Page 68 of Hidden
Sabina hesitated. “She fell in front of a subway. She was killed instantly.”
Ellie’s stomach revolted at the image. A terrible way to die. But, as Sabina said, mercifully quick.
“Was it…was it intentional?” She didn’t know why she asked, but for some reason, it seemed important.
Sabina’s expression softened. “Undetermined. The CCTV didn’t cover the exact spot.”
That, more than anything, made Ellie think it might not have been an accident. A person had to be very savvy to avoid CCTV in the New York subway. Then again, if she really wanted to kill herself and not be caught on camera, there were a lot of options other than the subway.
“Is she buried somewhere?” Ellie asked.
“She was cremated. I can find who arranged it and where her ashes are if you like?” Sabina answered.
Ellie hesitated.
“You don’t have to decide right now,” Asher said.
“He’s right, you don’t,” Sabina agreed. “We’re more than willing to look into it at any time. Or not, if that’s what you prefer.”
Asher’s thumb rubbed her hand. She hesitated. “Thank you.”
Sabina nodded, and Asher didn’t wait for anyone else to react before guiding her out.
“I’m sorry, Ellie,” he said as they made their way toward the front door. Strangely enough, though, she still felt very little. About her loss, anyway.
There was one emotion thathadtaken root in her body, though. And with each passing minute, it grew stronger and stronger. With an unwavering certainty, she vowed she’d never be like her mother. Not everyone wanted kids. But Ellie did. And if she were blessed enough to have them, they’d be a gift she’d cherish. And never take for granted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“What are your plans for the day?” Asher asked, handing Ellie another cup of coffee. They werespending a well-deserved lazy Sunday morning at home—well, Tia and Cody’s home. Outside, big flakes of snow floated down from a small storm. While inside, a fire blazed in the fireplace, and Billie Holiday played softly on the sound system.
They’d survived the Friday night get-together with his cousins and several of the HICC employees. They’d even managed to make it through dinner with his parents on Saturday night with only one mention of their future babies. From his dad, of all people. But even with that, they hadn’t embarrassed Ellie too much. Although right now, they were trying not to scare her away. That would all change if she stuck around.
“It’s so beautiful,” Ellie said, her gaze fixed on the huge bank of windows that made up the back wall of the home.
“It is,” he agreed, taking a seat beside her and drawing her to his side.
They watched the snow fall in silence for a few more minutes, then she answered his original question. “Nothing much on the calendar. We finalized the jewelry designs with Angelica yesterday. Sofia, Ava, and I are meeting with her again this afternoon to look at the wax molds. If they look good, we’ll order the materials. Other than that, I’m free as a bird. What about you?”
An involuntary grunt escaped him, and she looked up. “What’s that about?” she asked.
He took a sip of his coffee then shook his head. “Nothing. Just me being…ungrateful. Grumpy. I have to go into the office. There are a few things I need to get through before the week starts tomorrow.”
Her dark eyes stayed locked on him. “Because you had to deal with me Friday afternoon, right?”
He met her gaze. “Because someone tried to break into my house and possibly come after you,” he clarified. “And you can’t expect I would have done anything else. I know you would have dropped everything if the roles were reversed.”
She studied him in silence then tipped her head up. He leaned down and kissed her. “You’re right, I would have. Even if I was halfway across the world filming. What’s on your plate today?”
Boring stuff, was his first thought. But he suspected she wanted more detail than that, so he walked her through the things he needed to clear off his desk. The finance report, signing off on an offer of employment, a review of the nurses’ union offer package for the upcoming contract renewal.
She was silent when he finished. And remained so for a full minute. “Did I bore you to sleep?” he teased.
She elbowed him. “Never,” she said. Then after a pause, she added, “You know you don’t have to do it, right?”
“I assure you, I do,” he said. “The union negotiations will happen whether I want them to or not. And we need the additional doc in the OB department. It’s all stuff that has to happen.”
“I don’t mean what’s on your list to tackle today. I mean the job itself,” she clarified. He looked down at her, and she held his gaze. “I know you feel like youshoulddo it. It’s an important job, and people you respect asked you to apply and put their trust in you when they offered you the position. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
