The Truth Seeker (5 page)

They were worried; therefore, they were mad. And in the simple equation of guys looked after girls, he was responsible. They’d made their point.

Jack had cooled off first, had offered him a hand up. Quinn had warily accepted. Frankly, getting hit had helped. He’d deserved it for letting Lisa get hurt.

The brothers had accepted his apology, and the four of them had ended up pacing as a group while they struggled to wait for Lisa to get out of surgery.

Stage two had been the sisters. Jennifer, Kate, and Rachel had insisted on hearing the details of what had happened.

He’d spent over an hour on the phone with Jennifer. As a doctor she had wanted to know everything he could remember about Lisa’s injuries. Kate had asked for details because as a cop she wanted to find something that would implicate someone as responsible.

Rachel had been the toughest to deal with. A trauma psychologist, she had worked her way under the ‘I’m fine’ cloak of words to the truth. She had pulled out what it had been like from the first sound of wood collapsing, through the realization of how bad Lisa was hurt, to the desperate realization Lisa might not make it to the hospital. By the time Rachel was through with him, he’d been taken apart and put back together. Effective, but incredibly draining.

Stage three was to give him a chance to make it up to Lisa. It was the hardest to accomplish because it was self-driven. Until Lisa was back on her feet and no longer dealing with the aftereffects of the injuries, he was going to feel responsible. She’d been hurt on his watch.

He should have protected her. He’d failed. He didn’t need her brothers to point that fact out, or conversely, her sisters to tell him it had been an accident.

He felt responsible.

Quinn hoped getting Lisa home would turn the corner. He wanted this behind them even more than the other O’Malleys did.

While the others began to unload the flowers that had packed Lisa’s hospital room, Quinn walked her slowly to the front door. He and Lisa were passed several times as they walked, Jack and Stephen joking with her about what her ferret Sidney was likely to do with the florist shop she was bringing home. Lisa joked back, but her comebacks were at a fraction of their normal speed.

Rachel held the screen door for them.

“Couch or chair?” Quinn asked Lisa quietly.

“Couch.”

The strain in Lisa’s single word bit. The car ride had jarred the He grasped her elbows and eased her down.

She sucked in a deep breath. “Thanks.”

Afraid she’d started to cry, he brushed back her hair and raised her He’d startled her. He waited for it to pass, not moving away, and “I want a steak,” Lisa interjected into the conversation.

“Not for another week, doctor’s orders,” Stephen called back.

“Stephen.”

“Live with it. We’re having fish.”

Lisa made a face even as she laughed.

Quinn got himself a soft drink, took a seat across from Lisa out of

injury and this walk was capping it off. Her back muscles were going to spasm if she didn’t relax.

chin, knowing she was going to tense on him but more petrified of the possible tears. He read the pain clouding her eyes. “What do you need?”

was rewarded as her eyes softened with humor for the first time in days. “New ribs. But I’ll settle for something to make me forget the ones I have.”

“This will do it.” Rachel joined them carrying a prescription bottle.

“Jennifer said this muscle relaxant would take down an elephant.”

Quinn reluctantly eased back, leaving her to the care of the family descending on her. Kate came into the room bringing Sidney. The guys turned toward the kitchen debating over what to fix for dinner.

the way, and settled in to just watch her. Marcus had once described Lisa as the one they had simply chosen to envelop. Having watched her family interact long enough, he now understood it.

Abandoned at birth, in seven foster homes before Trevor House, Lisa had never felt like she fit in. She’d arrived at Trevor House independent to a fault, a lizard peeking out of her backpack. The group had simply enveloped her then and they were doing it again now.

This last week he’d watched them override what was her instinct for space with a smothering presence of love. Even if she tended not to reach for it, she drew her strength from it. He was gaining a rapid education in how to deal with her that he wasn’t going to forget.

She’d never been alone; Marcus had tried to make himself comfortable in the hospital chair late at night, Jack and Kate through the days, Rachel and Stephen in the evenings. Quinn had taken the predawn hours when the dreams tended to haunt her, when he didn’t have to hide what he felt from the others.

She’d been hurt while with him and the guilt was heavy.

He listened to Lisa laugh as she played with Sidney, saw the strain in her face ease as the muscle relaxant kicked in, and for the first time in a week his heart settled back into a normal rhythm. He never wanted to come so close to losing her again.

He had to go all the way back to the time surrounding his father’s murder to find a week more draining than this one. Physically exhausted from lack of sleep. Emotionally drained by how long and hard the battle had gone on before Lisa was out of danger.

Spiritually

turmoil was a good word.

Three of the seven O’Malleys were new Christians—Jennifer, Marcus, and Kate—and their expectations for what Jesus would do to heal Lisa

their expectations were so high.

At two in the morning he’d been sitting with Kate and Marcus in the hospital cafeteria privy to a strategy session on how to get Lisa to listen to the truth. It had been uncomfortable. Quinn agreed with their objective, and at the same time felt like he was betraying Lisa by talking about her behind her back.

Kate thought it would be better to push the subject of God while Lisa was still dealing with the turmoil of almost dying and there might be a window of opportunity available. Marcus had been a little more

“You look down,” Kate said softly, settling on the arm of his chair.

Trust her to get to the point. “I’m okay.”

Kate borrowed his soft drink. “Your heart’s been on your sleeve for “But very cute.”

“She’s on my case for fussing.”

Kate grinned. “And you do it so well. You can fuss over me if you

cautious but had agreed with Kate. Quinn had tried to urge Jennifer’s approach that had been so effective in reaching the two of them: a steady one that didn’t push to hard.

Now Quinn was praying for wisdom. Marcus and Kate

he wouldn’t want the two of them focused on him, and he was afraid that would be Lisa’s initial reaction.

a week, you might want to tuck it inside again before she realizes it,”

she whispered.

Quinn leaned his head back to look up at her. The lady he had dated for a few months and come to consider one of his most important friends knew him very well. He would be lying to say his emotions weren’t involved; eight long days focused on Lisa had intensified everything he felt. But Kate was seeing what she wanted to see. He laughed softly and didn’t have the heart to break her bubble. She was happy; she wanted Lisa to be happy. “It’s noticeable?”

like.”

“She’s already talking about when she goes back to work.”

“I know. It’s crazy to be going back to work so soon, but she needs it. It’s a distraction.”

“She’s going to be hurting for months.”

“Yes.” She squeezed the back of his neck. “She’ll recover. Did you hear from Lincoln?”

The investigation into Amy Ireland Nugan had been forced to the sidelines by circumstances, and it took a moment for him to refocus.

Kate knew the history. “Lincoln got word from his contact in Canada last night. They confirmed Amy was born in Quebec, eventually moved

around and keep Lisa company while Dave and I go for a walk?”

to New York, then here. It was a different Amy Ireland.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” There was no way to put into words what it felt like to lose another promising thread. Giving up hope of finding the man who killed his father took something of his spirit with it, and it was happening as each promising lead failed.

“It won’t stay unsolved forever, Quinn. Nothing does.”

He appreciated the thought. It wasn’t in him to give up, but eventually he was going to have to. He had sought the truth for so long, but the deadline he had set for himself long ago was approaching. He’d have to get on with his life without the justice he needed. It was a terrible thought. He nodded toward Lisa and changed the subject. “Are you staying here tonight?”

“Yes. Craig’s covering my pager.”

“Thanks.”

“Dave’s coming over when he gets off work. You want to stay “You just want to go flirt with your boyfriend.”

“You got it.”

“I’m glad you found him.” He felt more than a minor protective interest in who Kate had in her life. Their friendship had happened more by accident than planning. The first few meals had been informal and spur of the moment—sharing a sandwich while she sat through a day-long negotiation, buying her a hot dog at a ball game, helping her haul a new couch into her apartment and sitting on the living room floor sharing a pizza before they returned the moving truck.

Quinn had found Kate to be a great friend. He’d started worrying about her like her brother Marcus did, wondering what risks she was taking in her job. It had taken only a few months of spending time with her to know it mattered to him that she eventually find the right guy to share her life with.

He’d been relieved when Dave came on the scene. The FBI agent

“I’ll stick around.”

She glanced at her sister. “Lisa could do worse.”

He took back his glass, found Kate had left him the ice, and smiled.

was a guy who had already proven he’d do what it took to protect her.

“He’s a good man.” She ruffled the back of his hair. “Something like you.”

“Don’t you start. She can make up her own mind.” He wanted another chance with Lisa. He was determined to get past the last eight days and back on plan. He still owed her dinner and he was determined to get an opportunity to deliver on it.

Five

Quinn, you don’t need to stay.”

“Quit protesting; I’m not going anywhere.” He turned on a table lamp and then reached back and killed the overhead light, having seen Lisa rub her forehead more than once, a telltale sign that she had a growing headache. The rest of the O’Malleys had left a short time ago; Kate and Dave were catching a private moment together watching the moon come up.

“Even if I said I was tired and I want you to go back to the hotel?”

“You’ve had two naps today, you’re hurting because the painkiller is wearing off, and you’re feeling sorry for yourself. So which do you want first? Something for the pain or a distraction?”

She frowned over at him. “I’m home; I’m fine. And you don’t listen.”

She wanted a fight; he smiled slightly and refused to give her one.

“No, I don’t.”

“I wish you’d quit feeling sorry for me

or guilty.”

He got to his feet. “Give me a break. You nearly got yourself killed a few feet away from me. I’m allowed.” He stopped in front of her and held out both hands. “Come on. You’ve been sitting for an hour. If you don’t get up and move, your back will lock up.”

She frowned as she looked at his hands, thinking about it. He

“Aches?”

“Every time I breathe,” she admitted. “Want to do me a favor?”

“If it’s not going to get me into trouble with one of your brothers.”

She tipped her head and smiled at him. He was a goner for that He fixed two milkshakes, cleaned up the counter, then dug around

laughed and wiggled his fingers. “Come on.”

Her hands slid into his and he felt how cold they were. He reassuringly grasped her hands, careful how he held her injured one, and pulled her up. As soon as she was steady, she removed her hands from his and pressed one against her left ribs.

smile even if she didn’t know it. “What do you need? Maybe we can just not tell them.”

“I’ve been craving a milkshake. Kate won’t tell.”

Not exactly what her doctor had in mind. And she needed something hot.

“It’s practically all milk,” she offered.

“I don’t suppose it will kill you.”

“Fix it while I peek in on my pets?”

He laughed. “Sure. Go on.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied dryly. “Go.”

He watched her walk slowly down the hall and enter the spare bedroom she had turned into a home for all the living things she collected.

He shook his head. She was a walking contradiction—annoyed at him one minute, flashing that smile the next.

He went through the dining room to the kitchen and opened the freezer. Vanilla or chocolate? He thought about asking, then decided he might as well make his favorite. He opened the chocolate ice cream.

in the drawers for two straws. He carried the glasses with him to find Lisa. She already had a habit of forgetting to eat when she worked, and the last several days had been little more than IVs; the calories would do her good.

Quinn stopped at the doorway, watching her. She was in her element with things that crawled and swam.

The mice were awake, three adorable white and one sleek brown tumbling over the hollow climbing blocks she’d carved. Sliding aside the mesh top of the cage, Lisa took a moment to reach inside and greet them. They scampered across her palm and tickled her fingers. She refilled their water, then closed the cage lid.

“Where did you find the brown one?”

“A neighbor’s pet; Scott was moving and couldn’t take it with him.”

She opened the jar of fish food flakes for the guppies she was raising.

He had taken the time yesterday to clean the tank, change the filter, and replace the evaporated water. With close to two dozen baby guppies swimming among the upper leaves of the plants it had been an experience. He didn’t think he’d accidentally killed more than a couple.

As she closed the cover the fish began to grab the flakes, shaking off smaller pieces.