Iris Johansen - Quinn

He nodded. “Bonnie.” His eyes closed. “I couldn’t-find my way back. She knew…”

“Yes, she knew.” Her clasp tightened. “Don’t talk anymore. I’ll let you go, but don’t you get lost again. Do you hear me?”

He nodded. “I hear…”

He was asleep again.

But the flush was still on his cheeks, and his hand was holding hers.

He was going to live.

The nurse was running into the room, a frown on her face.

They would tell Eve to go, and she would do it. She would put him in their hands to heal.

As Bonnie had surrendered him to Eve’s hands.

EVE SAW JANE GET OFF the elevator as she left the ICU.

“Eve?” Jane was hurrying toward her, her face concerned. “You’re crying. You look… how’s Joe?”

She smiled shakily. “He’s going to be fine.”

“That’s what they told you? But Catherine said he could be dying.”

“Could doesn’t mean that’s going to happen.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “He’s taken a turn for the better. I just talked to him.”

“Thank God.” She took Eve in her arms and held her. “I was nearly frantic when you told me.”

“I thought it was the end.” Eve hugged Jane tighter. “He came so close, Jane.”

“But he’s tough. We both know that.” She released Eve and handed her a handkerchief. “You seem to be a little damp. I’m pretty close to a deluge myself. Dammit, you should have told me right away. Do you think I would have let you go through this alone?”

“It was enough for one of us to go through this.” Eve dabbed at her cheeks. “I told you when I thought I should.”

“Should you leave him? Can you go to the waiting room? I’ll buy you a cup of coffee.”

Eve looked back at Joe, who now had three nurses and an intern by his bed. “He won’t need me. They’re not going to let me near him until they figure out which of those brilliant doctors managed to save his life and turn him around.”

“And which one did?”

“None of them. They’d written him off. Joe did it on his own.” She paused. “With a little help.”

Jane stiffened. “Help?”

“He said Bonnie held his hand.” She glanced at Jane. “I think she did and showed him the way home.”

Jane didn’t answer for a moment. “I’m not going to argue with you. You know I have a few problems with the idea that Bonnie pays you visits, but if you tell me it’s true, then I accept it.” She glanced at her and smiled. “And if you tell me that she helped keep Joe alive, then I’ll jump up and down and shout hallelujah.”

“Don’t jump up and down. This is a hospital.” She smiled brilliantly. “But you can do it in the parking lot.”

Jane nodded. “Later.” She went to the coffee machine and pressed the button. She let her breath out in a long sigh. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am. I was so scared riding up in that elevator.”

“I’ve been scared for days. Since the moment Paul Black stabbed him, it’s been a nightmare.” She took the coffee that Jane handed her. “Catherine told you everything that happened?”

“In broad strokes.” She got a cup of coffee for herself and came back and sat down by Eve. “I got the gist of it. I was too on edge to cross-examine her. Though I think she’s probably not a good candidate for interrogation. She impressed me as being a very tough cookie.”

“She would have let you ask her anything. She’s a good friend to both Joe and me.” She took out her phone. “Which reminds me; I have to call her and tell her about Joe.”

“Even before you get the official news from the doctor?”

She made a face. “You’re right. Catherine is very practical. She always wants everything crossed and dotted. She’d run down here and have the doctors backed against a wall demanding guarantees.”

Jane’s brow rose. “But you still like her very much.”

“Very much. She’s as close as I’ve ever had to a woman friend.” She reached out and squeezed Jane’s arm. “Except you. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me, too.” She lifted her cup to her lips. “Catherine’s at the Hyatt getting me settled.”

“You don’t have to get settled. You can go back to London if you like. Everything is going to be okay here.”

“Stop trying to get rid of me. Do you mind if I stay and be with you? I’ll go when Joe is better.”

Eve nodded. “I just wanted to give you the option.”

“You’re rushing me out of here, and you haven’t even heard that he’s definitely on the mend.”

“I’ve heard.” Eve took another sip of coffee. “Joe told me.”

“And no one with more authority.”

“Well, Bonnie told him, and who has more authority than that?”

“Impossible.” Jane chuckled. “But I’m so glad that you’re this happy and giddy that I don’t give a damn. It was the last thing that I was expecting. You’re absolutely certain, aren’t you?”

“Yep.” Eve leaned back in her chair and felt the happiness flowing through her. She did feel giddy. After the tension of the last days, the relief was overwhelming. “And you will be, too. We’ll just sit here and give those doctors time to congratulate themselves, then come out and tell us how clever they are.” She lifted her cup in a mock toast to Jane. “And then we’ll call Catherine and tell her to come and celebrate with us.”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.” Catherine’s face was luminous as she came into the waiting room. “The doctors confirmed it? Joe’s going to be okay?”

“Believe it,” Eve said. “It’s true.”

“No danger of his slipping back?”

“Oh, they tried to tell me that we had to be cautious. That there was a possibility of a relapse.” She shrugged. “That’s what they always say when they’re confused. But I’m not confused. It’s not going to happen.”

“She has it on the highest authority,” Jane said with a grin.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Catherine said. “Next question. How long before Joe is on his feet again?”

“It depends on his progress. Joe usually heals quickly.”

“Months?”

“Weeks,” Eve said. “But I don’t know how many weeks. It will take as long as it takes. I don’t want him to hurry and injure himself.”

“Once he starts to recover, it’s going to be hard to keep him down.” Catherine frowned. “You know that, Eve.”

Eve’s smile vanished. “I’ll keep him down even if I have to tie him to the bed.”

“That may have to be the solution,” Catherine said grimly. “Once he finds out that you believed Paul Black when he said it was Gallo who killed Bonnie.”

Eve’s smile faded. “Black believed what he was saying. I could see it.” She paused. “And so did John Gallo. That’s why he ran away.”

“And Joe will be right after him.”

“No.” Eve could feel the fear tighten her chest. “We can’t let him do that.”

“No, we can’t,” Catherine said. “Which means I have to find Gallo first.”

“You’ve been trying. Everyone’s been trying.”

“Then I’ll try harder. I haven’t had a chance to concentrate yet. I’ve split my time between searching those woods and running back here and checking on Joe.” Her lips tightened. “I’ll find him.”

“He may not even be in those woods,” Eve said. “If he got clear of them, he could be anywhere in the world. He has plenty of money, and he worked for Army Intelligence for years as a troubleshooter and assassin. It’s not as if he won’t know how to slip in and out of the country.”

“I know that,” Catherine said. “But it wouldn’t have been easy for him to escape the sheriff and deputies we called in when Joe was hurt. They had him on the run. He was sighted at least twice.”