Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“It’s me. Father Michael. Let me in,” he calls out, rattling the doors.
Relief has fresh tears running down my face, and I stand and let the duvet fall from my shoulders as the door is unlocked and Santos enters the chapel. He stops for a moment, just a moment, and looks at me and then he’s at my side, taking me in his arms, sitting with me on his lap and cradling me. I cling to him, kiss his cheek, then bury my face in his neck.
“I trusted him,” Santos says against my ear.
“Is he… Did you?” I look up at him, see the splatter of blood on his shirt.
He looks at me, then gets to his feet with me in his arms. “We need to get you to a doctor.” He and Father Michael exchange a look, and Santos carries me out of the chapel. He sets me down on the passenger side of the SUV and turns to Father Michael.
“I’ll send some people, but we need to get the cruiser moved,” Santos says.
“I’ll take care of it,” Father Michael says, surprising me—making me wonder again about his past.
“Val was a friend,” Santos says.
“I know.” The priest takes hold of Santos’s shoulders, then takes something out of his pocket and pushes it into Santos’s hands.
“I don’t want that,” Santos says.
Father Michael closes his hands over whatever it is. “You witnessed a miracle today.” He glances at me. “You know that.”
Santos is quiet.
“Go. Take care of your wife.”
Santos nods. They man-hug, and a moment later, he closes my door and climbs into the driver’s seat as he tucks the thing Father Michael gave him into his pocket.
It’s a rosary.
38
SANTOS
I send soldiers to Augustine’s to secure the apartment and make sure my mother stays put until I get there.
When we get to the parking lot of the small building that houses Dr. Moore’s practice, three SUVs are parked in the lot, each with two soldiers inside. As we pull in, they climb out of their vehicles and wait.
Dr. Moore opens the door and anxiously looks around at the men. She canceled her first few appointments in order to see us when I called and explained it was an emergency.
I know she knows who I am, what I do. So, when she sees the state we’re both in by the time we get to her office, she doesn’t ask any questions but leads us into the same examining room as last time.
“I’m all right. I’m fine,” Madelena insists as the doctor and I help her out of her clothes, and she examines her. I see the bruises all over her body, and I know the pain of cracked ribs. “The baby though.”
Dr. Moore doesn’t look convinced she is fine. “I’m an OB-GYN. You need to take your wife to a proper doctor to be looked at,” she tells me.
“I will. The baby.”
Dr. Moore nods. My phone rings as I watch her arrange the stirrups and ready the probe.
“Yes?” I answer, turning my back to the women.
“Sir, she’s gone. I have Cummings here and the girl. Ana.”
“Gone?”
“Soldier said she left soon after you did.”
“Santos?” Madelena asks.
“Keep them there. I’ll come soon.” I disconnect the call and turn to my wife. This time, as I take her hand, she holds onto mine, and she too, looks at the monitor along with me. My heart is racing and I’m sure she can see the anxiety on my face.
“Here we go,” Dr. Moore says and inserts the probe. I hold my breath. I think Madelena is holding hers too. But in an instant, that racing heartbeat fills the room. Madelena’s exhale matches my own. When I dip my head into her neck, she wraps a hand around it and holds me to herself because the weight of this, and the relief, they’re almost unbearable. And I’m so fucking grateful.
“She’s okay,” Madelena tells me. “She’s okay.” She’s comforting me for a change.
“She?” Dr. Moore says, trying to lighten the mood.
I raise my head and my eyebrows. Madelena turns to Dr. Moore and shrugs. “It’s just a feeling.”
The doctor smiles too. “Well, you can find out in a few more weeks if you want that.” She puts the probe away and removes her gloves.
Madelena touches my face and I force a smile, but she sees the effort it takes me. Because this isn’t over.
“Do you need a referral for a good doctor nearby?” Dr. Moore asks.
“Yes, actually,” I say, standing. Because I don’t trust anyone in Avarice.
“I’ll get you a card.” She looks at both of us, smiles, then leaves.
Madelena turns to me. “Caius?”
“Caius will never come near you again.”
I know she wants to ask what this means, but I help her up, help her get dressed in the awful clothes Father Michael provided.
“Let’s go home. I’ll have the doctor come to see you there.”