When She Wasn't Looking by Helenkay Dimon Page B

it all to you.”
    “I believe you.”
    “I…” She had no idea what to say or how to handle the rumble of hope inside of her.
    “We’ll go through it.” His gaze grew in intensity. “I will look at every document and test result. I’ll call in every favor until I see all the information that exists on the case.”
    The rumble turned to a thundering wave. “You will?”
    “I promise.” He nodded back to the seat she just left and didn’t continue until she dropped into it. “But right now I want you to tell me who you think is after you. This landscape guy? Is that like a gardener?”
    “He’s dead. Shot himself a few months after…they died. News stories circulated about his possible involvement and he put a gun in his mouth.” And she hadn’t spent one minute feeling sorry for the guy. No, she hated him for leaving before he could clear her father’s name.
    Jonas swore as he shook his head. “I’m not sure if that’s ironic or just tragic.”
    “It’s proof he couldn’t take the guilt of what he’d done.”
    Jonas didn’t say anything for a second. “So, you think the guy in the forest was financed by someone else? Couldn’t be the gardener if he’s out of the picture.”
    She knew exactly who sicced the attacker on her. They’d been circling each other for years. “His son. He’s as desperate to clear his father’s name as I am to clear mine.”
    “Sounds like a dangerous situation.”
    “It’s a race to see who gets there first.”

Chapter Eleven
    Rich drank a cup of rancid hospital coffee as he pushed open the emergency-stairwell door to the second floor. Walt stepped off the elevator at the same time and they met in the middle.
    Rich smiled over the rim. “It’s only two floors, you know.”
    “When you’re older you’ll understand.” Walt laughed as he tapped his rounded stomach.
    “If you say so.”
    Walt cleared his throat. “How’s Jonas?”
    “I think you’re asking if I think he’s safe with Courtney.”
    “And?”
    “She’s a mystery. From what I can tell, she didn’t even exist until a few years ago, and she’s clearly on the run from her past, but I don’t see a threat there.”
    Walt swore. “I think you’re wrong. We need to do something before Jonas gets stuck on the wrong side of this thing.”
    “That will be tough, since Jonas doesn’t want to be saved from her.” Rich shook his head, his gaze catching the empty hallway in front of them. All amusement slammed to a halt. “Where’s the guard?”
    “What?”
    With quick steps, Rich reached the nurses’ station and dumped his drink on the counter. His gun came out a second later.
    When a nurse gasped, he held up a hand to keep her quiet and still. “Keep everyone here.”
    Walt was a step behind him, radioing for assistance. “I need backup. Call security and get this hospital ready for lockdown on my signal.”
    “No one comes on or off this floor.” Rich pointed at the elevator before turning back to Walt. “Where did your guy go?”
    Without further discussion, both men took off at a run. Rich got to the room first and waited at the entrance for Walt to take his position on the opposite side of the door. With a nod, Rich took the lead. He shoved the door open with a shoulder, his gaze darting around the room.
    He performed a mental checklist. Window closed. Room cleared. Bed empty.
    Walt pointed to the red pool seeping from under the bathroom door. With a three count he opened it, and both men stared into Eckert’s dead eyes.
    * * *
    J ONAS ACHED FOR HER . Courtney lived a nightmare most people couldn’t imagine. He’d taken victim statements and listened to the accused spew excuses and pretend innocence even as they drove a truck full of cocaine into a school playground. That hadn’t prepared him to sit across from her and stay quiet while a horror film played in her head.
    He’d seen stories on the news about family annihilators, but seeing her face as she relived the horror