Page 91 of Preying Heart
What can I do? The doctor releases me into Gavin’s arms, and the nurses allow him to push the wheelchair while a camera crew takes pictures on our way to the parking garage.
I can see the headline now. “Congressman’s compassionate concern for his foster sister shows his care for women’s issues.”
Blech!
Heath
Lucy gets tired of circling the block around Remi’s apartment, so she drops me off along with Glock. I’m still woozy from the night before and wearing an old coat and a grimy hat like a homeless person. I park myself on the cold, damp sidewalk and adjust the hat brim to cover my eyes. My loyal dog, Glock, slumps at my side. He’s not quite sure what he’s supposed to do, and he keeps tugging me, wondering why I’m not getting up.
“Playing the role of a bum,” I grumble to him. “Now sit still and let me know when you see Remi.”
Foot traffic is brisk on this damp fall day. The sky is gray, and a wet breeze scatters dried leaves and chewing gum wrappers alike. An awning extends from the glass doors of Remi’s building, long enough to shield residents from the rain as they deal with their umbrellas. The pedestrian traffic is light, with students lugging backpacks and shoppers weaving between boutiques. A bus whooshes by, and rideshare drivers drop and pick up riders in the covered drop-off zone. I settle against the concrete wall of the parking structure across the street and wait.
The advantages of appearing like a bum is that no one pays any attention to me.
Not even Remi.
I spot her when Glock stiffens and heads toward her direction. I’m about to jump up when I see the man she’s with. Grabbing Glock by the collar, I drag him in back of me while I keep my head down.
Remi is leaning against Gavin, huddled close to him and walking unsteadily, as if she’s drunk. He in turn speaks softly to her and has one arm around her while his other hand props her up from her unsteady gait.
I see red.
She couldn’t even wait till the evening to party with him. What did they do? Hit the pub at this hour to celebrate? What happened to Slade? I don’t see any sign of him. If she’s so concerned about him, why isn’t she with him instead of cuddling up to Gavin in public and in broad daylight?
Has Gavin gotten a divorce already and decided to swap Claudia for Remi?
I glare at them as they push through the revolving glass door into the lobby of her luxury high-rise apartment building. No wonder she urged me to stay away. She used me to get back on her feet, and now she’s back with Gavin.
“What happened?” Lucy asks, coming around the corner. “I found parking finally.”
“Remi just walked up all cozy and sweet with Gavin.”
“So? Does that change your plan of kidnapping her?”
“No, but I’m going to kill Gavin first.”
“Psst.” She elbows me. “Is that him? Headed for that car across the street? Doesn’t look like he stayed long.”
I snap a picture of the car, a silver Tesla sedan, and zoom in on the license plate. “Yeah, that’s him. Their reunion party sure ended fast. Let’s get up there.”
There’s a doorman, but my police badge gets me through, and with Glock looking like a police dog and Lucy as my partner, I’m soon knocking on Remi’s door.
Maybe it wasn’t what I assumed. Maybe Remi was only acting to keep Gavin from figuring her out. Maybe I still have a piece of her heart, although I’m greedy and I want the whole enchilada.
The door opens and Glock noses his way in.
“Heath, you came!” Remi crashes into me, throwing herself into my arms. “Oh, Heath, Lucy, I lost the baby. I just lost the baby.”
Her sobs tear a hole in my heart, and I pick her up and carry her to a blocky smooth leather sectional near a floor-to-ceiling window. It doesn’t look comfortable, but it’s the only seating area. I sit down next to her, not wanting to lose a bit of contact, and she nestles in my arms, her face against my neck and her shoulders heaving with muffled sobs.
“I’ll make tea,” Lucy says as Glock follows her to the kitchen.
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay,” I whisper to her, soothing, rubbing her back. I should never have doubted her and left her alone with that wolf. I should have believed in her the way she believed in me. “I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”
Lucy returns with tea and sets it on the glass coffee table. She sits on the other side of Remi and joins in on the hugging.
“What happened?” she asks. “Are you okay now?”
