Читать книгу Reunited By The Badge - Deborah Fletcher Mello - Страница 13

Dr. Paul Reilly stood in front of his business-class seat, waiting anxiously to disembark the airplane. He’d been traveling for some thirty-plus hours, having started with an Air France flight from Accra, Ghana, to Paris, France, and ending with a Delta flight into Chicago. He was past the point of exhaustion and all he wanted was to be on firm ground, and home.

The cell phone in his hand began to beep and vibrate, an influx of incoming messages finally getting through after he’d taken the device out of airplane mode. He stole a quick glance at the lengthy list to determine the urgency of his responding, or not, and then he dropped the unit into the inner breast pocket of his blazer.

The line out of the aircraft began to move slowly. When he spied his first opportunity to make an exit, Paul stepped into the aisle. He reached for his carry-on bag out of the upper storage compartment and pushed forward, beating a woman who was whining about the heat and a couple with four unruly kids out the door. He moved swiftly down the Jetway to the terminal, exhaling a sigh of relief as he shifted out of the crowd toward the baggage reclaim area.

As he waited for the airlines to engage the luggage carousel, he pulled his cell back into his hands and dialed one of the first numbers in his call list. His brother Oliver answered on the second ring.

“Where are you?” Oliver questioned, a hint of stress in his tone.

Paul took a deep breath. “The airport. I just landed.”

“Did you get my text message?”

“I got a few dozen. I haven’t had an opportunity to read any of them since I left Ghana.”

“I sent you the lab results for those tissue samples you gave me. I haven’t had a chance to start testing the drug samples yet.”

“And?”

“And, something is definitely not right. But you have a bigger problem.”

“What’s that?”

“The samples have disappeared. All of them. The tissue samples and the drug products.”

“What do you mean, disappeared?”

“I mean someone took them and now they’re gone.”

“But you have the results?”

“No. You have the only results. I emailed them to you first thing, before I even looked at them. Once I did read them, I needed to do some additional testing, but before that could happen it all vanished. Including the original first round of test results!”

“So, they got both shipments?”

“Both? You sent more than one shipment of samples?”

“Yeah. I mailed one to your office and I mailed the other to the house in Windsor, since I knew you had plans to be there.”

“The Windsor shipment might be waiting for me, as long as no one knew you were sending it there.”

Paul blew a soft sigh, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what his brother was telling him. Dr. Oliver Reilly worked for the federal government. He was a cancer research scientist reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Like his brother, Paul had a medical degree, but specialized in emergency care and family practice. He’d chosen to be a public health practitioner over private practice.

Paul trusted Oliver, one of only a few people he knew who would have his back, whatever the situation. “Did you discuss this with anyone?”

“No. Not a soul. Which is also why I didn’t file a police report. Whoever knew the samples were here, also knew you sent them. Whoever took them has access to the government labs because there isn’t an ounce of evidence to point toward a break-in. Now, I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but something’s going on.”

Paul took another deep breath. The carousel had just begun to spin, the passengers from his international flight crowding around like a herd of cattle waiting for something to happen. As the first bags appeared out of a hole in the rear wall, the group drew closer, preparing to snatch their possessions as quickly as they could.

Oliver called his name. “Paul! You still there?”

“Sorry, yeah. Just trying to think.”

“Look, I’m here to help any way I can. But, this feels like it might be more than either one of us can handle. Have you talked to anyone? The police? An attorney, maybe?”

Paul shook his head, oblivious to the fact his brother couldn’t see him through the telephone line. His eyes were skating over the crowd, a sense of unease beginning to swell in his midsection. He was suddenly feeling slightly paranoid, like he needed to be looking over his shoulder. “I’ve got to run. I’ll call you as soon as I get to the house.”

“Be careful, please,” Oliver admonished as the line disconnected in his ear.

Minutes later, Paul sat in the back of an Uber. His preferred driver, a grandmother from the island of Haiti, was chatting him up about his trip. The older woman had been driving him back and forth for the last year, her wide smile always a welcome sight whether he was coming or going.

“You need a wife,” she said, the comment coming out of left field.

Paul laughed. “Why would I want to do something like that?”

“God didn’t make man to live his life alone. That’s why he gave Eve to Adam. Someone to be your helpmate. A partner to help carry some of the burden and provide comfort when you need it. It’s why you need a wife. God has ordained it!” she professed with an air of finality that suddenly had Paul considering the possibilities.

He thought about the women in his life—one woman in particular—then shook his head. “I don’t foresee that in my immediate future, Mrs. Pippin.”

“What about that beauty queen you were dating? Was she not wifey material?”

“No!” he exclaimed, his head waving from side to side. “She was definitely not wife material.” For a moment he thought about the Miss Illinois contestant he’d met in the hospital waiting room. She had captured his attention and then all focus had been lost two weeks later when she accused him of cheating because he hadn’t answered her call or returned it in a timely manner. She had keyed his car, stolen his phone and had poisoned his fish tank with bleach. He discovered later that he had fared better than her last boyfriend. That poor guy had suffered immeasurable damage when she’d superglued his junk to his leg after discovering he’d slept with her friend. Any man willing to make her his wife would have to sleep with both eyes open at night.

Mrs. Pippin interrupted his moment of reverie. “Your heart is still with that lawyer woman. The one you talk about, but don’t talk to,” she concluded, grunting slightly as she gave him a look through the rearview mirror.

The faintest hint of a smile lifted across Paul’s face. “She broke my heart, Mrs. Pippin. And she left it in a million pieces.”

The old woman grunted a second time. “She is still under your skin. She never leaves you. Like a bad juju. That is why all the other beauties you date don’t stand a chance. You should call her.”

Paul suddenly found himself pondering her suggestion, smiling at the thought of any woman being some kind of mystical charm that could sway him from other relationships. Maybe Mrs. Pippin was right, and he had himself a case of bad juju. He remembered how smitten he’d been, so possessed that he couldn’t begin to imagine his life without the beauty who’d felt like home in his small world.

That woman she referred to was Simone Black, daughter of Chicago’s illustrious police superintendent Jerome Black and his wife, federal court judge Judith Harmon Black. The last time he had spoken with Simone, their conversation had been tense, and he’d felt battered by the end of it. There had been an ultimatum, or two, and the predictable battle of wills when the two disagreed. Their communication had failed, and both had shut down.

He could barely remember who had started that fight or what they’d even fought about, just that it had been the end for their relationship and months of conflict between them. They had agreed to part ways, choosing to let go of each other, instead of battling for a happily-ever-after that could have lasted a lifetime.

A mission trip to Northern Thailand to treat the indigenous people of the Akha tribe, high in the Chiang Rai mountains, had kept him from falling into a fit of depression and crying into his cornflakes for months. Being able to provide medical treatment to patient populations that included local migrant workers, as well as refugee populations from bordering Myanmar, had kept him sane and balanced and unconcerned with whether the woman he had loved was moving on without him. He had regained focus and come back with a renewed sense of purpose. The spiritual journey that had been so much about expanding his horizon and answering a calling, had become a much needed balm, a bandage of sorts on an open wound. There had been five more mission trips since and no wailing over the loss of his woman.

Now, thinking about her was adding to the frustration he was already feeling. But calling Simone, a prominent lawyer with the state’s attorney’s office, suddenly made more sense than not. Despite their problems, he trusted her and right then, he needed counsel from someone he could trust.

Mrs. Pippin was rambling, sharing a story about one of her many grandchildren. Paul listened with half an ear as he considered his options. He needed help and Simone might be willing to point him in the right direction. She also had connections who might prove to be beneficial in helping him solve his problem. He knew he’d fare better with her than without her, if only to get a hint or two of advice.

Paul shifted forward in his seat. “Mrs. Pippin, change of plans. I need to grab a bite to eat. Do you mind taking me to West Bryn Mawr, please? Down near North Clark Street.”

“No problem at all. Just change the destination in the app for me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Minutes later she’d turned the burgundy Avalon he was riding in about and headed toward the North Side of town. He pushed the speed dial for the first number in his phone contacts and waited for it to be answered.

Simone Black answered just as he was about to hang up. “Why are you calling me, Paul?” Her tone was wary as she said hello.

Hearing her voice sent both a rumble of anxiety into the pit of his stomach and a blanket of calm across his back and shoulders. The conflicting emotions caused him to struggle to stay focused. He took a deep breath before he spoke. “It’s important, Simone. I really need your help.”

There was an awkward pause as the woman on the other end took time to ponder his comment. When she finally responded her voice was thick with attitude. “This better be good, Paul Reilly. Do not waste my time!”

“Can you meet me, please?”

“Now? Do you know what time it is?”

“I know it’s late, Simone, but I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important. And I mean life-and-death important. I really need to talk to you.”

There was another lengthy pause before she answered. “If it’s that important, I guess I can make the time. But you’d better not be playing games with me!”

He blew a soft sigh of relief. “I’m headed over to our place now. I should be there in ten minutes.”

“We have a place?” she replied sarcastically.

Paul shook his head. “I’ll be waiting, Simone. I’ll see you when you get there.”

As he disconnected the line, Paul noted the look Mrs. Pippin was giving him. The old woman eyed him with raised brows. Bemusement furrowed her forehead and there was a hint of hubris in her eyes. He was sure something snarky teased the tip of her tongue, but she bit back the quip, giving him an easy smile instead.

Paul chuckled. He hated admitting when the old woman was right and in the short time he’d known her, her instincts had often been spot-on. This time was no different. Because Simone Black did have his heart on lock. Even with the distance between them, and the young woman’s sometimes contentious demeanor that had him wanting to pull his hair out, Paul still loved Simone more than he had ever loved any other woman in his life.

Simone Black had needed to park her car around the corner from their favorite local restaurant. Walking the length of the block in high heels was proving to be quite the chore and she was kicking herself for choosing cute over comfort. But it had been quite some time since she and Paul had been in a room together and she was determined that he saw cute when they next met.

Just hearing his voice over the telephone had sent shivers of excitement down her spine. She hadn’t wanted to admit just how much she missed him, because admitting she missed him meant admitting she might have been wrong about breaking up with him. Simone had lost count of the number of times she’d kicked herself for that decision.

Since their separation almost one year ago and him leaving the country, Simone often claimed she’d been abandoned, left pining after a man who had loved his career more than he had loved her. She conveniently left out the fact that Paul had begged her to leave with him, wanting her to follow his dreams as they worked together to fulfill her own. She had always admired his humanitarian spirit but had been ill-prepared the day he announced he wanted to serve patients overseas in developing countries. It had been a calling on his heart that she’d found admirable, but she hadn’t been able to see how she might fit in the life he imagined.

But Paul had wanted a future together that included whatever they both needed, and Simone had just been too scared to commit, not wanting to admit that at that time, she didn’t have a clue what she had wanted or needed.

She and Paul had met in college, becoming fast friends in a few short weeks. He could make her laugh with little effort and his energy was infectious. Paul’s enthusiasm for life had brought out the best traits in Simone and where she was often snarky and difficult with others, with Paul Reilly she was like the easiest breeze on a summer day.

They had absolutely nothing in common, not even a shared interest in the same foods. He was altruistic, and she was often self-centered, thinking only about herself. He believed in a higher power and she proclaimed herself an agnostic. Where he was willing to venture through life all willy-nilly, she was more restrained and guarded and not a risk taker. Paul had treated her with kindness in a way no other man had before. And there had been other men. Casual acquaintances who never quite measured up to the father and brothers she compared them with. The male members of Simone’s family had set a standard others had found insurmountable. Paul had surpassed the challenge.

Paul had never tried to control her, allowing her the freedom to find her own way as it suited her. He was nonjudgmental, even tempered and compassionate to a fault. The friendship that had evolved between them had taken on a life of its own. Their intense physical attraction to each other and a willingness to simply trust the process had created a bond that even they didn’t understand. It worked, even when it shouldn’t have.

Paul leaving after weeks of begging her to join him had been devastating. It had left a hollow void in her life that she’d been unable to fill. She’d regretted the decision more times than she cared to count, and she had never told him, hating to admit that she had simply been too scared to step outside of her comfort zone. Her pride had been the biggest wall standing between them. Now, here she was, racing to see him, and trying to be cute when she got there.

Her heel caught in a crack in the concrete sidewalk and she almost tripped, barely stopping herself from falling forward. She came to an abrupt halt, pausing to take a deep breath to calm her nerves as she steadied herself. The air was crisp, evening temperatures predicting snow in a forecast that was warm one day and practically cataclysmic the next. She sucked in oxygen like her life depended on it.

The two men entering Little Bad Wolf caught her attention. They wore matching black suits and when one shoved his hands into his pants pockets, she spied a holster beneath his jacket. They had an odd, Men in Black vibe that felt strangely unnatural. The duo gave her reason to pause, something about them feeling out of sync with the neighborhood. Each tossed a look over his shoulder before moving through the entrance, which made her uneasy. She wanted to dismiss the emotion, her nerves already on overdrive as she thought about Paul and his telephone call and her excitement about meeting him. But there was something that suddenly had her imagining terrorist attacks, hostage situations or something else bringing harm to a host of innocent bystanders.

She would wonder why later, but instinct moved her to reach for her cell phone and dial the number to the local police station. Two rings and an officer Simone didn’t recognize answered the phone.

“Good evening. Is Captain Black available, please? It’s his sister calling.”

Parker Black answered the line a few seconds later. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me, Simone.”

“What’s wrong, Simone?”

“It might not be anything, but can you roll a patrol car out to Little Bad Wolf? I feel like they need to do a safety check of the area.”

“Because…?”

“I’m here to meet Paul and two really shady-looking guys just went into the place. One’s carrying a gun under his jacket. I’m not sure about the other. But they’re not regulars and they don’t look like they’re visiting Chicago for our pleasant tourist sights. It’s just a feeling I get. Something’s just not right about them.” She didn’t bother to tell her brother that Paul had said his problem was a matter of life and death and that something in his voice had been concerning. She doubted the two had anything to do with each other, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

“So, you’re meeting Paul the doctor? Your ex-boyfriend Paul? I heard he was back. So, are you two reconciling or is this just a late-night booty call?”

“Just send a car, please?”

“He’s a good guy, Simone. Go easy on the brother.”

“Thank you, Parker!” she answered, her singsong tone belying her anxiety.

Her brother persisted. “It wasn’t cool how you ended things. You’re lucky…”

Simone disconnected the call, not even bothering to say goodbye. She took another deep breath and moved through the door into the space.

Little Bad Wolf was a neighborhood favorite. The gastropub was often packed, a lengthy line waiting to get inside during prime dinner hours. She and Paul had been regulars, eating there at least three, sometimes four times, per week.

The young man who greeted her at the door looked discombobulated, although he tried nicely to mask his distress. He smiled, recognition washing over his expression. “Attorney Black, long time no see!” he exclaimed as he leaned in to give her a warm hug.

Simone hugged him back. “Jacob, hey! Is everything okay?”

The man named Jacob nodded, but there was something about the twitch over his eye that said so much more. “I’m good. Really good,” he said as he tossed a look over his shoulder.

Simone smiled. “I’ve missed this place,” she said casually.

“Dr. Reilly is in the back,” Jacob said as he grabbed a menu and turned, gesturing for her to follow. “He’s been waiting for you.”

Simone’s gaze skated around the room, eyeing the patrons who sat in conversation, laughter ringing warmly through the space. It was a nice crowd for a late hour.

The boys in black were seated at the oversize bar. The bartender was trying to make conversation, but neither was interested. One sat with his broad back to the polished, wooden structure, staring toward the other end of the room. Simone shifted to see where he was staring, her eyes finding Paul seated at their usual spot in the rear. The sight of him triggered a host of alarms she hadn’t been expecting.

Simone gasped slightly, the man lifting her lips in the sweetest smile. He was still a beautiful specimen of manhood with his hazel eyes, warm beige complexion and meticulously trimmed beard and mustache. He had always been fastidious with his grooming and lifted weights regularly to maintain a fit physique. He wore a formfitting gray sweater that looked molded to his muscles and denim jeans. He was as dashing as she remembered, her heart skipping a beat, or two, as she gawked.

His briefcase rested on the seat beside him, a pile of papers on the table that he was shifting awkwardly back and forth. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed completely lost in thought, oblivious to his surroundings. She glanced back toward the two men, shifting to put herself between them and their view of Paul. She bumped Jacob’s shoulder, her voice dropping to a low whisper. “Do you know the two men at the bar?” she questioned.

“You mean the two brutes at the bar?” He shook his head. “No, and they feel like they might be a problem. You won’t believe how they pushed their way in!” he said, squarely in his feelings about their interaction at the door.

Simone gave him a nod. “I thought so, too. It’s why I called my brother and asked for a patrol car to come by and do a safety check. When the cops get here, point them in my direction. If those two do anything before they get here, just dial nine-one-one.”

“Thank you,” Jacob said, relief flooding his face.

They came to a stop at the edge of the table. Paul looked up, startled out of the trance he’d fallen into. He tossed Jacob a polite glance, then settled his gaze on Simone. His eyes widened, and joy shimmered in the light orbs.

“Simone, hey,” he said, standing abruptly. He moved to wrap his arms around her, pulling her against him in a warm hug. He pressed his lips to her cheek, allowing them to linger there a second longer than necessary. His hold tightened, his arms like a cashmere blanket in a viselike grip around her torso.

Simone felt her whole body welcoming him home as she hugged him back. “Hey,” she answered, her voice a loud whisper.

Jacob dropped her menu to the table. “Thank you, again,” he said before hurrying back to the front of the restaurant.

Paul finally let her go, a warm smile filling his face. “I appreciate you coming,” he said.

“You said it was important.”

Paul nodded as he gestured for her to take a seat. Sitting down, Simone stole another quick glance toward the bar. The two strangers were both staring blatantly, not bothering to hide their interest in the two of them.

Simone rested an elbow on the tabletop, turning flirtatiously toward Paul. “Do you know Tom and Jerry over there?” she asked softly. She reached a hand out, trailing her fingers against his arm.

Her touch proved just distracting enough to him that Paul didn’t turn abruptly to stare back, drawing even more attention in their direction. His focus shifted slowly from her toward the duo at the bar. He eyed them briefly before turning his attention back to Simone. He shook his head. “Should I?”

“It might be nothing, but they seem very interested in you.”

Paul’s gaze danced back in their direction and he took a swift inhale of air. One of the men was on a cell phone and both were still eyeing him intently.

“We need to leave,” he said, suddenly anxious. He began to gather his papers.

“What’s going on, Paul?”

“I don’t think we’re safe, Simone.”

“What do you mean we’re not safe?” she snapped, her teeth clenched tightly. “Why are we not safe?”

“I’ll explain, but I think we really need to leave.”

Simone took a deep breath and held it, watching as he repacked his belongings into his briefcase.

“We’re not going anywhere until you explain,” she started and then a commotion at the door pulled at her attention. She turned to see two of her brothers, Parker and Armstrong, and two uniformed police officers standing at the entrance talking with Jacob. Their chatter carried through the room, the conversation casual. They all appeared to be old acquaintances greeting each other warmly.

The two strangers suddenly began eyeing each other nervously. Their earlier bravado seemed to be momentarily eliminated. Simone shot Paul a look but said nothing. They continued watching and another quick minute passed before the duo finally rose from where they sat at the bar and moved toward the exit door. Sighs of relief seemed to billow throughout the whole room.

The Black brothers were slowly moving toward their table, both eyeing the other two men as they passed each other. Parker acknowledged them with a nod of his head but there was no response. As the two men exited the building, the uniformed cops followed behind them.

Detective Armstrong Black greeted them with a wide grin. “Well, well, well. Isn’t this a pleasant surprise!” he said. He extended his hand in greeting and the two men bumped shoulders. “How’s it going, Paul?”

“It’s good to see you, Armstrong.”

Armstrong winked an eye at his baby sister. “Simone.”

“Armstrong.”

Parker shook his head as he leaned to kiss Simone’s cheek. He and Paul shook hands. “Everyone okay?”

Simone nodded. “You two didn’t need to come. You could have just sent a patrol car.”

“We just wanted to make sure everything was good.”

“You two just wanted to be nosey.”

“That, too!” Parker said with a chuckle. His phone rang, pulling his attention as he stepped away to answer the call.

Armstrong took a seat at the table with them. “So, one of you want to tell me what’s going on? Why the concern?”

Simone turned toward Paul, folding her arms over her chest. Raising her brows, she gave him a questioning look.

He heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a split second. “I made a mistake. I should never have called Simone. I just…well…” He paused. Then shrugged, as if unable to find the worlds to answer the question being posed.

Simone rolled her eyes skyward. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Those two just looked sketchy and I didn’t like how pushy they were being. I was worried that something might jump off and figured we were better safe than sorry.”

Armstrong looked from one to the other, perhaps sensing a half-truth and a blatant lie being told. Before he could question them further, Parker rejoined the conversation.

“My guys ran their license plate. It’s a rental car that came back to a man named Thomas Donald. That ring any bells?”

Paul and Simone both shook their heads.

Parker continued. “We didn’t get a hit on anyone named Thomas Donald and we don’t have any reason to hold either of them.”

“What about the gun I saw?”

“He had a valid FOID.”

“What’s that?” Paul questioned. “FOID?”

“Firearm Owners Identification card. It makes it legal for him to carry a concealed weapon,” Simone answered.

Parker nodded. “They’re gone now, so I wouldn’t be overly concerned. I think you may have just overreacted.”

“Simone? Overreact? Not my little sister!” Armstrong said facetiously as he pressed his palm to his broad chest. “My little sister never overreacts!”

“Don’t you two have someplace to be?” Simone said, annoyance painting her expression.

Armstrong shook his head. “Nope. We’re officially off duty!”

Paul chuckled, a moment of amusement washing over him. It passed quickly but Simone was the only one who noticed. She met his eyes and held the gaze a second longer than necessary before turning back to her brothers.

“You’re intruding on my date.”

“So, it is a date?” Parker asked, his grin widening.

“Mom will be very excited. I can’t wait to tell her,” Armstrong added.

Paul laughed out loud. “How is your mom?”

Simone tossed him another look. “Please don’t entertain them. If you talk to them, they won’t go away. And they need to go away!” She looked from one brother to the other.

“My feelings are hurt, Simone!” Armstrong said. He pushed his full lips out in a full pout.

“Mine, too, but the hint is taken,” Parker said. He rose from his seat, adjusting the jacket of his navy-blue suit.

“I need to get home anyway,” Armstrong added. “I have a wife waiting for me!” He grinned smugly as he waved his ring finger, like they needed to be reminded that he was a newlywed, having recently married another detective on the Chicago police team.

Parker laughed. “I have someone waiting for me, too, but she’s not a wife.”

“Not yours anyway,” Simone quipped.

Laughter rang around the table.

“It was good to see you guys again,” Paul said, the trio shaking hands one last time.

“Good luck,” Armstrong said, his voice dropping to a loud whisper. “She’s still mean as hell!”

“I heard that!” Simone exclaimed, her eyes rolling skyward.

The brothers grinned, both leaning to kiss their sister’s cheek one last time.

“Stay out of trouble, Simone,” Parker said.

“Please,” Armstrong echoed.

The couple watched as the two men strolled back toward the door, pausing briefly to chat with an elderly couple who sat near the front of the room.

“I see things haven’t changed much,” Paul said casually.

“You don’t get to do that,” Simone snapped. “You don’t get to pretend nothing’s wrong when clearly something’s not right. Now spill it! Why did you call me? Why are we not safe, and who were those two men?”

Contrition furrowed Paul’s brow. “I shouldn’t have called you, Simone.”

“But you did, so tell me why. What’s going on, Paul?”

Jacob interrupted the conversation, dropping two drinks onto the table. “Courtesy of Captain Black,” he said, smiling brightly.

Simone shook her head. “What is this?” The beverage was a beautiful shade of pink, topped with a fluff of cotton candy and skewered raspberries.

“We call it the Honeymoon Special.”

Paul laughed again, relieving the tension between them. “Your brothers have a keen sense of humor.”

“They really are not funny,” Simone responded, though she felt the slightest smile pulling at her mouth.

“Are you ready to order?” Jacob asked.

“I think we’re going to have to take it to go, Jacob,” Paul said. “I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Not at all, Dr. Reilly. Your usual?”

“Yes, sir. The Bad Burger with a side of fries, please.”

“I’ll take the mac and cheese,” Simone said. “Also to go.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll put that order in for you. And I’d like to throw in a dessert on the house. We have a spectacular carrot cake tonight. I’d also highly recommend the vanilla brownie.”

“The carrot cake sounds good,” Simone said. “Thank you, Jacob.”

“And for you, Dr. Reilly?”

“Whatever the lady is having sounds good to me,” Paul said.

“Two slices of carrot cake to go. I’ll be back shortly with your food,” Jacob said as he backed away from the table and headed toward the kitchen.

A pregnant pause bloomed full and thick between them. Simone stared, the look she was giving him so intense that Paul felt his stomach flip as the air was sucked from his lungs. She was even more stunning than he remembered, and he remembered everything about Simone.

Her hair had been freshly cut, her lush curls cropped short in a style that flattered her exquisite face. Chocolate-chip freckles danced across her nose and cheeks, complementing her warm copper complexion. Her dark eyes were large and bright and light shimmered in her stare. And she had the most perfect mouth, her full, luscious lips like plush pillows begging to be kissed. It took every ounce of fortitude he possessed not to lean over and capture her lips with his own. He took a deep breath and held it, hoping to stall the emotion that had swelled between them.

If anyone had asked, Paul would have had to admit to falling in love with Simone at first sight. She’d been the most beautiful woman he had ever seen as she had skipped across the university’s quad. He’d stepped into her path and had introduced himself, asking for directions he hadn’t needed. Simone had walked him to the destination, talking a mile a minute, which she later admitted had been to calm her nerves about a class that had her concerned. Their friendship had been like spun sugar: threads deeply entwined, intensely sweet and delicately fragile. Simone treaded cautiously, wherein he was always ready to take risks.

After spending a decade together, he had never imagined life without her until the day she’d told him to leave, unwilling to follow where he needed to go. He was still in shock, still hurt by the loss, still hoping for a reconciliation, even if he never said the words aloud. There was just something about the two of them together that worked, making it feel like all was well in the world, even when they were off-balance with each other.

He finally spoke, Simone still waiting patiently for him to say something. “I think Lender Pharmaceuticals is poisoning patients who are taking their drugs.”

Simone blinked, her lashes fluttering as she processed the comment. “That’s a serious accusation, Paul,” she said finally.

He nodded. “I know, and I don’t make it lightly, but I believe that I have irrefutable proof that Lender Pharmaceuticals is purposely providing contaminated medications to doctors and medical facilities here in the United States and abroad.”

Paul continued to explain. “I’ve been working in a clinic in Ghana. In Accra. It’s not a large facility but it supports the local orphanages in the area and has been a refuge for the community. I have patients that I had treated for a measles-related virus on a previous trip who should have been well by now, but they’re either still symptomatic, showing rapid deterioration or have succumbed to the illness. And not one or two patients, but dozens! The disease is spreading too quickly in communities that should be thriving when you consider the preventive and curative medications that Lender Pharmaceuticals has been providing. On this last trip I think I may have poked a bear by throwing accusing questions at them that the company wasn’t expecting.”

“What’s the drug we’re talking about?”

“It’s a synthetic drug called Halphedrone-B, which is being used worldwide to treat patients with autoimmune diseases, most especially in impoverished communities, because allegedly Lender is practically selling it at cost. But I think it’s the drug that’s killing them.”

“What kind of proof do you have?”

“The drugs. The patients. The fact that since I called BS on their products, I feel like someone wants to stop me from going public with the information.”

“How? What’s happened that you haven’t told me?”

Paul took a deep breath. He hadn’t given the series of mishaps while he’d been abroad any thought until he’d spoken with his brother. He’d experienced several minor accidents that could have been potentially devastating. There had been a car traveling too fast that had just missed hitting him, and a fire, the cause unknown and devastating the hut he’d been sleeping in. Lastly, the close encounter at the airport in Africa with a stranger he’d dismissed as mentally ill, a man swinging a machete haphazardly in his direction until security had taken him down. Considering all of it together, and now the two strangers who’d clearly had him in their sights, had him concerned.

When he finished detailing the incidents, Simone shook her head, the gesture slow and methodic. “What else?”

Paul took a deep breath and blew it past his full lips. “I overnighted blood and tissue samples, and drug samples to my brother. I asked him to run some tests for me. The samples have disappeared.”

“Define disappeared.”

“Someone took them. They knew he had them and they stole them right out of his lab.”

“Do you think that someone is tracking you?”

“I don’t know what to think, Simone. Hell, I’m not even sure what to do with what I do know.”

“So, you called me?”

“I trust you.”

There was a moment that passed between them as Simone remembered what that trust meant to them both. How important it had been to protect and nurture each other. To have complete and total faith in what they shared. She suddenly resisted the urge to wrap her arms around him, wanting to pull him close to tell him everything was going to be okay. To say it, even if she wasn’t certain that it would.

“You probably shouldn’t go back to your apartment. Not until we’re sure it’s safe. You can stay with me while we figure it out,” she said instead.

“I need to go to the hospital. I need to follow up on patients I have here.”

She started to argue and then she didn’t. “I need to do some research. I also have a sorority sister at the FDA. I’ll call her tomorrow to see if they have any open investigations against Lender. I hope you’re wrong, Paul, but if you’re not, I’ll do whatever I can to help you take them down.”

Paul reached for her hand, his palm sliding warmly against hers as he entwined her fingers between his own. For as much as he trusted her, he knew Simone trusted him, too. He’d spent most of his adult life assuring her that he would never walk her into trouble he couldn’t get her out of, and until now, he’d been certain that he could do that. Now he had doubts and that uncertainty felt like a sledgehammer to his abdomen. “Thank you, but I don’t want to drag you into this. Especially if it looks like it might get ugly.”

“You should have thought about that before you called me.”

“I honestly didn’t think you’d come.”

“You knew I’d come.”

Paul held the look she was giving him. He didn’t bother to acknowledge that she was right. Nor did he admit that he hadn’t really thought it through. He knew he didn’t need to tell her that he was suddenly feeling like he was out of his element, or that he was scared. But with her by his side, he had faith it would all work out. He didn’t need to say it because Simone knew. She knew him better than anyone.

Minutes later he had paid for their meals and they were walking back up the block toward her car. Neither had spoken, nothing else needing to be said. Both had fallen into their own thoughts, planning what needed to come next, or not. Paul carried the bags of food and Simone had looped her arm through his, lightly clutching his elbow as she steadied herself on her high heels.

The car lock disengaged when Simone pressed her hand to the door latch. Paul opened her side door, closing it after she was settled in the driver’s seat. He moved around the back of the vehicle to the passenger side, pausing to rest their dinners on the back seat. He had just opened his door when a gunshot rang loudly through the late-night air. The windowpane in the storefront behind him shattered, glass sounding like breaking chimes against the concrete sidewalk. The building’s alarm rang loudly, the harsh tones loud enough to wake the dead. A second shot shattered the car’s back window.

Panic hit Paul broadside, rising fear holding him hostage where he stood. He was discombobulated, but he ducked, his gaze sweeping the landscape for an explanation. Simone shouted, the words incoherent as she shifted the car into Reverse. Paul jumped awkwardly into the passenger seat as she pulled forward, grazing the bumper of the car parked in front of her. A few quick turns and they were driving seventy miles per hour on Highway 41 until both were certain they weren’t being followed. When she finally slowed to the speed limit, Paul cussed, the profanity moving Simone to toss him a quick look.

“What now?” she asked.

“Whatever it takes,” Paul answered, still trying to catch his breath. “We’ll do whatever it takes to shut these bastards down.

Simone nodded. “Let’s not get killed trying to do it.”

Paul took a deep breath into his lungs and held it. His mind was racing, his thoughts a mishmash of questions with no answers. Confusion had settled deep into every crevice in his head; it felt like sludge was weighing down his thought process. “We should find somewhere to lay low,” he said. “Until we can figure it all out.”

“We can go back to my house…” Simone started.

“No. Now that they’ve seen us together, I don’t trust that they won’t find us there.”

“Then we should go to the police station.”

“Let’s just get a hotel room. I don’t think we should involve the police just yet.”

“Someone shot at us, Paul! We need to file a report! My brothers need to know!”

“I know that, Simone! But I need to think this through. Please, just give me a minute to think!”

“We might not have a minute, Paul!” Simone’s voice rose an octave and the tension between them suddenly increased ten-fold. Before either could blink, the conversation took a sharp left turn and they were yelling back and forth, each determined to prove a point when there was none. It was Bickering 101 and reminiscent of when their relationship had gone all kinds of wrong.