believe that, either.”
Nick stared at her for a long minute, his gaze shadowed by a deep sorrow, before he wordlessly turned away and began driving again.
She ducked her head, swiping away the moisture from her cheeks. She shouldn’t feel guilty for hurting him, but she did. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to apologize, either.
Right now, nothing mattered except Joey. That was how she’d lived her life since leaving Anthony. A woman on a mission to provide a normal life for her son, keeping him safe from harm.
This wasn’t the time to allow herself to get distracted. By Nick or by the God he believed in.
* * *
Nick drove to the truck stop he’d passed earlier, so they could use the restrooms and get something to eat. He tried not to be hurt by Rachel’s anger as he understood, better than most, what she was going through. He’d been angry with God, too, at first when he’d discovered his wife and child had died. Anger was a normal part of the grief process, but that didn’t mean he was giving up on her.
He’d continue praying for both Joey and Rachel.
Besides, she needed to cling to the knowledge of her son being safe and sound. There was still hope that they could figure out a way to get him back.
Rachel didn’t say anything when he pulled into the truck stop parking lot, bringing the car to a halt between a pair of twin semitrailers. He climbed out of the driver’s seat and then glanced back at her. “I thought we’d clean up in the restrooms first. I’ll meet you in the diner in about fifteen minutes or so, okay?”
She nodded and pushed her way out of the car to join him. Wordlessly, they walked inside together before splitting up.
His stomach growled and the scent of bacon and eggs caused him to hurry. He scrubbed his hands over his rough stubble, wishing he had a razor. When he finished up in the restroom, he slid into a booth next to the door and perused the menu while he waited for Rachel.
She joined him a few minutes later and he didn’t waste any time in placing their orders. Once they were alone with their coffee, he leaned forward and said firmly, “We need to figure out what to do from here, Rachel. Ten million is a lot of money.”
“I know.” She stared at her coffee, her hands huddled around it for warmth, but she didn’t drink any.
“I know you’re the CEO and president of your company, but are you really going to be able to get that much together?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “The economy has been tough, and we’ve had a large class-action lawsuit that has eaten away a significant portion of our profits.”
Lawsuit? How come she hadn’t mentioned this earlier? “What was the lawsuit about?”
She grimaced before answering. “We put a new diabetes medication on the market about two years ago. In clinical trials it was superior in performance to the medication that almost two-thirds of the diabetes patients are currently taking.” She hesitated for a moment. “But something went wrong, and several people suffered very bad side effects and two patients died. The FDA mandated that we pull the drug off the market, and the lawsuit was filed shortly thereafter.”
He stared at her in shock, mentally kicking himself for not investigating this angle earlier. “Rachel, isn’t it possible that Joey’s disappearance could be linked to this lawsuit rather than the Mafia?”
She sighed and lifted her gaze to his. “I don’t see how the lawsuit could be related. I authorized a large settlement for those patients and their families. They deserve to be compensated for our mistake. What reason would they have to come after me now?” She gripped the mug tighter in her hands. “Besides, does it really matter who took Joey? All we need to do is to figure out a way to get him back.”
It did matter, but he didn’t say anything as the waitress headed their way with two plates of food. She plopped them down on the table, and then glanced at the two of
Nick stared at her for a long minute, his gaze shadowed by a deep sorrow, before he wordlessly turned away and began driving again.
She ducked her head, swiping away the moisture from her cheeks. She shouldn’t feel guilty for hurting him, but she did. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to apologize, either.
Right now, nothing mattered except Joey. That was how she’d lived her life since leaving Anthony. A woman on a mission to provide a normal life for her son, keeping him safe from harm.
This wasn’t the time to allow herself to get distracted. By Nick or by the God he believed in.
* * *
Nick drove to the truck stop he’d passed earlier, so they could use the restrooms and get something to eat. He tried not to be hurt by Rachel’s anger as he understood, better than most, what she was going through. He’d been angry with God, too, at first when he’d discovered his wife and child had died. Anger was a normal part of the grief process, but that didn’t mean he was giving up on her.
He’d continue praying for both Joey and Rachel.
Besides, she needed to cling to the knowledge of her son being safe and sound. There was still hope that they could figure out a way to get him back.
Rachel didn’t say anything when he pulled into the truck stop parking lot, bringing the car to a halt between a pair of twin semitrailers. He climbed out of the driver’s seat and then glanced back at her. “I thought we’d clean up in the restrooms first. I’ll meet you in the diner in about fifteen minutes or so, okay?”
She nodded and pushed her way out of the car to join him. Wordlessly, they walked inside together before splitting up.
His stomach growled and the scent of bacon and eggs caused him to hurry. He scrubbed his hands over his rough stubble, wishing he had a razor. When he finished up in the restroom, he slid into a booth next to the door and perused the menu while he waited for Rachel.
She joined him a few minutes later and he didn’t waste any time in placing their orders. Once they were alone with their coffee, he leaned forward and said firmly, “We need to figure out what to do from here, Rachel. Ten million is a lot of money.”
“I know.” She stared at her coffee, her hands huddled around it for warmth, but she didn’t drink any.
“I know you’re the CEO and president of your company, but are you really going to be able to get that much together?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “The economy has been tough, and we’ve had a large class-action lawsuit that has eaten away a significant portion of our profits.”
Lawsuit? How come she hadn’t mentioned this earlier? “What was the lawsuit about?”
She grimaced before answering. “We put a new diabetes medication on the market about two years ago. In clinical trials it was superior in performance to the medication that almost two-thirds of the diabetes patients are currently taking.” She hesitated for a moment. “But something went wrong, and several people suffered very bad side effects and two patients died. The FDA mandated that we pull the drug off the market, and the lawsuit was filed shortly thereafter.”
He stared at her in shock, mentally kicking himself for not investigating this angle earlier. “Rachel, isn’t it possible that Joey’s disappearance could be linked to this lawsuit rather than the Mafia?”
She sighed and lifted her gaze to his. “I don’t see how the lawsuit could be related. I authorized a large settlement for those patients and their families. They deserve to be compensated for our mistake. What reason would they have to come after me now?” She gripped the mug tighter in her hands. “Besides, does it really matter who took Joey? All we need to do is to figure out a way to get him back.”
It did matter, but he didn’t say anything as the waitress headed their way with two plates of food. She plopped them down on the table, and then glanced at the two of
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