by Debra Webb
Sloan trembled at the memory of demanding to see his child. The detective in charge of the investigation had warned him that it was pointless to put himself through it, but Sloan’d had to see for himself. There hadn’t been any dental records. Mark had never been to the dentist. No way to really be sure.
“You know I’m right,” Angel pressed. “You can’t be sure.”
Afraid to move for fear of causing some deadly chain reaction, Rachel stood absolutely still, watching the scene play out before her. Every fiber of her being longed to run to Josh, to protect him. But she couldn’t risk even the slightest movement. Her heart ached for Sloan as she listened to the verbal torture inflicted by Angel. She wished she had a gun so she could kill the bastard herself. She glanced at Tanya’s motionless form. Her weapon was still clutched in her right hand.
“It’s simple really,” Angel explained, drawing her attention back to the deadly standoff. “You let me walk out of here with my son and I’ll give you the location of your son.” Angel tapped his temple as if suddenly remembering something. “In fact, he celebrated his tenth birthday just last month.”
Rachel’s heart raced with anticipation. Could he be telling the truth? She staggered beneath the impact of what his words insinuated. He wanted to trade information about Sloan’s son for Josh. Rachel’s frantic gaze flew to Sloan. The difficulty of holding back from the vengeance his soul screamed for was outlined in his posture and every feature of his face. The rigid set of his jaw, the grim line of his lips.
“An even trade,” Angel urged when Sloan remained silent. “Your son for mine.”
The slightest hint of a new kind of fear trickled through Rachel. No, she scolded mentally. Sloan would never do anything to harm Josh. Nothing could make him turn Josh over to Angel. She wouldn’t believe that.
But what if Angel was telling the truth? What if Sloan’s son was still alive? Would he trade her son for his own? Rachel looked at the man she loved with all her heart and she knew.
He would do the right thing.
Her breath caught as Sloan, his intent gaze never leaving Angel, reached down and pulled her son from behind him.
“He looks like you, you know,” Angel badgered. “He even asks about his daddy from time to time,” he added with a demented laugh.
A muscle flexed rhythmically in Sloan’s rigid jaw. Angel had buried the knife deep in his chest, and then twisted. Rachel held her breath as the seconds ticked by before Sloan reacted. He pushed Josh in her direction. “Take him in the house,” he ordered, the words raw, guttural.
“Don’t move, Rachel,” Angel warned. The slightest hint of desperation tinged his voice. “If you do, I will kill you. I should have done it a long time ago.”
Rachel ushered Josh behind her. He clung to her as he had Sloan, burying his face against her hip in fear. She looked from Sloan to Angel. That satanic gaze latched onto hers and filled her with terror. He was on the edge now, poised to make a move. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, urging her to run, but at the same time nailing her to the spot.
“Go inside, Rachel,” Sloan commanded, his fierce gaze reiterating the order. The savage sound of his words jerked her attention back to him. “Now.”
But she couldn’t leave him. From the corner of her eye, she saw Angel’s aim swing from her to Sloan. Sloan realized his mistake instantly. Rachel saw the recognition that he had just traded his life for hers flicker across his face, then the determination that he would take Angel with him.
A shot rang out, shattering the tension. The look of utter surprise on Angel’s face prevented his instinctive reaction to return fire. He stared down in disbelief at the hole in his chest as he dropped to his knees. The pale gray shirt he wore swiftly turned crimson with his blood.
“If I can’t have you,” Tanya mumbled, “no one can.” Satisfied when Angel collapsed facedown, she dropped her weapon and slumped back to the ground.
Josh cried out in fear. Rachel fell to her knees and grabbed him in her arms. She pressed his face against her chest and made soft shushing sounds to comfort him.
Sirens blared in the distance. The police? Rachel wondered vaguely. Had Sloan called them before coming outside? Sloan walked over to Angel and rolled him onto his back with one foot to be sure he was good and dead. Then he stepped over to Tanya, kicked her weapon away and knelt next to her. She made a sound, more groan than word.
“Don’t try to talk,” he told her, his voice still cold and emotionless. He shouldered out of his shirt and quickly wadded it. He pressed it firmly down over the wound in her chest to staunch the flow of blood.
Hot tears rolled down Rachel’s cheeks as she watched Sloan do what he could to help Tanya, though she didn’t deserve it. The sirens were closer now.
“Mommy, hold me,” Josh cried, tugging at her blouse.
Rachel held him tighter. “I love you, sweetie,” she whispered against his hair. “Everything’s going to be okay.” She inhaled deeply of his sweet scent and thanked God again that he had answered her prayers tonight.
She opened her eyes and blinked to clear them. Angel was dead. Relief washed over her, making her weak and giddy at the same time.
Angel was dead.
She and Josh were free.
THE MEDICAL ATTENDANTS loaded Tanya into the ambulance and left, their siren screeching urgently. Rachel had long since collapsed into a chair, Josh asleep in her arms. One police officer was still questioning Sloan. Rachel had already answered their questions as best she could. Between their poor English and her nonexistent Spanish, Sloan’d had to act as translator.
Another officer covered Angel’s body. Rachel closed her eyes against the image of blood pooling around him. The police seemed satisfied with Sloan’s explanation of what happened.
Thank God Pablo was not dead. The police had found him in the Jeep on the edge of town. He had very nearly bled to death from Tanya’s single shot to his midsection. He had managed to tell the police what was about to go down at Sloan’s residence before passing out from his injury.
Rachel frowned as she realized that she had not thanked Sloan. He had been prepared to die for her. Had saved her life as well as Josh’s. She had to thank him. To tell him she loved him. The thought warmed her. She loved him so much, she could hardly hold back from shouting it to anyone who would listen.
She scanned the courtyard for the man who made her tremble with just a look, but didn’t see him. Holding Josh against her chest, Rachel pushed to her feet and went in search of either Sloan or the one officer who spoke pretty decent English. Maybe they were in the house, she decided as she headed in that direction.
The officer she hoped to find stepped through the French doors just as Rachel started inside.
He nodded. “Señora, we will take the body now.”
Rachel’s stomach roiled. He was talking about Angel. She blew out a breath in hopes of slowing the churning in her stomach. “I understand.”
She stepped aside as two men pulling a gurney hustled past. She wished she could dredge up at least a little remorse that a life had been lost today, but she couldn’t. Angel deserved to die. She shivered, remembering the sound of his voice, his touch. The urge to gag was overwhelming.
“You must sit down,” the officer suggested.
Rachel felt the color drain from her face. She was dangerously close to fainting. She shook her head, clearing it of the hideous memories.
“No, I’m okay,” she insisted. “Where’s Sloan?”
“The hospital,” he explained. “To see his amigo.”
He’d left without saying goodbye. Rachel couldn’t stop the hurt that accompanied that actuality. The sound of the gurney’s wheels rattling over the tile tugged Rachel from her worrisome thoughts. Her arms tightened around Josh and she pressed his head against her shoulder, protecting him as the loaded gurney passed, as if even in death Angel might reach out for him.
But Angel was dead.
And Sloan would never know for sure if his son was alive or not. That
comprehension shattered Rachel’s newfound feeling of relief. In helping her, Sloan had faced his own personal nightmare all over again. Tears burned Rachel’s eyes. A sob tore at her throat. God, it was true. Even in death, Angel reached out to haunt Sloan. He’d made sure of that. He’d left Sloan with a thread of hope that his son might still be alive somewhere. Sweet Jesus, how was he supposed to live with that?
The sob broke loose and Rachel clamped her hand over her mouth to hold back the next one. Her freedom had cost Sloan his. This new ray of hope would be like a prison around his heart, never allowing him to put the past behind him.
“Señora, you must say if there is something I can do,” the kind officer urged gently.
Rachel sucked in a harsh breath and fought to hold onto some semblance of composure. “I need a ride to the hospital.”
He nodded. “I am finished here. I will take you.”
He led Rachel to his Jeep and held Josh while she climbed inside. Once Josh was settled on her lap she considered her plan. Angel was dead. He had taken the truth about Sloan’s son with him, there was no changing that. However, Tanya was still alive, barely, but alive just the same.
Rachel prayed with all her heart that Tanya would know Angel’s secret.
And that she would be willing to tell it to Rachel.
JOSH GIGGLED AS the young doctor tickled him. A smile crept across Rachel’s mouth. Josh bore no visible aftereffects from this morning’s ordeal. She was immensely thankful for that. But later she would have him checked out by a psychologist just the same.
“Your son is fine, señora,” the doctor announced.
Rachel scooped Josh into her arms. “Thank you, Doctor. I wanted to be sure that there was nothing to worry about after that high fever.”
“He is fine.” The young man smiled at Josh. “Very fine.”
“Where would I find surgery?” She needed to check on Tanya’s condition.
The doctor pointed upward. “One floor up.”
Rachel thanked him again, then wandered the halls until she found the elevator. Once she found the nurses’ desk, the next hurdle would be communicating.
The second floor nurses’ desk buzzed with activity. Rachel approached cautiously, surveying the busy faces for the one who looked the most sociable. The youngest one, she decided.
“Excuse me,” Rachel said hesitantly. “Do you speak English?”
The young woman smiled. “Yes, may I help you?” Her long dark hair was smoothed into a neat bun. Her uniform was a crisp white against her olive skin.
“A woman, about thirty, was brought in a couple of hours ago with a gunshot wound. Is she still in surgery?”
The nurse nodded toward a set of double doors at the end of the long corridor. A policeman stood guard nearby. “She is still in surgery.”
Rachel moistened her lips, her heart pounding within her rib cage. This was her only chance to help Sloan. Tanya had to make it. “Do you have any idea how she’s doing?”
The nurse shook her head. “It will be many hours yet.”
Rachel nodded, trying not to show her disappointment. “Thank you.” Josh stirred restlessly in her arms. She turned to go, wondering what she should do now.
“If you would like to wait,” the nurse suggested. “There is a small waiting room.” She gestured to the other end of the floor. “I will let you know when your friend is in a room.”
Rachel smiled and thanked her. She set Josh on his feet and led him to the room the nurse had indicated. She settled into one of the well-worn chairs, realizing for the first time how exhausted she was. She clasped her hands and rested her elbows on her knees. Rachel pressed her forehead to her hands and prayed once more that Tanya would survive. Though the woman was far from her friend, she was Rachel’s only hope that Angel’s secret had not gone with him to his grave.
Morning stretched into afternoon and Rachel grew restless. She and Josh had found the cafeteria and had lunch a couple of hours ago. She had worked up the nerve to stop by Pablo’s room as well. Sloan wasn’t there. Pablo had been sleeping, but his nurse had assured Rachel that he was doing well and would fully recover. She tried not to think about why Sloan had disappeared so suddenly.
Rachel paced the length of the small waiting room once more. Josh was engrossed in a cartoon where all the characters spoke Spanish. Though she knew he didn’t understand a single world, he laughed at all the appropriate times. She supposed cartoon antics were a universal language.
“Señora.”
Rachel spun around at the sound of the young nurse’s voice. “Yes.”
“Your friend has left recovery and is in a room now,” she said in broken English.
“Could you show me where?”
The nurse nodded. Rachel pulled a reluctant Josh into her arms and hurried after the nurse. Anticipation sped through her. Please let Tanya know about Sloan’s son, she chanted. When they reached the room an officer was standing guard outside. Rachel eyed him with growing trepidation. What if he wouldn’t let her see Tanya?
“Thank you,” she told the nurse as she hastened back to her post.
The police officer eyed Rachel just as warily as she had him moments ago. “May I help you, señora?”
“Yes.” She put Josh down. “Sweetie, I want you to sit down right here.” She pointed to the floor next to the officer’s chair. “And look at the book.” He had carried one with him from the waiting room. Rachel would have to see that he replaced it before they left the hospital.
Josh settled on the floor and immediately began flipping through the pages. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief. He was still wearing his pajamas, and with no shoes. But there had been no time for thinking about clothes. She shook her head, then straightened to face the officer who stood between her and Tanya.
She took a calming breath and forced herself to speak slowly to ensure he understood. “I’m sorry but I don’t speak Spanish.”
“I speak English well,” he assured her.
Rachel nodded her appreciation. “It’s very, very important that I speak to the lady in the room.”
He looked doubtful. “I am not sure that is a good idea, señora. This woman is a murder suspect.”
“I know. But it’s very important. You can leave the door open or you can come inside with me. I just have to ask her a couple of questions.” Rachel aimed her most persuasive gaze at the young officer. “It’s very important.”
He shifted nervously. “All right,” he finally relented. “But only for one moment. The door must be open.”
“Thank you.” She glanced at Josh.
“The boy can stay with me.” The officer pushed the door open and stepped aside.
Rachel smiled, barely containing her tears of gratitude. The room was quiet except for the beeping monitor at Tanya’s bedside. Everything was white from the walls to the floors. Tanya’s long dark hair looked stark against the white sheets. She was pale. Two IVs hung above her head.
Tanya’s eyes opened as Rachel paused near her bedside.
“What do you want?” she asked in a voice rusty with thirst.
“Would you like a drink?” Rachel offered.
Tanya nodded once. Rachel poured water from the pitcher into the cup. She removed the wrapper from a straw and placed it in the cup of water. She held the straw to Tanya’s lips so that she could wet her dry throat.
Tanya stared up at her then, suspicion cluttering her expression. “What do you want?”
What if she wouldn’t tell her the truth? What if she didn’t know? “How long have you been with Angel?” she finally asked.
She barked a humorless laugh. “What do you care?”
“Please.” Rachel grasped the bed rail. “It’s important.”
She huffed a disgusted breath. “Ten years, probably the same amount of time I’ll do in prison for killing the bastard.”
“Then you know about Sloan’s son,” Rachel suggested carefully.
“If you’re expecting me to admit I had somethin
g to do with anything Angel has done, forget it.” She swore hotly. “I ain’t taking the rap for nothing he did.”
“No, it’s not that,” Rachel explained quickly. “I need to know if you can tell me what really happened to the child.”
Tanya smirked. “Damn, you’ve got it bad.”
“Please.” Rachel held her breath as she waited for her to answer.
“Well, I guess Sloan probably did save my life. I owe him that much.” She fixed her gaze on Rachel’s. “Listen up, ’cause I’m only going to admit this once.”
Rachel leaned closer to hear the words about to be spoken for her ears only.
“He was going to kill the kid once he’d finished toying with Sloan.”
Rachel’s heart quivered in her chest.
“But Katrina, Angel’s only sibling, begged him to let her have the kid. She couldn’t have kids of her own. Some kind of disease. Anyway, Angel finally agreed.”
Rachel’s breath evaporated in her lungs. “So Sloan’s son is alive.” The words were a mere whisper…a thought spoken.
“Yeah. He lives with Katrina in Detroit.”
“You have the address?”
Tanya breathed an exasperated breath.
“And you’re sure,” Rachel pressed. “You’re sure the boy is Sloan’s son?”
“I’m positive. Sloan’s son is alive.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Mrs. Colby?”
“Yes.”
Rachel clutched the pay phone’s receiver to her ear. “This is Rachel Larson. Angel is dead.”
A long moment of silence filled the staticky line. “And Sloan?”
“He’s fine.” I think, Rachel didn’t add. She summoned her courage and forged ahead. “Does that offer to help still stand?”
“Of course,” Victoria said without hesitation. “What do you need?”
Rachel held tightly to Josh’s hand as she said the words aloud to another human being. “There’s a strong possibility that Sloan’s son is alive.”
Another long silence echoed across the line. “How can that be? What about the body?”
