Grace poked her head into the room, and Madigan licked her dry lips, peering out toward the door as she woke from a groggy sleep.
My cell phone.
Just the motion of turning her head sent pains shooting up and down her sides.
The recording. Where’s my phone?
“Madigan,” Grace whispered, striding into her room toward her. “Madigan, the doctor says you’re going to be okay.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was dry. Grace sat down on the chair beside her bed and grabbed her hand.
“You were at The Scorpion.”
“Yes,” Madigan whispered.
“You were going after the man who attacked you.”
She blinked up at Grace. “How… did you know?”
“On the way to the hospital, before you passed out, all you kept saying was to get your phone to me. I listened to the last recording. I heard it all.” Grace licked her lips, and as tears rolled down her cheeks, she wiped them away.
She never cries.
Tears clouded her vision, and her abdomen ached as her stomach heaved from the emotion flowing through her. “I’m sorry—“
Grace squeezed her hand and cleared her throat. She tucked her hair behind her ear and shook her head, looking out the window beside her bed. “It was stupid, and I know you were doing what you thought you had to…”
“I had to do something—“ Madigan said, her chest heaving, and the shooting pain announcing its presence through her side.
“I know. I blame myself. I should have known. I did know. I knew something was going on with you, and I knew it was about that night, but I didn’t know what exactly you were doing about it. I should have known…I’m your sister.”
You’re the most important thing to me, Grace.
“I hid it from you. From everyone. I didn’t want to be stopped.”
“Blaze was arrested. I sent the recording back to the department.”
“And Tom?”
“He was pronounced dead on arrival.”
He’s gone for good.
Madigan exhaled, letting her head fully relax against the pillow.
“And Luke?” Tears slid down the sides of her face.
“He didn’t make it.”
“Ah,” Madigan let out a small breath to relieve the ache in her chest and sniffled.
He did a bad thing, but he wasn’t a bad person. He didn’t deserve this.
Grace took a tissue and dabbed at her cheeks and eyes.
“I heard everything,” Grace said, “and you were so brave.”
Luke called out to me that he was sorry. He was just doing what he had to do for his mom. He saved me…
“I just did what I had to. I should have done more.”
And now, what will happen to his mom? Her heart must be breaking at this very moment.
“Yes, you did, but you never should have been in that position in the first place. You were afraid if you told me, I’d have stopped you, and I would have.”
“I already—” Madigan started, but took a short breath before beginning again. “I decided to tell you last night. I was going to bring you what I had. After our talk…and talking to Luke… it didn’t make sense to keep searching on my own.”
Grace nodded.
“Do you forgive me?” Madigan asked, looking over at her. “For breaking your trust?”
I can’t let go of her hand. Not even if I wanted to because she’s squeezing it so tightly, and every time I give her space—every time I let go a little—I wish I hadn’t.
“Mads, that’s not even a question. I take ownership of this too. I had a lot of time to think in the waiting room, you know.”
Madigan stared up at her, biting her bottom lip.
She’s in pain. I never should have let this happen.
“What did you think about?”
“Until the doctor came, I was just worried about you. After hearing that recording—what they said, and how you fought—I didn’t know what to expect. After the doctor told me you’d only need to stay here a couple of days, I was trying to piece together how all this came about. You made the decision when you dyed and cut your hair, didn’t you? It wasn’t about a change. It was a disguise.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know if you realized, but Blaze and those men had no idea what you’d been doing until you told John, who told Luke, who told them—“
“John was only trying to help.”
Grace shook her head. “Whatever you were doing, I’m assuming you followed suspects?”
“Yes.”
“You did it under the radar.”
“You sound proud of me.”
“You were going about things the wrong way, but you’re so smart. You’re so creative and driven. Blaze didn’t sound like he believed Luke that you had given up. He would have killed Luke, and then… they would have come for you. You shouldn’t have done what you did for so many reasons, but you did, and you got him.”
“I did,” she whispered. “Maybe this will save someone else from getting hurt. Another woman like me maybe.”
Grace nodded and squeezed her hand, letting it go as the air cooled her hand all at once.
She doesn’t need a lecture. She already knows. Maybe I helped her realize, but I have a feeling there were a lot of other things she went through, bringing her to a new path.
“There is one thing I feel guilty about,” Madigan muttered.
The stress she’s put me through? Not telling me from the beginning?
“What’s that?”
“I won’t be able to take Buster for a nice walk along the beach for a while.”
I should have known.
“So, what’s the damage?” Madigan asked.
Grace took a deep breath before beginning. “You’ve got a cracked rib, a stab wound to your side that they’ve stitched up. It didn’t puncture anything vital. You’re lucky. A split lip and a chipped front tooth. Bruises and cuts, of course, but nothing that won’t heal in time.”
I feel lucky. Despite the pain, and the evil I faced, I’m grateful.
“I think you should rest,” Grace said. “I also think it would be a good idea to set up some appointments with a therapist for when you’re able to get out and leave the house.”
“I’m okay,” Madigan said.
And it’s true. Tom can’t hurt me again. I survived.
“I know,” Grace said, “but there’s all that other stuff we talked about that you need to deal with. You have to face it. Understand why it happened. It’ll make you stronger.”
“Did it work for you?” Madigan asked.
“In some ways.” Grace shrugged. “It’s just a part of the whole picture though. You have to take care of yourself. I can’t always be there.”
“I know,” Madigan said, “and I feel better about handling things on my own than I ever have.”
Grace’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket.
“You’re supposed to turn that off in the hospital,” Madigan whispered as Grace answered.
“Sheppard… what? Hold on, when?” She listened for a moment before looking down at Madigan.
“Go.” Madigan mouthed.
Grace gave a hesitant glance before turning away again. “Do you believe him?... You’re right, okay. I’ll meet you there.”
She tapped the screen and stood from her chair.
“I have to go.”
“It’s okay.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. There’s an officer outside your door, okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Buzz the nurse if you need anything,” Grace said, side-stepping toward the door.
“Go.”
Grace turned around and jogged out the door.
That went as well as I could have hoped.