some ways, how to live. Or not live. The street people helped me graduate from high school.”

“How’s that?”

“My mother died when I was fifteen. One of my friends simply took over the role and another posed as my father when I needed a parent to show up. They signed all the papers that needed signing and banded together to make sure I had what I needed.” A sad smile crossed her lips. “They were my family.”

“Where are they now?”

“Some are still on the streets.” Another light shrug. “They have their life, it’s what they know. Some I send money to occasionally. Those people have steady jobs and a flat now, they just need a little extra every so often.” She cut him a look. “Those are the two who impersonated my parents. They’re actually married now and have opened a shelter for the homeless.” Satisfaction gleamed in her eyes—as well as love for the people she considered family. “They’re doing well and we talk every so often.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Yes. Not every teen on the street has my story, as I’m sure you know. I had it easy compared to some. I was protected, sheltered from some of the harsher elements of the homeless life.”

“Your past is why you built the center.”

“Hmm. Yes, for the most part.” Haley covered her mouth and yawned. “Sorry.”

“You should be sleeping.”

She looked toward the house. “Yes, but I can’t take a chance on them coming back to finish the job. And now that I know Richie is out, I’m going to be doubly alert.”

“You think they were trying to kill Zeke or just scare him?”

“If he’d been in the front room, he’d be dead. Along with anyone else.”

“Yeah.”

Another yawn took over and she shook her head. “Sorry. Again.”

“Stop apologizing. I’m not sleepy. Catch a few z’s if you want.”

She chuckled. Low and without humor. “I wish I could. I’m sleepy, but my brain won’t shut off.”

“Thinking about Duncan?”

“Yes. And all he had to say. And about Zeke and little Micah who needs a heart and what I can do to help them.”

“Sometimes you can’t.”

“Can’t help?”

“Yeah.”

“I know.” She looked at the house again. “But sometimes you can.”