Crime & Punishment 2: Master Delacroix (26 page)

A single tear slipped down his father’s cheek. Nathan sensed something. A shift in his father’s thinking. Nathan tensed. “Don’t,” Nathan whispered, but it was too late.

His father elbowed Andre, and the force knocked the wind from him long enough that his father was able to slide free of Andre’s gasp. He headed immediately for the gun lying close to Josh. Nathan took the opportunity and rushed forward toward Andre.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. A gunshot fired to his left, and a bullet hit Andre in the temple. His head jerked sideways, and his finger tightened on the trigger in reflex. A flash of light just like Nathan saw in his vision. A searing pain shot through his head, then darkness.

“NO!” CONNELLY SCREAMED as she watched Nathan fall to the floor, blood covering the side of his head.

She ran forward and dropped by his side. The gun fell from her hands, forgotten as her fear for Nathan nearly choked her. There was so much blood coating his thick hair and pooling on the floor.

“No no no no,” she sobbed. She gripped his face and turned him toward her. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.”

Her fingers shook as she tried to move the hair so she could see the ugly wound. It was long, and the hair close to the scalp had either been torn free or actually singed. But there was so much blood, she couldn’t see anything else. At least there didn’t appear to be brain matter or a massive exit wound on the other side.

An older man dropped to his knees next to her and turned Nathan’s face so he could see the head wound. “It grazed him. He’s just knocked out. Thank God,” he sighed in obvious relief. He turned to Daniel and checked him as well. “He’s still breathing but barely.”

“What about Josh?” Connelly asked as she searched Nathan’s pockets for his cell phone.

The older man moved to Josh and checked for a pulse. “It’s there, but weak. We need to get them some help.”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Nathan’s father. I assume you’re his girlfriend?” he asked as he put pressure on Daniel’s wound.

“Yes…” She let out a sigh. “No.”

“Well, that was clear as mud.”

Connelly snorted at the comment, remembering Daniel had said the same thing recently. She finally found the phone and dialed 911.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Connelly paced at the foot of Nathan’s bed, mentally kicking herself over and over again. She shouldn’t have shot Andre. She should’ve known his finger would’ve squeezed the trigger in reflex. It was stupid. So stupid.

Nathan was still out. A small fracture ran along the side of his skull from the track of the bullet, but there was no brain swelling so the doctors believed he would be fine. Daniel was in surgery but stable. Josh was listed as critical. Nathan’s father had gone down to the cafeteria with the other FBI agents who were waiting on news about Josh.

She glanced at Nathan as she continued to pace, biting on her thumbnail in anxiety. She just wished he would wake up. If he did, she would feel so much better. God, it had been so close. Even a millimeter to the right would’ve…

She shook her head, refusing to think that way. Nathan’s father had said he would be fine, and that was all that mattered. If she hadn’t fired when she did, it could’ve been a lot worse. Connelly wasn’t sure she agreed with that assessment. For all she knew, Nathan could’ve gotten to Andre before he had a chance to fire, therefore not getting shot at all.

Or he could’ve been late and been shot point-blank in the chest or, God forbid, right in the face.

Nathan’s father walked in and offered her a cup of tea. She shook her head, not sure her stomach could take it. She was likely to throw it right back up.

“You need something, sweetheart. Nathan would have my head if he woke up and you were dehydrated and I didn’t do anything to stop it, so have a heart. Don’t give my son another reason to be angry with me.”

Her lips twitched slightly, but she took the cup. “Thank you.”

The warmth seeped into her cold hands and traveled up her arm. Just holding it was comforting.

“Has he stirred at all?” he asked.

She sighed. “No. Have you heard about Daniel or Josh?”

“Daniel is on his way to recovery, but it will be a while yet before I can see him. Josh is still in surgery, but his status changed from critical. They were able to stop the bleeding and repair the lung and artery. Now it’s just a wait and see.”

“That’s good…that they were able to stop the bleeding. There was so much.”

Nathan’s father put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t think about it.”

“Easier said than done.”

A moan sounded from Nathan, and Connelly quickly set her tea down and rushed to the bed, Nathan’s father on the other side.

“Nathan?” Connelly asked.

He cracked his eyes open briefly and glanced up at her before quickly closing them again. He lifted his hand and blindly reached for her face. She grabbed it and held tight.

“Hey, pet,” he croaked. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she replied. “So is Daniel, and your father is here as well.”

Nathan opened his eyes and glanced toward his father. “What about Josh?”

“He’s still in surgery,” his father replied.

“How bad?” Nathan asked as his eyes again closed.

Connelly reached over and hit the button, turning off the lights. “Does that help?”

Nathan opened his eyes again and nodded, then winced in pain. “Damn. What the hell hit me?”

“It was a drive-by, .22 caliber I think, although you probably know guns better than I do,” his father answered.

“Drive-by. Cute, Dad,” Nathan murmured. “Feels more like a head-on collision.”

“Your girlfriend here is a hell of a shot.”

“Was that the first shot I heard?” Nathan asked.

He looked over at Connelly, and she cringed. “Yes. If I hadn’t fired…”

“We would all be dead,” Nathan’s father finished for her. “You did good, Connelly.”

“I agree,” Nathan added.

“But—”

Nathan squeezed her hand. “No, Connelly. You did good.” He turned to his father and winced at the pain that any movement caused. “Now to you. What the hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking about saving my son,” he replied.

Nathan’s frown deepened.

“Both of them,” his father growled.

Connelly took that as her cue to leave. They needed to talk. When she let go of Nathan’s hand, he asked, “Where are you going?”

“The FBI wanted to talk to me. Now that you’re awake, I believe it’s as good a time as any. Besides, you need to talk to your dad.”

The words
I love you
died on her tongue. She did love him, but this life… She’d experienced enough violence. If staying with him would bring more, she didn’t want any part of it.

“I’ll be back later.”

NATHAN FELT HER pulling away, and the pain in his chest hurt worse than his head. He wanted to call her back, but he knew and understood why she distanced herself, so he kept his feelings quiet. He wouldn’t force her into this life. How did he know this wouldn’t happen again? He didn’t. And neither did she.

“How bad off is Josh?” Nathan asked, stalling for time. He wasn’t sure he was ready for this talk.

“He was bad, but they believe he’ll pull through.”

“Good,” Nathan sighed.

“He’ll probably have a desk job after this, though.”

Nathan snorted, then cringed at the pain any movement sent slicing through his head. “Not Josh. He would die of boredom.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” his father mumbled, but Nathan ignored it. “Nathan,” his father began. “I know you’re in a lot of pain, so now isn’t the time to have this discussion, but I want you to know…I’m sorry.”

Nathan could feel his father’s regret, his sincerity, and Nathan’s eyes began to water. He closed them, forcing the tears back. “Dad, this isn’t—”

He should forgive his father. He needed to forgive him. Unfortunately, right now his head hurt so bad he couldn’t think straight and was afraid he’d say something stupid or something he didn’t mean.

“I know,” his father interrupted. “But I wanted you to know.”

Reaching out, Nathan grabbed his father’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “So am I.”

Later they would have a long talk. Right now… “Would you please tell the nurse to bring me something for my head?”

His father grinned just a little. “You’re already attached to a morphine pump. Just hit the button.”

Nathan hit it twice, then let the sweet bliss of sleep take him back under.

* * * *

“I saw Connelly earlier today.”

Nathan glanced over at Josh as they very slowly made their way down the hospital hallway. Josh had been out of CCU for a couple of days and driving the nurses crazy with his impatience to be free. Unfortunately, Josh’s body wasn’t quite as fast to heal as his mood and mind.

“Did you?” Nathan asked. “How is she?”

He tried to ask as nonchalantly as possibly but knew deep inside that he failed miserably. It was safer for her this way, but he missed her.

“She’s fine. She left this afternoon for a conference. Her first since her husband died.”

Nathan gave a nod. “Good for her.”

Josh snorted. “You’re pathetic. I lied, Nathan. She’s just as miserable as you are.”

Nathan frowned. “I’m not miserable.”

“So it’s miserable you object to? At least you know you’re pathetic.”

“Keep it up, Josh,” Nathan growled. “I have no qualms hitting an injured man.”

“Nathan doesn’t have qualms about a lot of things,” Daniel said.

He stepped out of his room just as they passed by.

At least this time it had been without their dad. It had taken some doing, but Nathan had finally convinced him to head home. Their dad needed to get back to his chemo treatments, and besides, Nathan could take care of these two. Provided they didn’t drive him to violence.

“Did you see Connelly today too?” Josh asked.

Daniel smiled. “I did. She brought me a mocha from Starbucks. I’ve been dying for one for days. She said it was a getting-out-of-the-hospital-today gift.”

Nathan ignored their attempt to make him jealous. He knew Connelly wanted to keep her distance, and he would respect that, despite how much it was tearing him up inside. She was scared, and he could certainly understand why. He was scared for her.

Josh scowled. “Kiss my ass, you lucky dog.”

Daniel and Nathan both chuckled.

“Is he grumbling again?” a young nurse asked as she stopped to watch them slowly walk with Josh between them.

“He’s always grumbling,” Nathan replied as he held tight to Josh’s elbow. Sometimes he was still a little unsteady on his feet, but the doctors all said that would pass with time. Josh was just impatient as hell.

Josh smacked Nathan’s stomach with the back of his hand. Nathan grunted, but his friend’s punch lacked its usual enthusiasm.

“Don’t listen to him,” Josh said. “He doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.”

Nathan pursed his lips and shook his head, making the nurse giggle. Josh glared at him. Nathan froze, giving his friend an innocent grin he knew Josh didn’t believe for a second. They’d been friends a long time and knew the other like the backs of their hands.

The nurse pointed her finger at Josh. “Behave yourself, Agent Barnes, or I won’t turn my back the next time your friend here sneaks in a beer.”

Josh’s lips twitched. “Yes, ma’am.”

She smiled. “That’s better.”

She walked away, and Nathan couldn’t stop the snicker. “I’ll be damned. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you straighten up so fast.”

“Shut up,” Josh growled. “Your beer runs are the only things that make this place tolerable. I’m not about to screw that up.”

“Feel up to taking a walk outside?” Daniel asked. “The weather is nice today.”

“Yes, please,” Josh replied.

Nathan didn’t miss the tired sigh that escaped his friend. The chest and lung injury had taken a lot out of him. It would be a while before he fully recovered. Josh wanted to push, though. He was anxious to be back at work and out of the hospital.

“Are you sure?” Nathan asked.

Josh nodded. “I could use the fresh air.”

They headed toward the garden positioned in the center of the square-shaped hospital. A large fountain took up the center with trees, flowers, and various plants filling in every corner possible, giving the space a tropical feel.

Josh walked to the fountain and slowly sat on a wooden bench positioned beneath a Japanese maple. Josh winced as he tried to find a more comfortable position on the hard wood.

“You okay?” Nathan asked as he watched his friend carefully. Josh had a habit of overdoing it, so everyone who visited kept a close eye on him.

“I’m all right,” he replied, his voice quiet and strained. “I’m trying to get through this with as little pain meds as possible. I hate how I feel on them.”

“All I ever did was sleep,” Daniel said.

“Same here.” Nathan dropped onto the bench next to Josh. “But I think they make Josh sick.”

Josh cringed. “Very sick. Changing the subject, did you talk to your dad?”

Nathan glanced up at Daniel. “I did. The company is in bed with the mob.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. “Son of a bitch! Did he tell you the file names?”

“He said he didn’t know. The mob brought in their own person who handles it all from the accounting department.”

Daniel scowled. “He just let the mob place someone on the inside?”

“Do you remember when Mom had that car wreck a few years ago?” Nathan asked.

“Yeah,” Daniel replied.

“The car was tampered with. The mob came to him after and told him the next one would kill her if he didn’t do what he was told. Dad took them at their word.”

“So it’s like I said,” Josh said. “He was backed into a corner.” He looked up at Daniel. “Which means if he steps down and you take over, they’ll come to you next.”

“Why would they? They already have someone on the inside.”

“They’ll want to make sure they have your cooperation,” Josh said.

Daniel snorted. “Great. Any suggestions, Agent Barnes?”

Josh nodded. “Give me a few days and I’ll come up with something. This might be our in to finally get these guys.”