Freddie arrived home to loud music coming from the second bedroom, where Elin had installed a small gym. He put his service weapon, cuffs and other work stuff into the bedside drawer and went to see what she was up to.
He nudged the door open, trying not to startle her. The sight that greeted him made his mouth go dry. Dressed in skintight workout clothes, she was bent in half, her perfect ass in the air.
She glanced in the mirror, caught his gaze and smiled. “Hello, dear. How was your day?”
“It just got much, much better.”
He was so relieved to see her true smile for the first time since the miscarriage. For a few days, he’d feared that neither of them would ever smile again. But they were bouncing back, just as their friends and family had told them they would.
Elin stood upright and used a towel to wipe the sweat off her face. Then she crooked her finger for him to come to her.
He took a few steps so he was right in front of her and waited to see what she’d do.
She went up on tiptoes to kiss him.
Freddie put his hands on her hips. “You’re not doing too much too soon, are you?”
“Nope. Just stretching. Feels good.” She wiped her face again. “I told the gym I’d be back to work tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t take a few more days?”
“I’m sure. I read that getting back to a regular routine helps.”
He wanted her to have more time to rest and recover, but that decision had to be up to her. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“Sam made me the lead on a huge new case today.”
“Wow. That’s amazing. Are you going to be the boss of her for a change?”
“Ha! No, she’s taking a short leave of absence.”
“Why?”
“She thinks maybe she came back too soon after Spence died.”
“Oh, yeah, I can see that.” She turned off the music. “I was going to make something for dinner.”
“How about we go out?”
“I wouldn’t say no to that. Let me just grab a quick shower.”
“Take your time.”
“Freddie.”
He’d been on his way out of the room, but he turned back.
“You can stop looking so worried. I’m okay.”
“That’s all that matters to me.”
“I know, and you’ve been wonderful. I couldn’t have gotten through it without you. But I want to try to get back on track now.”
“Whatever you need, love.”
“I need you to stop looking at me like I might break. I won’t. I promise.”
“I love you so freaking much.”
“That was almost a swear, Freddie Cruz,” she said in a scandalized whisper.
“Just speaking the truth.”
“I love you, too. We’ll be okay, and in a few months, we’ll try again, and we’ll keep trying until we get it right.”
“I’m here for the trying, any time you’d like.”
Her bright smile was the best thing he’d seen in days. “I’ll keep you posted.”
While she went to shower, he retrieved his notebook from the drawer and placed a call to Kelly Goodson. “This is Detective Cruz from the MPD, circling back with another question for you.”
“Of course. Whatever I can do.”
“Were you aware that Marcel had been sued by four former patients for sexually inappropriate behavior while under his care?”
“What? No. I knew nothing about that.”
“You said Liliana spoke to you about everything.”
“She did, but she never said anything about that. Although…”
“What?”
“About a month ago, she started to seem really different, but I never could get her to tell me why. I wonder if that’s when she found out about it.”
“How did she seem different?”
“She was distant, distracted, not available to hang out the way we always did. That kind of thing.”
“And that was unusual for her?”
“Very. When I say we were best friends, I mean that our friendship annoyed our husbands because we preferred each other over them sometimes. But I suppose it makes sense now that I know what was going on with them. She would’ve been mortified. How could he have done such a thing?”
“I don’t know, but the lawsuit was going to court later this month.”
“How can their deaths not be related to that?”
“We’re investigating every possible scenario.”
“You know, earlier, when we talked, all I could think afterward was that it couldn’t have been a murder-suicide because Marcel was crazy about Liliana and the kids. But now that I know their lives were going to be blown to bits because of something he did? Maybe he did do it.”
“Thank you for your insight. I’ll be back to you with any other questions I have.”
“No problem. I’m so sick over the whole thing. Whatever I can do to help.”
After they said their goodbyes, Freddie sat on the bed thinking about what she’d said as the hair dryer went on in the bathroom. If he was still single, he would’ve gone to talk to Rory McInerny now rather than waiting for the morning. But since he was married to the stunning Elin Cruz, who was feeling better after their heartbreaking loss, he’d call it a night and take his wife out to dinner.
“Babe, you have to eat something,” Cameron Green said to Gigi Dominguez. “You’re freaking me out.”
“I’m just not hungry.”
“But your body needs nutrition. How about a protein smoothie? Do you think you could handle that?”
“I could try.”
He kissed her cheek. “I’ll make one.” He’d brought her to his place after hers had been invaded by his ex-girlfriend, Jaycee, who’d threatened Gigi and sexually assaulted her before Gigi had shot and killed her.
Cam wasn’t sure which part of the nightmare was causing the greatest amount of distress for Gigi, but it didn’t matter. She’d taken to his bed several days ago and had barely left it since, except to use the bathroom and shower.
His phone chimed with a text from Gigi’s partner, Dani.
How is she?
Same. I’m getting worried. She’s not interested in eating. I’m going to try a protein shake. If that doesn’t work, I’m out of ideas.
I’ll bring you one from the place she likes. Be there shortly.
Thanks, Dani.
No prob.
Dani had been a lifesaver since the events with Jaycee. She’d come every day, bringing something she thought Gigi might like, from chocolate to fruit to bagels to her favorite salad. All of it was in the fridge, waiting for Gigi to show some interest.
Cameron was sick with guilt over what’d happened to her. He felt like he’d somehow brought the hellish events into her life by deciding to end his relationship with Jaycee. But everyone, even Gigi, kept telling him it wasn’t his fault. He’d had every right to end a relationship that was no longer making him happy and to start a new one with someone who made him happier than he’d ever been.
He knew they were right, but still he blamed himself.
Dr. Trulo had come to the house to meet with them, and Cameron had talked to him about the guilt. Trulo had done what he could to help Cameron deal with those feelings, but it was a work in progress. He kept coming back around to the fact that Jaycee wouldn’t have known who Gigi was if it hadn’t been for him. She would’ve had no reason to break into Gigi’s home, to hold her hostage, to viciously assault her or force Gigi to do something she’d never done on the job—end a life to save her own. And now Internal Affairs would be investigating the use of her service weapon, which was the last thing any police officer needed.
The whole thing was unbearable.
They had a huge, complicated new case he should be thinking about, but the only thoughts on his mind were centered on Gigi and how to get her through this ordeal.
It was a good thing Jaycee was dead, or he’d be tempted to kill her himself and to hell with the consequences. Her mother had also been killed by SWAT after she’d taken Jeannie McBride hostage. Two of the closest people in his life had been traumatized because of his ex. He was having a very hard time living with that.
Dani texted. I’m here.
Cameron went to open the door for her.
“Hey,” she said as he stepped aside to admit her.
“Thanks for coming.”
“No problem.” Tall, blonde and gorgeous, Dani was the sort of woman he’d always been attracted to until the first time he’d seen Gigi and realized he’d been very wrong about what he found attractive.
Because she was on duty, Dani wore a radio on her hip that crackled with traffic. “I can’t stay.” She handed the smoothie to him. “Tell her I was here, and I love her.”
“I will. She’ll appreciate the smoothie.”
“Tell her she can thank me by drinking it.”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Are you okay, Cam?”
“I won’t lie. I’m struggling with my part in this.”
“You had no part in it. If we have to tell you that for the rest of your life, we will.”
“Wouldn’t you feel responsible if you were me?”
“Maybe, but I’d listen to the people around me who were telling me the truth and absolving me of responsibility for something I didn’t do.”
“I keep picking over every minute I spent with Jaycee, looking for signs she had this level of evil in her, and there was nothing. I would’ve seen it.”
“Yes, you would have, and she clearly kept that side of herself hidden from you and others, who are also expressing shock at what she did.”
He hadn’t heard that. “What’re they saying?”
“Just that the Jaycee they know never could’ve done such a thing. That kind of stuff.”
“They didn’t know her. I didn’t know her.”
“You knew what she wanted you to know—and so did they.”
“I guess.”
“I’ve got to run. I’m stretched thin tonight with a long to-do list before my tour ends.”
“Thanks for bringing the smoothie.”
Dani surprised him when she kissed his cheek. “Be kind to yourself, Cameron. No one blames you for this, especially Gigi.”
With that, Dani departed.
Cam waved to her from the door, then closed and locked it and shut off the outside light. He took the smoothie up to Gigi, who was lying on her side, staring at the wall. “Dani came by and brought your favorite smoothie.”
“That was nice of her.”
“She said you can thank her by drinking it. And she said she loves you.”
That got a small smile from Gigi, who moved to sit up and take the drink from him.
Cameron took the paper off the straw and stuck it in the top of the cup.
Gigi took a tentative sip and then another. “That’s so good.”
Cam breathed a sigh of relief that she was consuming something.
“My girl knows what I love.”
“We all want you to feel better.”
“I’m working on it.”
Cam sat on the edge of the mattress. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really, but I know I need to.”
“I’ve heard that helps,” he said with a smile.
As she continued to sip the smoothie, she seemed to be collecting her thoughts. “The thing I can’t stop thinking about was whether I could’ve done something other than kill her. I keep going over it and trying to find another way out that doesn’t end with her being dead.”
Cameron stroked her pretty face. “You saved yourself, which is what anyone would’ve done in that situation. She wouldn’t have let you leave alive.”
“No, she wouldn’t have, but I can’t stop thinking about firing that shot, the sound it made when it hit her or the expression on her face when she realized she was going to die.” Gigi shuddered. “I really wish that hadn’t happened.”
“I wish the whole thing hadn’t happened, but like everyone has been telling us, this was on her, not us. She’s the one who came into your home uninvited, pulled a knife on you, did other unspeakable things to you and forced you to defend yourself.”
“I know there was nothing else I could’ve done, but still… I’ll never forget that.”
“The reason you feel this way is because you have such a kind and loving heart and could never hurt someone the way she tried to hurt you. I’d be worried if you weren’t upset about it. But… You have to take care of yourself as you work through this. You’ve got us all so worried about you.”
“I’m sorry about that. I’ve just felt too sick to eat anything.” She held up the smoothie. “This is tasting good to me, though.”
“Dani to the rescue.” Cameron tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “I’m so sorry this happened. I’ll be sorry forever about this.”
“I’ll never blame you, in case you’re worried about that.”
“That makes me a very lucky guy.”
“We’re both lucky, and we can’t let her come between us or she wins, even from the grave.”
For the first time in days, Cameron felt like he could lean in and kiss her.
Her hand came to rest on his face, cold from the smoothie.
He startled.
She laughed, and he felt the tension inside him finally ease a bit. If she could laugh, maybe they’d survive this.
“What’d I miss at work today?” she asked.
“Nothing much.” She didn’t need to hear about the murders of six people, including four innocent children.
“I got an email that my IAB hearing is next week.”
“It’s routine.”
“Still,” she said, “it’s my first time with Internal Affairs.”
“You’ll be fine. You’ll tell the truth of what happened and be back on the job as soon as you’re ready.”
“I really hope so.”
Nicoletta sat in her cell, staring at the cinderblock wall on the far side, waiting for something she now realized wasn’t going to happen. Her son wasn’t going to fix this for her, and by now, the FBI had searched her office.
Her stomach knotted. That rat-faced lawyer certainly wasn’t going to save her, and she sure as hell wasn’t built for prison.
She had to get out of there.
Rising, she went to the bars. “Hello? Is anyone there?”
“Shut up, you old bitch,” a woman said from across the aisle. “People are trying to sleep.”
Nicoletta ignored her. “Is someone there?”
A sheriff’s deputy approached her cell. “What do you need?”
“I need to get out of here. I have things to do.”
“Don’t we all?” the woman across the aisle said. “What makes you special?”
“Your arraignment is scheduled for the morning,” the deputy said. “You can tell it to the judge then.”
“But I need to use the restroom.”
The deputy pointed to the toilet bowl in her cell. “That’s your restroom right there.”
“I can’t do that in front of everyone,” Nicoletta said with outrage.
“Then I guess you’ll have to hold it.”
The deputy walked away, leaving her to her misery. She turned, eyed the bowl with trepidation and wished she had this day to do over so she could’ve put on something more comfortable than her red silk robe, which was starting to feel slimy.
She went to the bowl, turned, lifted her robe and hovered above it before she wet herself. Her thighs burned from the effort to keep her skin from connecting with the toilet. In the corner of her cell, a camera was trained on her. She wondered if there’d be video of the president’s mother peeing in a jail cell posted online before morning.
This was all his bitch wife’s fault. Nicoletta had no doubt about that, and when she got out of here, she would make her life a living hell, if it was the last thing she ever did.