First to Kill

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First to Kill Page 34

by Andrew Peterson


  “Thanks, Dad. I’d like to stay in touch more. Let’s make the effort from now on.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Me too. Take care, Dad.

  “Take care, Nathan.”

  * * *

  Nathan knocked softly on Holly Simpson’s door.

  “Come in.”

  Holding a dozen long-stemmed red roses, he hobbled into her hospital room. “Hello Holly.”

  Her face brightened. “Hi Nathan.”

  She was sitting up in the bed. Her hospital gown had been replaced with pajama-type garments with snaps holding them in place. The stainless-steel latticework supporting her legs was still there, but the colorful balloons and flowers were gone. He bent down and kissed her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Stir-crazy. I’m ready to get out of here.”

  “Where are your balloons?”

  “I spread them around, we’ve got lots of wounded in here. How are you feeling?”

  “Never better.”

  “Thank you for the flowers.”

  He set them down on a table and pulled up a chair. “We had a hell of a week, didn’t we.”

  She took his hand. “Thank you for giving the reward money to the families. That was very generous of you and Harvey.”

  “We’re glad to do it. You okay, really?”

  “I’ll never be able to pass through an airport metal detector again without setting it off. I’ve got more screws and plates than the Bionic Woman.”

  “Beats a wheelchair.”

  “Amen to that.”

  “How’s Henning?”

  “He’s going to be okay, but he’ll have to spend another week in a hospital bed. He’s got all kinds of tubes and drains sticking out of him. He told me he looks like a Borg from a Star Trek episode, whatever that means.”

  “Are you and Director Lansing okay?” he asked.

  “He knows I know about the Ortega-Bridgestone connection. I’m playing it cool, like it’s no big deal.”

  “Good move. I’m sure he appreciates it. You’ve got a solid future in the FBI, Holly. You made some tough decisions, bent the rules. Very few people in your position have what it takes to make those kinds of choices.”

  She squeezed his hand and nodded. “The FBI’s giving you and Harvey private awards for what you did.”

  They were both silent a moment.

  “Are you heading back to San Diego?” she asked.

  He nodded, didn’t trust himself to say anything.

  “I wish we’d met a long time ago.”

  “Me too.”

  “I can’t help but wonder how different our lives would have been. You might be a father with six kids.”

  “Heaven help us.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, you’d be good at it.”

  “I appreciate you saying that.”

  “We shared something special. I know I’ve said this before, but I’ve never met anyone like you and something tells me I never will again.”

  “I feel the same about you, Holly. Listen, I’m not very good at this. I’m not even sure I know how to say it.… I’m not ready for this, for us right now. I’m not at a point in my life where I can make a solid commitment to you, and you deserve that. I’m not saying we can’t still see each other. If we want to, it’s just—”

  “Nathan, it’s okay. Let’s just take things a day at a time and see what happens.”

  He bent down and kissed her on the lips. “I’ll see you soon. I promise. But until then I’m really going to miss you.”

  She wiped her cheek. “Me too.”

  “I tell you what. I’ll make a special trip up here, if you promise to go see The Music Man with me.”

  “Nathan McBride, it’s a deal.”

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

 

 

 


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