won’t come home one day, but I hope to God he does. I hope this message was for someone else, but some twist of the universe made it seem like it was meant for you.” Heart breaking, Jason studied her. Again, the compulsion to push her until she cracked, until she agreed to help in whatever way she could, teased him. They could even do things the easy way. Her way. Or, if she forced him to, he could apply a little pressure.
He knew nothing about this woman, other than what he gleaned from a few hours together, and from vicious rumors spread by those who didn’t care if they got back to her. Then again, despite why they’d done it, there was a smoking-hot kiss holding back a frustrated rage.
No. Best to keep things civil. He didn’t know if he needed her. Not yet. Not for sure.
“I wish you could tell me for certain that my brother’s alive, Sabrina. I’d give anything, anything , for that confirmation. For the past two years I have agonized and analyzed and scrutinized what we’ve done, making sure we have turned over every leaf, uncovered every possible clue, contacted any and every possible person to make certain we haven’t missed a thing. Not one thing. It took me months to get over the realization he’s not coming back.” He moved into her personal space. “Now that I’ve finally accepted it, don’t you dare tell me to drag that hope back up. I can’t live through it again.” His voice cracked, but he didn’t try to clear through it. “I can’t.” She exhaled. No backing up. No sign she would be intimidated by him. “I’m sorry about the loss of your brother and shouldn’t have implied he’s not gone. But I have no room in my world for anyone else’s self-pity. Your problems are not my problems.” Sabrina looked pointedly at the door. “If you want to leave that paper with me, I’ll see if I can find something of interest in it besides names. Otherwise, I have a busy day ahead of me.”
Clearly dismissed, Jason stood. He snatched up a nearby ballpoint pen and pulled one of the unused napkins toward him. Writing, he said, “Here’s my number. Use it day or night if you find something.”
She took it, but he sensed her reluctance. “Thanks for breakfast, Jason.” He moved toward the front door, the only possible link to his brother lying with a woman who had no vested interest in helping him. Turning, he took in the sight of it and her one last time.
“Day or night,” he said. Please.
32
Intimate Whispers
Chapter Three
She never called. Over the next few days he thought often about knocking on her door just to say hello. Maybe slip in an innocent query or two. Some combination of machismo and personal pride kept him indoors and away from his neighbor. It didn’t stop him from peering through the peep hole if he heard a noise in the hall, however.
That yielded nothing as well. Well, except raising his stupid factor a few notches.
Shrill ringing next to his ear woke him almost a week later. Thoughts of Sabrina or Teddy or even Kelly nowhere near his consciousness.
His eyes stuttered open and a dream, some fuzzy nonsense about an island vacation, whisked away in an instant. The phone rang again and his brain managed the command to move his arm. Grabbing it on the first try was another matter. After a little fumbling, he finally managed to grip the receiver. “H’lo?”
“May I speak with Jason Raines, please?”
The woman’s voice was pleasant, but firm. Definitely professional. A cop, maybe?
He didn’t recognize her. “This is him.”
He or him? He never got that one right.
“My name is Laura and I’m calling from Mercy Hospital ER…” Jason bolted upright, all traces of sleep vanished. His post-rest heart rate tattooed like he’d just run a marathon. Before he could voice his concern, she continued, “Please don’t be alarmed.
This is not an emergency. We got your number from one of our patients.”
“Who?” One of his parents? His brother?
“We’re
He knew nothing about this woman, other than what he gleaned from a few hours together, and from vicious rumors spread by those who didn’t care if they got back to her. Then again, despite why they’d done it, there was a smoking-hot kiss holding back a frustrated rage.
No. Best to keep things civil. He didn’t know if he needed her. Not yet. Not for sure.
“I wish you could tell me for certain that my brother’s alive, Sabrina. I’d give anything, anything , for that confirmation. For the past two years I have agonized and analyzed and scrutinized what we’ve done, making sure we have turned over every leaf, uncovered every possible clue, contacted any and every possible person to make certain we haven’t missed a thing. Not one thing. It took me months to get over the realization he’s not coming back.” He moved into her personal space. “Now that I’ve finally accepted it, don’t you dare tell me to drag that hope back up. I can’t live through it again.” His voice cracked, but he didn’t try to clear through it. “I can’t.” She exhaled. No backing up. No sign she would be intimidated by him. “I’m sorry about the loss of your brother and shouldn’t have implied he’s not gone. But I have no room in my world for anyone else’s self-pity. Your problems are not my problems.” Sabrina looked pointedly at the door. “If you want to leave that paper with me, I’ll see if I can find something of interest in it besides names. Otherwise, I have a busy day ahead of me.”
Clearly dismissed, Jason stood. He snatched up a nearby ballpoint pen and pulled one of the unused napkins toward him. Writing, he said, “Here’s my number. Use it day or night if you find something.”
She took it, but he sensed her reluctance. “Thanks for breakfast, Jason.” He moved toward the front door, the only possible link to his brother lying with a woman who had no vested interest in helping him. Turning, he took in the sight of it and her one last time.
“Day or night,” he said. Please.
32
Intimate Whispers
Chapter Three
She never called. Over the next few days he thought often about knocking on her door just to say hello. Maybe slip in an innocent query or two. Some combination of machismo and personal pride kept him indoors and away from his neighbor. It didn’t stop him from peering through the peep hole if he heard a noise in the hall, however.
That yielded nothing as well. Well, except raising his stupid factor a few notches.
Shrill ringing next to his ear woke him almost a week later. Thoughts of Sabrina or Teddy or even Kelly nowhere near his consciousness.
His eyes stuttered open and a dream, some fuzzy nonsense about an island vacation, whisked away in an instant. The phone rang again and his brain managed the command to move his arm. Grabbing it on the first try was another matter. After a little fumbling, he finally managed to grip the receiver. “H’lo?”
“May I speak with Jason Raines, please?”
The woman’s voice was pleasant, but firm. Definitely professional. A cop, maybe?
He didn’t recognize her. “This is him.”
He or him? He never got that one right.
“My name is Laura and I’m calling from Mercy Hospital ER…” Jason bolted upright, all traces of sleep vanished. His post-rest heart rate tattooed like he’d just run a marathon. Before he could voice his concern, she continued, “Please don’t be alarmed.
This is not an emergency. We got your number from one of our patients.”
“Who?” One of his parents? His brother?
“We’re
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