Page 29 of Unknown

Now, it felt like a tidal wave was threatening to erupt behind her eyes.

Gabe tugged gently at her arm.

He'd called two cars - a tow truck and a taxicab. Both had arrived before the police. Maybe that was a good thing. They could get the hell out before the police reached the scene, to find four trussed up criminals and a stash of drugs in the trunk.

"In," Gabe mouthed to her, and Cora got in, still talking to her dad, letting him sort out the logistics, which he was doing in a calm, smooth way.

"Just tow the car," he said reassuringly to the tow truck driver, who from his tired face and narrowed eyes was no stranger to arriving on apocalyptic scenes and being told to 'just do it.' Quickly, Gabe filled in the forms while Cora said goodbye to her dad, telling him once again to go to sleep, to rest.

“If Mom’s critical, if they want you there, they’ll call. I know they will. Until then, she also needs to rest,” she reassured him before hanging up.

She knew that her mother's condition was worsening, and the guilt of not being there was weighing heavily on her. She had to find a way to get to her mother's side, if her mother went downhill further. But there might not be time for that, and Cora was too far away to make a rushed journey. Her dad could, but she couldn’t. Either her mom fought, or she wouldn't see the sunrise. It was as simple as that.

And she couldn't let go of the case now. The murders were still unsolved, and they needed to find the killer. She knew for damned sure that if it was a choice between finding a killer, and standing by her mother’s bedside, that her mother would tell her to get out there and hunt the killer. She’d say she didn’t want anyone else’s parents left without their kids.

But her dad's emotion was eating away at her. She closed the door of the taxicab, miserable, wordless.

Her monsters were surfacing, her demons were threatening to take over. She knew what she wanted now. She wanted drugs, or drink. She wanted to take her excesses to the limit, to drown herself in the only comfort she knew, knowing that it would be only a temporary reprieve and that she’d pay a terrible price.

She couldn't do it because along that way lay darkness. She'd been down that road many times, and every time the journey was worse, and the way back was harder to find. She worried that if she took that route again, she might not find the way back at all.

Now, tears were streaming from her eyes. This was going to go badly, so badly. She heard Gabe directing the cab driver, asking if there were any late night rental places that delivered, taking phone numbers, and making calls. She felt grateful that he, at least, was in control of the situation because she was done with today. Done!

Then, he put his arm around her, a big, warm, comforting lifeline and she leaned into it, sobbing on his shoulder. She was aching all over, she was exhausted, and as hard as she tried, the most important thing in her life wasn't going right, the thing that was closest to her, the one she'd wanted to mend but hadn't had enough time to do so yet.

The cab stopped. She piled out of it. She had a half-empty gun in her holster, but it was fuller than her heart felt. Her heart was at rock bottom.

The motel door slammed and her mind wasn't seeing the brightly lit room, but only darkness, thinking of where she could go and how she could bury her sorrow. Drugs, drink, annihilation.

"Cora." Gabe's voice, firm and gentle, drawing her back from the brink. "Cora, it's okay. It's okay. Your mom will fight. Like you said. And you need to rest, too."

He squeezed her hand. He guided her to the bed. His face was serious, his skin grazed, his clothing scuffed. But his eyes were true and honest and there were no lies in them.

She sat down on the bed, and heard his footsteps go through to the bathroom, and then she heard the hiss of the shower. He came back, held out his hand.

"Go on in, take some time, just try to relax. It’ll be okay. I promise."

She stepped into the bathroom, his hand guiding her, still feeling those blinding tears.

But suddenly wanting more. Wondering if there had been an offer in that kindness, in that comforting touch as he helped her there and then turned away, almost too fast, as if wanting to be polite. Suddenly she realized what this meant to her, and what it could mean. That if she was going to do what she wanted, what she wanted desperately to have happen, then now was the time.

He was everything she needed. She’d just been way too slow to realize it. He was kind, compassionate, genuine. He cared. He smoothed situations over, rather than creating fires of conflict.

And what she felt for him, she now knew, went deeper than the feelings she’d ever had before, for anyone. Because they were grounded in things that were more important. More real.

Did he feel the same?

She thought he might. She desperately hoped he did. Now, it was time to find out.

“Gabe?” she asked, letting the hot needles of water scour her.

There was a pause. She barely heard his voice over the spattering of water.

“What?” he asked.

“Come here. Please. I need you – I need you close.”

The shower door opened a few moments later.

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