Till Justice Is Served (21 page)

"I can see how visits to the hospital would bring all those memories back. Nobody ever got suspicious?"

"I lied just like I was told to do. My mother kept thinking things would get better. When I turned thirteen, his interest in me changed. He started out by sneaking up on me, standing too close. Then he began touching me, trying to force me to touch him." Tears surged, surprising and angering Erin. She willed them away. Rafe's hand moved to her shoulder, gripping her in a supportive gesture. "I begged my mother to make him leave me alone. She accused me of trying to take him away from her." The next words hung in her throat, sent her stomach churning, and started a pain in her heart. "For a while, I got really good at avoiding him. One day he came home early. I was alone in the kitchen, and he came up behind me. Grabbed my breasts and warned me that if I went to my mother again, he'd make me pay. He said my friends wouldn't recognize me when he got through."

Erin turned to face Rafe. What she saw in his eyes filled her chest with relief. His gaze held no condemnation, no disgust, only compassion and understanding. Would that change when she told the rest of her story?

"I lost it. Went crazy. Decided I'd rather fight than have him rape me, so I slashed out with the knife I had been using to cut potatoes. The blade sliced into his hand. He called me a bitch, and then he lunged at me. I still don't remember what happened next, but he was on the floor, and the knife was in his side. I ran."

"And lived under a bridge."

"Yeah. There's no telling where I'd be today if Jeff hadn't caught me stealing food."

"Did your stepfather die?"

"No. I hadn't hit one of his vital organs."

"For future reference, if you're going to stab somebody, go for the diaphragm. It's right below the lungs."

She rolled her eyes and finished her story. That Rafe wasn't passing judgment meant a lot. "I was a scared kid and didn't think anybody would believe me. Turns out, when I told Jeff my story, he believed every word."

"Where is this bastard stepfather today?"

"He died of cancer while in prison. Thanks to Jeff and Lotty, I found the strength to tell the police everything. I testified in court, and twelve people believed me."

"Your mother?"

"Who knows? The bastard swore he'd kicked her out after I knifed him. Said he had no idea where she went."

"She never came forward?" Rafe sensed the pain rolling off Erin. Her tone had shifted from calm to a bone-chilling icy.

"Never. I've always wondered if he killed her." Erin's chest rose and fell in a sigh. "So now you know the rest of the story. The snotty smartass you asked to the prom came from prime stock."

"I'm sorry we didn't go. You still owe me a dance."

"I'll try to be a little nicer to you next time you ask me to the prom."

"That's a deal."

****

Erin hadn't mentioned her father, and Rafe could tell she was through sharing. He felt honored she'd shared some of her past with him. After all she'd been through, she was a testament to what a person could overcome.

Even here in the harsh fluorescent light, he thought she was beautiful. Now she'd taken on a new glow. Damn, he was proud of her. He had to touch her, so he leaned over, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her. Soft, warm lips met his. Enticing and welcoming. Reluctantly, he kept their contact brief.

"Everybody has a chapter in their lives they'd like to erase. Our history helps shape us, but our character makes us who we are. You're a smart, caring, amazing woman. I can't tell you how proud I am of the person you are today."

Her cheeks flushed at his compliment. "You turned out pretty good yourself." She glanced at her watch. "It's been hours since they took Linc to surgery. Maybe it's time I put my bad memories away and made peace with this hospital." She stood. "I'm going to see if the nurses have heard anything."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No. I can do this." She walked into the hallway and started in the direction of the nurses' station. "I'll be right back."

Rafe was on his feet and had her in his line of vision in seconds. Watching Erin walk, shoulders back, head held high, hips gently swaying, would never be a hardship. Her endlessly long legs gave her a graceful stride, the stride of a strong, beautiful woman.

He could watch her walk forever. The word
forever
brought his thoughts to a screeching halt, sending the hair on the back of his neck quivering. He refused to think in terms of
forever.
Planning on
forever
wasn't an option.

She struck up a conversation with one of the nurses. In minutes, the two women were chatting like old friends. As if she knew he was watching, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. She had managed to stir something inside him best left at peace.

The vibration from his cell got his attention. He pulled it from his pocket to find his boss on the line. Rafe moved to the end of the hallway to ensure privacy and still keep an eye on Erin. "Did you reach the Hawkins family?"

"I did. There's a shitload of them, too. Best I could tell, his mom, dad, and two of his brothers are on their way. I offered help with travel arrangements, but they're handling everything themselves. How is Agent Hawkins?"

"Don't know yet. We're still waiting to hear," Rafe said.

"I appreciate you getting involved in the case and helping a hometown friend. But I have to ask if you're okay. You haven't had time to grieve the loss of your father, much less get his things in order."

"I'm fine. This friend is important to me."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that."

Rafe caught movement from his right side. He turned, his hand instinctively reaching for the pistol riding at his right kidney. A small-framed woman wearing a loose-fitting, drab-green hospital jacket looked up at him. A surgical mask sagged just under her chin.

"Linc Hawkins family?"

"The doctor is here. Let me call you back." Rafe ended the call and directed his attention to the woman. Dark circles under her eyes gave her an alarmingly sad expression. The lady was either the bearer of bad news or she was extremely tired.

"Yes, ma'am. We're not blood related, but we're both federal agents. Linc's immediate family have been notified and are on their way."

"Doctor Winston." The diminutive woman shook Rafe's extended hand. Her fingers were icy cold, and for some odd reason, that surprised him. That and the fact her stoic expression hadn't wavered set his nerves on edge. "Mr. Hawkins is a lucky man."

Rafe quirked an eyebrow at such a preposterous statement. The good doctor chuckled, changing her sad expression to that of a pretty but tired woman. "Lucky because his skull remains intact. His cheek was a different matter. That procedure took a little longer than usual as I had to piece him back together. We'll watch him closely for the next twenty-four hours. Once he continues to gain strength, we'll turn our attention to additional reconstructive surgery. You should go home. It will be hours before you can see Mr. Hawkins."

Erin! Rafe whirled in the direction of the nurses' station, expecting her to be hurrying toward him and the doctor. She was nowhere in sight. Furious at himself for turning away from her, he felt his heart pounding against his rib cage. Dr. Winston was still talking when he sprinted down the hall.

"Where is the young woman who was asking about Linc Hawkins?"

"She went to the restroom." The nurse pointed. "It's just around that corner."

Rafe ran to the door with the word WOMEN on it. He put his hand over the word and pushed. "Erin," he called loudly. Giving no thought to whether or not the place might be occupied, he hurried to the first stall. Empty. As was the next one. He was alone. "Damn it."

He rushed into the hall, unsure of which way to look. Panic boiled through his veins.

Erin was missing.

My fault!
The two words reverberated through his mind. He hadn't been there when Nick needed him. He hadn't been there when their dad died. And now, he'd let Erin down.

"Rafe?"

He whirled to find her walking straight toward him, a cup of coffee in each hand. His knees almost buckled. And his heart rate? That didn't slow down one bit. "Damn it. You disappeared. I was seconds from declaring an emergency, placing hospital guards at every exit, and calling the cops."

She held her arms forward as if to make sure he saw the cups in her hands. Fire flashed from her eyes. She fucking had the nerve to be mad at
him
.

"I can do without you overreacting."

"Overreacting?" Rafe stormed toward her, ready to raise hell with her for scaring the shit out of him. But when he reached her, stood face-to-face with her, looking into her beautiful eyes, he pulled her into his arms instead. He held her tightly, hoping she couldn't feel his heart beating a rhythm against his chest wall.

Erin's spine went rigid, stiff as a board. He hadn't given any thought to the two coffees in her hands. He released her, took his cup, taking a long drink of the lukewarm sludge.

"A simple thank-you will suffice." Her words were chilling, but the tone in her voice suggested humor.

"Don't do that again. I can't take it." He wrapped his free hand around her elbow, smiled apologetically at the frowning nurse who'd heard his tirade and come running, then led Erin back to the waiting room. "I turned my back on you for less than a minute, and you disappeared. What was I supposed to think?"

"I didn't realize the coffee machine was that far down the hall. I was already there and figured we could both use a shot of caffeine. Maybe I was wrong."

"After all this is over, we're going to sit down and figure out why I panicked. Losing control goes against my nature, my training, everything I've learned. Staying calm can be the difference in living or dying sometimes." Rafe struggled with his reaction to her being out of his sight for a few minutes. He dragged his hand through his hair.

"Maybe you care more about me than if you'd been protecting a stranger." Erin set her cup on a table and brushed her fingers across his forehead, patting his hair back into place.

Her words had defined the situation perfectly. She'd cut right through his bullshit and looked into his heart. He couldn't let her know she was right nor could he let his emotions get out of hand.

"Linc's doctor and I had a brief chat."

"How is he?"

"I'll explain on the way home." Rafe tossed back the cold coffee and stood. "He's going to live, but he's apparently got some reconstructive surgery ahead of him. We can't see him, so let's stop by the nurses' station, leave our phone numbers for them and his family, and then we'll get out of here. You're bound to have a to-do list."

She looked up at him. Her head tilted to the side. "A to-do list?"

"You're going back to work tomorrow, remember?"

Her lips spread into a smile. "I'd forgotten. You're right. I've got things to do."

****

Leaving the hospital was no hardship for Erin. Even with the renovations and updating that had been done, she'd hated being inside. Outside, she breathed in the night air and tried to concentrate on tomorrow.

Rafe's hand resting on the small of her back as he guided her to the car made concentrating on anything except the heat he generated very difficult. Erin should have felt guilty for scaring him, but she couldn't. Instead, it gave her hope that he actually felt something stronger than friendship for her.

"My going to work in the morning relieves you of your babysitting responsibilities, at least during the day."

He opened the car door, waited until she settled in the seat, then leaned inside. "You're not out of the doghouse. I haven't decided if I can trust you enough to drop you off and pick you up."

He was too close. So she leaned forward and kissed him. The intention was to plant a sweet, innocent peck on his lips. Instead, his hand clasped the back of her head and held her tightly while he ravaged her mouth. Erin was almost panting when he released her.

"Never scare me like that again." Before she could gather her thoughts, he'd closed the door, walked around and seated himself.

When his phone rang, Rafe fished out his cell. "What's up?"

Erin was amazed that in a blink of an eye, he was chatting with Colton as if the earth hadn't just rotated off its axis. The romantic air previously filling the interior of his car vanished, replaced by the cool, calm voice of the law.

The one-sided conversation was easy to follow. Grace had left her neighborhood, and Colton had followed. Not only was it a little late for the teenager to be out, but she hadn't turned on her headlights until she was well away from her home. He'd also notified his contact with the narcotics division, and the decision to stay back and not interact in any way had been made. Colton was on a fact-finding mission.

Chills raced up Erin's arms. Could Grace be involved in drug trafficking?

C
HAPTER 19

Erin didn't try to engage Rafe in conversation during the drive. He was deep in thought after his call from Colton. Once Rafe had parked in the driveway of the Sirilli home, he'd unloaded the suitcase of work clothes that she'd packed while at her house, then carried the bag to her room. For the next few minutes, she'd concentrated her efforts on unpacking even more of her belongings. She now had more than enough clothes to last a few days.

She'd opened up her heart and shared information with Rafe, facts she'd never felt comfortable talking about. His smoky gray eyes had been full of understanding. His nonjudgmental attitude had added to her growing respect for him.

"You up for a cup of coffee before bed?" His deep baritone drifted from the doorway across the room and caressed her skin.

She turned and grabbed the headboard for support. Warm-up pants rode low on his hips as he ran a towel over his damp hair. His bare chest still had water droplets riding above his collarbone. In a couple of long strides, he stood in front of her, bringing with him the musky scent of soap and a woodsy shampoo.