“You can’t be serious, Willow. I’m not leaving you here. You saw what that nut job wrote on the wall. And you lied to your own father about the other time.”
“Beth, I didn’t lie to him. I just didn’t want him to worry. Not that I owe you any kind of—”
“Don’t you dare pull rank on me! I was your best friend long before you were my boss. Don’t you fucking dare!” She watched Beth rake the back of her hand over an eye. “Dying won’t bring Harlem back to you. Won’t take you to him, either! And I don’t care if you get mad. It won’t.”
Willow reached for her and she batted her arm away.
“No, you don’t get to piss away the value of your life on a memory.”
“Beth stop.” She pulled her friend into her arms.
“You don’t... You have no right. You have all these people working with you, for you. You think it’s for the job. But it’s because they love you. You’ve been so strong for us. Let us be there for you.”
“Okay... alright. I’m just gonna grab some things. Get Matisse’s food.”
Beth stepped out of her arms and she punched her in the shoulder. “Hurry up. I should knock the shit out of you for making me cry. You know me and Todd have room and your godson needs to see you more than on birthdays and Christmas. Hurry up.”
Willow turned to head back toward the kitchen and Beth flopped down on top of one of the packing crates and ran her hand through her spiky blonde hair. Just then the door opened, and Beth dropped down to one knee and aimed her gun.
Davis eased the door open with his foot; his own gun trained at the woman stooped down near the wooden crate. She moved to draw in a breath, and he tossed his ID near her foot. Without lowering her gun, she scanned it in the dim light then shot a look up at him. He waved his hand silently and she followed him.
“Not a word.”
“Somebody wants her dead. How do I know it’s not you?” She aimed her gun at his chest as she took a step backward.
“You researched me the second I left this morning. You called me, Agent Hilditch.”
He liked her. He outweighed her, but her bravery and fierce loyalty to Willow made him lower his weapon.
“Unload the clip. I’ll make it easy.” He stepped back and held his arms up and out to the sides. “Center mass. Anything has got to be better than one day in this world without her. You know it and so do I.”
She lowered her gun and squinted up at him. “You just met her.”
“Willow left a lasting impression.”
“She’s not stupid. If I leave her here with you...”
“My badge is still in there on the floor.”
He thought of the name on the badge and died a thousand deaths. It wasn’t his true name. The one she called on tear-soaked plea, the one he’d answered to when she first walked into his club.
“Your badge don’t mean jack shit. She doesn’t even know you.”
“She knows enough.”
Beth looked back at the door then up at him.
Davis stepped back and shrugged his massive shoulders. “Agent Hilditch, I’m not leaving without her. Either take the shot or go home. I brought her to you this morning. I’ll bring her back tomorrow.”
She studied him for a long moment then she held her gun out, repositioned the hammers, and thumbed the safety back on.
“You better or I will unload my clip.” She moved to step away then thought better of it. “She’s strong enough to take care of us. Took some nasty hits for us more than once. She doesn’t know how to be strong for herself. She lost someone and it has colored everything she does. It was bad enough losing him, but their unborn child, too... It colors everything—and I mean everything.”
His breath caught in his throat. The one and only time they made love was unprotected. She decided on the movies that night because she wanted a night out on the town. Giving her the ring was his surprise. He swallowed hard as his heart shattered and the fragmented pieces began to choke out all reason.
A baby… our baby.
“Hey! Don’t hurt her.”
Still reeling from the new level of pain he blinked rapidly. “Center mass if I do.”
Beth nodded as she bounded down the front steps and moved to her car. Davis steeled himself before he slid the door back open with his foot. Willow was stooping down with her own gun in her hand.
His badge was in the other.