Hard As Ice (Fortis Series 1) (30 page)

Nia blinked. He knew her so well, and she would be dead now if he didn’t.

“Thank you,” she said simply, sincerely.

“You don’t have to thank me, Nia. You should never have been in that kind of danger,” he stated through tight lips.

“Nigel is the broker that you’ve been looking for, isn’t he?” she finally asked. “He was Walsh.”

“Looks that way. Raymond thinks he styled himself after a Boston mobster named Nigel Walsh back in the seventies.”

Nia closed her eyes pretending to rest. She didn’t want to talk about Nigel. His betrayal was more than she could bear to think about.

“You have a few people who want to say hello. Do you feel up to a little company?” Evan asked after a few moments.

She looked at him with surprise.

“Who?”

“Looks like your whole office, really. And my team. Lucas and Sam,” he stated.

“Your friends? They’re here?”

“They came in last night.”

Nia bit the side of her cheek, shocked and a little overwhelmed.

“Sure, I guess,” she finally conceded.

“Don’t worry, they all won’t stay for long. I’ll make sure they don’t overtax you.”

He turned and walked out, only to be replaced by a steady stream of her work colleagues. Adam stayed the longest, telling her about all the news coverage of the attempted robbery and his ideas about how to market the auction even more. Later, Tony, Michael, and Raymond stayed for a short while, telling her a few more things about the case. In order to avoid being charged with murder, one of the robbers had flipped on the others about the murders of Flannigan and Morton, and the attempted hit and run. He also confirmed that Morton had nothing to do with the robbery. They knew he had been friends with Flannigan, so they killed him to take the heat off themselves.

Lucas and Sam also visited for a little while, politely asking a few supportive questions, then sitting quietly while she fell asleep. When Nia woke again, several hours later, there was only Evan standing by the bed, looking out the window. He turned, hearing her movement.

“Hey. Did you have a good rest?” he asked with a soft smile.

“I think so,” Nia replied with a shy smile of her own. “What are you still doing here? It must be late.”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

Evan sat on the edge of the mattress, close enough to touch, but still separate. He handed her some water and she willingly sipped it.

“How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Tony said you hardly ate any of your dinner. We can bring something in for you if you’d prefer.”

“No, I’m fine, Evan,” she declared.

“No pain?”

She couldn’t lie.

“A little, but I don’t want any more morphine. It makes me groggy.”

“Maybe they can give you something milder,” he suggested, about to stand up.

“No.” She stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I’m fine. I’ll take something later, if I need to sleep. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I know you must still be in shock about Nigel,” he said carefully. “But there’s more that you need to know.”

Nia swallowed, wondering how much worse this whole thing could get.

“We’ve confirmed that Sean Holstein wasn’t the actual buyer of the diamonds.”

“What do you mean? I thought you guys recovered them from him.”

Evan nodded, obviously hesitant to tell her what he needed to.

“We did. But the money used to pay for the job wasn’t his. He was just representing the buyer.”

“Okay. So do we know who that is?”

Evan brushed the back of his hand along the line of her cheek.

“It was Strom. Colby Strom.”

It took her a full minute to understand what he was saying. And then everything crashed around her. Nia shook her head back and forth repeatedly before being able to articulate words.

“No,” she whispered. “No!”

“I’m afraid so, Nia. It looks like Strom went after the Crimson Amazon because he knew it was your deal.”

“Oh my god!” she gasped, her mind slowing coming to grasp with what exactly that meant.

“Nigel,” she whispered finally, her eyes wide but unseeing. “Was Nigel working with him?”

“No,” Evan told her quickly. “No, there is no proof St. Clair knew who the real buyer was. He was just after the money.”

After a deep, low sob, she covered her mouth. Her eyes burned with tears of anger and frustration. Evan took her hand but she shook it away.

“Nia, please. It’s okay. We got him,” he explained. “The FBI arrested Strom yesterday. We got them both.”

“No, no,” she cried. After all the pain and humiliation she had fought so hard to overcome, he was violating her all over again. He was invading her life, taking what he wanted and leaving her broken in the aftermath. It was too much for her to bear. And Nigel!

“Nia, sweetheart,” Evan repeated, but she couldn’t look at him.

“Leave me alone,” she croaked.

“No, Nia. It’s okay. Just let me—”

“Leave me alone. Please!” she pleaded, her eyes clenched tight as hot tears seeped through and ran down her face and despair took over. She didn’t even know when he had left.

Nia did well in the hospital over the next day and a half, with no signs of injury beyond the deep gash in her skull. She was released on Friday morning and Evan drove her back to her apartment.

While she seemed to be healing well physically, he was very worried about her emotional state. The news of Colby Strom’s role in the robbery on the heels of Nigel’s attack was more than anyone should be expected to handle. Even a woman as strong as Nia.

He watched her move around her apartment, getting settled into a comfortable spot on the couch with a blanket and the television remote. On the surface, she seemed fine, but there was a dimness to her eyes that pulled at him. Evan wished more than anything that he didn’t have to tell her about Strom, not so soon. But the news of his arrest was already circulating in the media, and Evan knew he had to be the one to tell her. It was a moment that would haunt him for a long time.

Now, two days later, there were a few other things that had to be addressed, and he couldn’t put them off any longer. He joined her on the sofa, careful not to disturb her position.

“Nia, we need to discuss things now that you’re out of the hospital,” he started.

She looked back at him with a steadfast gaze.

“Like what?”

“You’ll be off work for about four weeks, so you’re going to need some help until you’re better. Someone to make sure you don’t experience any serious side effects from the gunshot wound.”

“I’ll be fine, Evan,” she said simply, turning back to the television.

“Nia, I’m staying,” he said simply.

She looked back at him with a puzzled look on her face.

“I’ve already worked it out with Luc and Sam. I can work from Boston for as long as needed, though I may have to go back to Alexandria for the day, on occasion. But I’ll keep the chopper ready, just in case.”

“Chopper? Helicopter?” Nia asked, blinking. “You have a helicopter?”

“Yeah, I flew it here on Tuesday. Fortis has two.”

She just continued to stare at him.

“You were serious about flying helicopters,” she repeated, remembering their conversation at his apartment in Virginia. It seemed so long ago. “You fly planes, too, don’t you?”

“Small ones,” he replied with a shrug and a slightly cocky grin. “I told you I had my pilot’s license. But you’re getting sidetracked, Nia.”

“Sorry, go on.”

“I’ll stay for as long as you need me to,” he finished.

There was a heavy silence as she looked down at her hand.

“Evan, this isn’t going to work. We’re not going to work.” His heart stopped. “I . . . I just can’t do this.”

She closed her eyes and lay her head back on the sofa cushion.

Evan clenched his jaw and did what he knew he had to.

“Nia, there’s nothing for you to do. I’m not talking about us, or our relationship. I’m just talking about you getting better. I’ll only be here to help you recuperate. Okay? Will you let me do that?”

When she finally looked back at him, her eyes were so sad that Evan could barely look at them.

“You’re right, Evan. I need to get better. I need to come to terms with everything that’s happened and move on,” she said softly. “I know I can do that. I will. But I can’t do it with you here. It hurts too much.”

Evan blinked at her words, and at the painful honesty behind them. He, St. Clair, and Strom had all hurt her in different but unforgivable ways. And the only way for her to heal was to move on from them all, including him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He shook his head, unable to respond. Evan wanted to say that
he
was the one who was sorry, for everything she had been through and his contribution to her pain. But no words could really express how he felt about losing the opportunity to have her in his life.

They sat silently beside each other until Nia finally fell asleep. Evan took a few more minutes to indulge the simple pleasure of watching her sleep, trying to come to grips with losing the privilege. Then, when he couldn’t put it off any longer, he took action. By that evening, he had arranged for his mother’s housekeeper, Agnes, to fly to Boston and spend the next few weeks with Nia. He stayed in Boston for another couple of days, sleeping on the couch only long enough to ensure the two women had everything they needed. Then he flew back to Virginia to try to move on.

 

 

At first, Nia was so relieved to have Evan gone. Looking at him hurt, like a physical wound that would never heal as long as he was there. Every day after he left, she woke up feeling stronger and stronger, and a little bit more like herself. At first, she had been a little annoyed with Evan for taking control of her life by sending Agnes to stay with her, but Nia quickly came to appreciate the gesture. The older woman was a godsend; easy company, and exactly what Nia needed during her recovery.

Every day she also spent time thinking about what had happened with Evan, Nigel, and Colby. What they had done to her, and why. How she could learn from the experience and never be in the same situation again. Every day, the pain in her chest lessened until she felt ready to talk. On Friday afternoon, three weeks after being released from the hospital, she called Lianne at her office.

“Hey, Nia, how are you feeling?” her friend answered.

“I was wondering if I could see you,” asked Nia. “Today, at your office. I need to talk.”

“Okay, sure. But why don’t I come see you?” suggested Lianne. “I was planning to stop by for a visit tomorrow anyway.”

“No, that’s okay. I need to get some fresh air anyway. I’ll bring Agnes with me.”

“All right, if you’re sure. My last appointment is at four-thirty. How about five-thirty?”

“That’s good. Thanks, Lee.”

“Is everything okay? Is it about the robbery?”

“No, not really. But I’ll tell you more, later.”

Lianne ran her counseling practice out of a medical center on the other side of downtown Boston. Nia had been several times over the years they had been friends but it felt odd to do so now. She pushed open the door, labeled with a bronze plaque engraved with the title DR. L. BLOOM, PH.D.

A few minutes early, Agnes took a seat while Nia walked around the waiting room. Lianne opened the office door about five minutes later, looking professional in a white silk blouse over black slacks and black kitten-heeled pumps. Her friend smiled easily, waving her into the private space, and Nia let out a deep breath. It was going to be fine.

“So, what’s going on,” started Lianne once they were seated on the couch in her office.

“I needed to talk, about . . . stuff,” Nia explained.

“Okay. But we can talk anytime, Nia. Why here?”

“I know. I guess I wanted your opinion as a professional, not a friend.”

“It would probably be the same,” her friend replied with a teasing smile.

“Maybe. I think I just need to hear it that way. You know what happened when I was fifteen. So, I spent a lot of time in therapy when I was younger. I thought I knew all the answers, about what happened. Now after Nigel and . . . everything, I feel stuck, like there’s more I need to figure out.”

Lianne sat back.

“What do you think has happened to make you feel stuck?”

Nia sat back also.

“Evan,” she answered simply.

“What exactly?”

“In the hospital, when he told me about Colby funding the robbery, I think I just shut down. Suddenly, they all got confused in my head. Kyle, Colby, Nigel, and then Evan. They all became one big . . . nightmare . . . form,” she tried to explain. “They were inseparable, combined as one large threat. And the only way to protect myself was to run.”

Nia paused, wondering if the words were really explaining how she had felt.

“And how do you feel now?” Lianne asked.

“I’m able to separate things now,” Nia concluded.

“What about Nigel? He was like a brother to you, right?”

“I thought so. But now I’m not sure if I ever knew who he really was. I think I just saw him as some kind of hero who came to my rescue when no one else did,” Nia replied. “And I felt this huge sense of guilt and responsibility for what he went through.”

“But, you weren’t responsible for his actions any more than you were to blame for what Colby and Kyle did,” insisted Lianne.

“I know that. Rationally, I know that. But I don’t think I ever let myself believe it. And now I just feel sad for him.”

“What about Colby?”

“I don’t feel anything about Colby. I should feel vindicated I guess, but it doesn’t matter one way or the other. I believe in karma, and I always figured his actions would catch up with him eventually,” Nia explained. “I reached out to Hailey a few days ago. She told me that Kyle had joined the Marines after high school, and then was injured in Afghanistan on his second tour. He’s lost both his legs.”

The women looked at each other.

“So that just leaves Evan,” Lianne concluded.

“I woke up a couple of day ago and I couldn’t remember why I was angry at him, why I didn’t trust him. Not right away. I just missed him. Then, I remembered something he had said to me about the things he had learned from his dad. A sense of justice and to protect your family and country.”

“That sounds noble,” Lianne replied.

Nia looked down at her hands.

“I think he was telling the truth, Lee. I think he was honest with me about who he was while we were going out. I think I know him at his core. And I do trust him.” She looked up at her friend and trained therapist. “Is that crazy? He lied to me from the moment we met, and now I’m saying that I trust him.”

“What do you trust him with?”

“My safety, my life, my well-being. I trust him to be honest about anything important.”

“Maybe that’s what’s relevant, Nia. Do you think he will lie to you again?”

Nia smiled.

“I’m sure he will, if he thinks it will protect me. Or if his job requires him to.”

“Well, from what I know about his career, that might not be a bad thing.”

They both chuckled a little.

“So, if you trust Evan, why don’t you just tell him that? What’s holding you back?”

“I don’t know how. I can’t figure out how to take that step. I’m scared, and I’m stuck.”

Lianne nodded in agreement.

“That’s what Evan said the day he left Boston the first time, and he’s right. I’m scared and I’ve used everything else to convince myself that love and relationships aren’t worth the risk.”

“Are you saying you’re not scared anymore?” asked Lianne.

“No, I’m still scared,” Nia admitted with a sad smile. “But I think I’m more terrified about being stuck in this isolated spot, walled off from any real emotions. I thought the worst feeling was to be hurt or betrayed by someone you love. The emptiness and loneliness of missing them is so much worse.”

“I’ll let you in on a little secret, my friend,” Lianne stated, patting Nia’s leg. “We’re all scared to really fall in love. Maybe you just needed to find someone who made it worth the risk.”

Nia smiled, feeling pounds lighter.

“So, what happens now?” asked Lianne. “What are you going to do about Evan?”

“I don’t know, really. I still have some things to work out. Maybe I’ll write another couple of songs,” she added with a shy grin. “Turns out it’s pretty therapeutic.”

“Is that all it is, or is there something more?”

Nia shrugged, almost too excited to say the words out loud.

“It’s only been a few weeks, but I’ve been thinking about how to put music back in my life. In a real way.”

“Like how?” Lianne probed, her facing lighting up.

“I don’t know. Maybe volunteer for an art center or music school? Write for a community-based theater? Maybe even perform some of the songs I’ve written. I have to look into the options, but I just know it’s what I really want to do with my life.”

“What about your job?”

“I can’t give that up anytime soon. I still have bills to pay, shoes to buy,” Nia quipped. “I think I’ll be back in the office within a week or so, once I have my final follow-up at the hospital. Then the summer auction is only a few weeks away. All of that is really important to me too. But I still want music back in my life in some way.”

“Nia, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that. You deserve to be happy and fulfilled, and if songwriting or performing is what you want to do, go for it!” Lianne told her as they stood up. “I’m just hoping I get to hear something of yours soon! You could even do an open mic night. Like at that place we went Memorial Day weekend.”

Nia giggled at the idea, even as a bubble of excitement settled in her chest. The friends hugged tight.

“Maybe,” Nia teased when they parted. “Thank you for this, Lianne. I really needed it.”

“You’re welcome, anytime. And you don’t need an appointment! You’re my best friend and I love you. The advice will always be the same. Now, how do you feel about staying out for dinner? The pub down the street has happy hour with half-priced appetizers. ”

By the end of the evening, the idea Lianne had planted was developing in Nia’s head. Maybe the only way to get unstuck was to do something drastic. Take a leap so big, there was no going back. And, maybe she could kill two birds with one stone.

After a little bit of research and lots of time psyching herself up, Nia called Evan on his cell phone, suddenly anxious to hear his voice.

“Nia? Is everything okay?” he had quickly answered with concern.

“Hi, Evan. Everything is good,” she replied, certain her voice was shaking. They hadn’t spoken since he had left.

“How are you?” Nia asked.

He had paused before replying.

“I’m okay. How are you feeling? Agnes tells me you’re getting better every day.”