| |
Marshall led him to a restroom. Clay stepped into the stall as the other man handed him the borrowed jeans and FCU T-shirt.
“It’s the waiting that’s so hard,” Marshall said. “When Gabby and Brynna were in the explosion, it was the waiting.”
Clay just grunted.
“I’ve been where you are. The not knowing. The moments when you’re waiting to just know if you’ll ever just breathe again.”
Clay wasn’t exactly up for the heart to heart right now. Just breathing was still a big part of his agenda.
“You don’t have to say anything, Clay, but I know you needed to get away from them all. You’re going to hold yourself together until the surgeons tell you exactly what you need to know.”
“You need to get back in there.” The lobby had been filling up. “Handle things. I can’t right now.”
With TSP’s darker green. There was green everywhere.
One of their own was in trouble, and now it was time for the TSP to rally around.
Like they had when Bailey had been missing the first time.
“Don’t worry about it. Sheriff Lake and your Tolvert are dealing with everything in your stead. Moore was taken to Finley Creek County. He was in stable condition, last I checked. Not that you will want to know; but she might. He won’t get to her again. I can promise you that.”
“Lake...I don’t know why he was there. He just kicked in the damned door and arrested Lou.” Clay would have done that, arrested Lou.
If it hadn’t meant letting go of Bailey. He would never let go of Bailey.
“He was there because of his uncle. He wanted to see what you knew about who had killed him. Or it was divine intervention. Take your pick. Whatever the reason, he was there when you needed him.”
“Lou. I don’t know why. But I think it was Lou who killed Charlie.”
“Charlie woke enough to say so to Dr. Alvaro before he died. Alvaro was in another surgery before I could speak with him. But it was a .45 they pulled from Charlie’s wound. We’ll know more after we talk to Lou Moore.”
Clay just nodded. The time for figuring out the whys was later.
Now...now was for waiting.
“I need to get in there.”
“You do. People are going to be watching you. It’s pretty clear how you feel about her.”
“She’s my world. Has been for a while.”
“Funny how they manage that without even trying, isn’t it? We’ll talk TSP later. Right now, just go be with your family. And hers. I’ll handle everything else that comes your way until she’s back where she needs to be.”